It is worth stepping out of the metropolitan bubble (in which certain brands meet expectations of aspiring consumers), to see that the statistical Polish person's budget for cosmetics tends to match the national average salary. In recent years, marked by uncertainty, high inflation and the associated rationalization of spending, consumers are looking for good quality but not necessarily expensive brands.
Many studies clearly indicate that Polish shoppers are sensitive to price promotions and bargains. This, by the way, is what the big retail chains compete with each other with. There is no reason to be ashamed in such thoughtful purchases. This is a common-sense approach, especially since on the shelves of drugstores you can find a lot of good cosmetics, the purchase of which does not strain your wallet. Fortunately, snobbery does not get everyone. Even those who can afford expensive brands often choose products from the economy shelf for daily hygiene or care.
A Selectivv survey of a sample of 670 adults conducted last year showed that the vast majority of Poles buy cosmetics once a month (46%). Another answer indicated by respondents was about once a week. One in four respondents indicated that they buy cosmetics less frequently than once a month, and only 3% of respondents indicated daily purchases of such products. As many as 57% of respondents opted for the drugstore when they need to buy shampoo, shower gel or hair dye. 18% go to hypermarkets to buy cosmetics, and more than 23% buy them online. By far the largest group of respondents declare that their cosmetic expenses are in the range of PLN 51-100 per month (39%). Nearly 23% spend between 101 and 200 zlotys. Only 9% of respondents spend more than this amount per month. It is also worth noting that 22% allocate from 21 to 50 zlotys, and spending less than 20 zlotys is declared by almost 7% of respondents. An important part of the survey were questions about the most common reasons for Poles to buy cosmetics. The vast majority said they simply ran out of cosmetics (8 out of 10 respondents), which confirms that we really are rational when shopping. The survey also shows that we are willing to test cosmetics recommended by a drugstore salesperson (38.5%). The size of cosmetic product packaging, on the other hand, proved to be important to respondents. 59.7 percent choose larger capacities to save money, and almost 17 percent of those questioned saw such action as caring for the environment.
Interview with Agnieszka Rajewska, marketing director of LK JoannaJoanna is a company with traditions, but it is clear that you are investing heavily to be a brand at the cutting edge and with prospects for the future....
Our long-standing presence in the industry is, in our view, nothing but an advantage. Thanks to our extensive experience, we are able to both take care of our loyal customers and grow in many fields. Of course, over the years and through a variety of activities, we have noticed an increased interest in our offerings from the new generations, which proves that they appreciate what we represent as a brand, and the “traditionality” of the company does not stand in the way of this.
Consumers sometimes wonder, is a good cosmetic only an expensive cosmetic?
It is not the price that determines whether a cosmetic is good. In many brands, unfortunately, we pay only for marketing and not for the quality of the product. The key to assessing the quality of a cosmetic is its composition, but also the way it is developed and the quality of its testing. In LK Joanna, product formulas are created in our laboratory and, in addition, they are still tested in independent centers, so we can be sure of their safety and high quality.
If you can have a decent product at a decent price, can you count on cosmetic innovation? Or are expectations already too high?
Unfortunately, it is not easy, because the investments in innovation are not small. However, with the cooperation of a creative marketing department and an experienced laboratory, we are able to offer innovations and develop such cosmetics, the use of which will prove to be a breath of fresh air.
On the other hand, it is very difficult to create trends. We already have such experience - more than 20 years ago, we were the first on the Polish market to introduce a comprehensive hair care line addressed only to men. Unfortunately, at that time there was no trend for men's products and our series, despite its high quality, comprehensive offer and advertising in “Playboy” and “CKM”, did not manage to change men's perception. Only the emergence of a wide range of players emboldened men to reach for products addressed only to them. Today, we too are sipping the cream of this category of cosmetics.
Which products in LK Joanna portfolio are bestsellers, in which category do you have a high expertise?
We specialize primarily in hair coloring, care and styling. However, our main core business is hair dyes. In this category, we have been on the market podium in sales volume for years.
Is there a category that you consciously do not enter?
We believe that you can't be good at everything, so we focus on what we do best and what we have the most experience in - which is hair care.
Instead, we consciously skip the face care and make up categories. But we may not have said our last word yet. We are keeping a close eye on the market and possible opportunities to expand into new categories.
The brand is succeeding more and more in reaching out to different age groups. How are you diversifying your marketing communications here?
We always keep in mind that at the end of every path is the customer, regardless of their age. We care about credibility and unsponsored opinions, so we work with online creators by giving them a chance to test products and express their opinions. We are present on many platforms where our customer is present. In recent years, we have been particularly active in sponsoring TV talent shows, as we want to support young people in making their dreams come true.
However, we are increasingly entering into online communication. Our profiles on Facebook, Instagram or TikTok have the right character to successively reach different target groups.
The brand has wide distribution. Are there any sales channels that are particularly important and promising for you?
Like other companies, we are moving with the times and are increasingly focusing on the channels that are growing the fastest. We are expanding our activities when it comes to online sales, both in the official brand store and through various types of platforms. Drugstores and chain stores are also very important to us. However, we do not forget about the traditional market.
Is Joanna known in any foreign markets? Which ones? And do you somehow change product formulas/packaging for specific markets?
Development in foreign markets is extremely dynamic. We reach distant places with our products - we are present in Europe as well as North America, Asia or even Africa. Our coloring is of particular interest. Product packaging usually includes translations into other languages, with English being the basis for translations. And both in terms of packaging and product formulas, of course, it happens that we create dedicated products for a particular market, such as for instance Arabic.
In your opinion, the three most important differentiators of the Joanna brand are.
Quality, friendly price and comprehensive offer in the category of hair cosmetics.
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