Case Study :Plum Goodness: Cracking Clean Beauty
| Another beauty brand? It’s such a competitive landscape! |
| Well, not if you have an eye to recognize and capitalize on market gaps. |
| One such young brand is Plum Goodness, a 100% vegan and cruelty-free beauty brand that has made its mark on the Indian beauty market. |
| The surge in vegan products is driven by a growing awareness of animal cruelty and the environmental impact of traditional beauty products. Consumers are also increasingly concerned about the safety and efficacy of harsh chemicals often found in cosmetics. |
| Plum Goodness addresses these concerns head-on, offering a clean beauty alternative that is both kind to animals and effective for achieving beautiful skin. |
| Key Takeaways from Plum Goodness Marketing |
| Understanding the Audience: Plum’s laser focus on millennials and Gen Z seeking natural and ethical beauty solutions has been instrumental in their success. Content Marketing: Their investment in informative content positions them as a leader in clean beauty and attracts organic traffic. Influencer Marketing: Strategic partnerships with micro and macro-influencers build trust and reach a wider audience. SEO and Omnichannel Optimization: Ranking for relevant keywords and integrating online and offline marketing strategies ensure maximum reach. |
| Company Background: |
| Mr. Shankar Prasad, the founder, recognized a gap in the Indian market. International clean beauty brands were scarce and existing options were limited to Ayurveda. |
| But there was a gap in the market for natural and ethical products. |
| So, he founded Plum Goodness in 2014 with 15 products. It is a vegan beauty brand that follows a D2C model and is available both online and offline. |
| It started as a digital-first brand and now has successfully transitioned to an omnichannel experience, with a presence in over 300 cities and towns across India and 36 exclusive and 1,500 assisted outlets. |
| These stores provide a tangible touchpoint for customers to experience Plum products firsthand. |
| Additionally, in-store staff can offer personalized recommendations and product consultations. |
| They also have a strong digital presence. Sales from Amazon, Flipkart, and Nykaa make up for 60-70% of their revenue! |
| They take their clean brand initiative one step further with Empties4Good. |
| Here, consumers can send used plastic bottles of the brand and earn Rs 50 worth of points which can be used in their next order. |
| This both helps to save the planet as well as incentivizes the consumers to purchase more from the brand. |
| Product Line: |
| Plum Goodness has established itself as a leading brand in India by offering a diverse range of cruelty-free and vegan products. |
| Skincare: |
| Hello Aloe Moisturizer: This lightweight moisturizer, their first-ever product, is a testament to their focus on natural ingredients. It provides gentle hydration suitable for all skin types. Green Tea Pore Cleansing Face Wash: This face wash utilizes the power of green tea extracts to combat pimples, control excess oil, and unclog pores. Perfect for those seeking a solution for oily or acne-prone skin. 15% Vitamin C Face Serum with Mandarin: This potent serum harnesses the brightening and anti-aging benefits of Vitamin C combined with mandarin extracts. It helps to boost radiance, fade dark spots, and combat hyperpigmentation. |
| Haircare: |
| While skincare remains their core focus, Plum Goodness has expanded into haircare as well. |
| This line offers a variety of products designed to nourish and treat different hair types. |
| Men’s Care – PHY: |
| Recognizing the unique needs of men’s skin, Plum Goodness launched their “PHY” (pronounced “Fie”) range. |
| This dedicated men’s care line offers products like face packs, face washes, and body washes. |
| But, in the coming year, the brand is going to move away from this and revamp the line to offer products like perfumes and shower gels specifically for men. |
| Baby Plum: |
| Expanding their focus on gentle and safe products, Plum Goodness launched their “Baby Plum” range. |
| This pediatrician-tested line caters to the delicate skin of babies. |
| But in the coming year, the brand is going to restrict its investments in this segment to save costs and utilize them elsewhere in growing the brand. |
| This ensures that Plum caters to a wide variety of audiences and pushes cruelty-free care in different segments while also maintaining profitability and pushing brand growth. |
| Competitors: |
| Mamaearth: A major competitor in the natural beauty space, Mamaearth offers a wide range of skincare, haircare, and baby care products. They emphasize natural ingredients, affordability, and cater to a similar audience as Plum Goodness. Nykaa: This beauty giant offers its own private-label range of beauty products alongside established brands. Nykaa’s extensive online and offline presence, coupled with its diverse product portfolio, poses a significant challenge to Plum Goodness. Biotique: A well-established brand known for its Ayurvedic formulations, Biotique offers a unique range of natural beauty products with a focus on traditional Indian wisdom. They cater to a slightly more mature audience compared to Plum Goodness. The Body Shop: This international brand is a strong competitor in the natural beauty segment. The Body Shop offers a wider variety of products and leverages a strong brand reputation, but might be perceived as less affordable compared to Plum Goodness. |
| Plum Goodness’ focus on transparency, digital presence, product innovation, and value for money positions them well for growth. |
| However, expanding their product range, strengthening their brand recognition, and potentially exploring a wider distribution network are crucial steps to maintain a competitive edge. |
| Marketing Strategies: |
| Plum has identified their ideal customer: tech-savvy millennials and Gen Z in India who prioritize natural, ethical, and effective beauty solutions. |
| This segment is environmentally conscious and aligns with Plum’s core values of clean ingredients and sustainable practices. |
| They reach the audience majorly through digital mediums, where this segment spends a good amount of time, attention, and money. |
| Content Marketing: |
| Plum creates informative and engaging content formats like blog posts, articles, and videos that delve into the world of clean beauty. |
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| The content explains skincare for various purposes while promoting Plum’s products as effective solutions for the same. |
| This content establishes Plum as a thought leader and attracts organic traffic from potential customers seeking knowledge. |
| Instagram Strategy: |
| Currently, plumgoodness has 793K followers on Instagram. |
| Their content is a good mix that entertains and promotes. |
| For instance, they use posts like this to encourage engagement: |
 Source: Instagram of Plum Goodness |
| Talk Clean To Me: |
| Plum’s USP lies in their clear definition of clean beauty. They go beyond simply offering natural ingredients. |
| Their “Talk Clean To Me” campaign, emphasiziemphasizestransparency. This campaign openly discusses ingredients, manufacturing processes, and potential side effects. |
| This gesture helps to build trust in the brand. |
| SEO Strategy: |
| Plum focuses on keywords related to clean beauty, natural ingredients, specific skincare concerns, and product benefits. |
| In April 2024, here is how their SEO looked like: |
 Source |
| Though the visits were fewer than the previous month, overall the analytics are positive. |
| 82.13% of the visitors opened the website on mobiles. |
| The low bounce rate of 38.9% shows that the website is well-optimized for mobile. |
| The visitors spend time and check out different pages of the website – a step down the marketing funnel. |
| Plum strategically incorporates keywords throughout its website content, which also improves their search engine ranking. |
| The brand had also partnered with over 600 content creators, including beauty influencers and content creators. |
| Overall, this strategy is something that young brands can leverage when they want to cut marketing costs, promote their products, and increase the audience’s connection with the brand. |
| In a Nutshell: |
| Plum Goodness’s remarkable story offers a compelling case study in successful marketing within the booming clean beauty industry. Their journey highlights the power of a clearly defined Unique Selling Proposition (USP) – clean beauty with clear standards – combined with a customer-centric approach. |
| This resonated with a growing segment of Indian consumers seeking a more conscious approach to beauty. |
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