Quarter Billion Agency Group Case Study: Promoting Cosmetics in the Russian and CIS Markets

We have previously explored the cosmetics market in Russia and identified key channels to promote beauty products in our blog. In this post, we will be sharing our own experience of promoting beauty products in Russia, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan.

Case 1. Our Approach to Advertising an Indian Shampoo on TV in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan

As previously mentioned, our agency operates in the CIS countries as well as the Russian market. In 2017, Vasu Healthcare, a leading Indian company that manufactures Ayurvedic cosmetic products, approached us with their Trichup brand. At the time of the advertising campaign launch, Vasu Healthcare already had a presence in 41 countries worldwide.

Objective: Increase brand recognition of Trichup among female audiences in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan and expand the customer base for the Indian shampoo. Additionally, the client requested that the advertising should be integrated into Indian content.

After conducting a thorough analysis of the two markets and their media components, our experts determined that TV would be the primary advertising channel:

• Ads featuring Trichup as a sponsor of an Indian TV series,
• Placement of direct ads during Indian movie screenings.

A media plan for Trichup’s TV ad placement was developed as part of the marketing strategy, covering a six-month period from October 2017 to March 2018, with predicted monthly TRP and GRP figures.

During the initial month of the ad campaign, the target ratings were exceeded by several times, while in January-February 2018, the actual rating was over double the planned rate. The TV advertising campaign was conducted for six months from October 2017 to March 2018, with a media plan for ad placement and projected monthly TRP and GRP rates being a part of the marketing strategy.

The results of the TV ad campaign exceeded the client’s expectations. The trademark’s visibility was increased by 78%, and the target audience was reached by 99%, resulting in a larger audience of potential consumers of Trichup shampoo in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.

Case 2. Our Experience in Promoting an Indian Brand’s Coconut Oil in the Russian Market

After working with Vasu Healthcare, Quarter Billion Agency Group was approached by Marico (India), another leading manufacturer of cosmetic products. The company markets itself as a leader in coconut oil manufacturing under the Parachute trademark, which has gained widespread popularity not only among the citizens of India, but also in other regions.

Currently, the company’s products are sold in 25 countries in Asia and Africa. The goal of our agency was to introduce this new product to the Russian market and make the Parachute brand known to the Russian target audience.

As the primary audience for coconut oil is young women aged 16-36, we selected social media as the primary advertising channel. The advertising campaign included a complete range of social media marketing services, starting with introducing the audience to the Parachute brand and culminating in targeted ads to increase exposure. The advertising campaign was designed to last for three months.

Content marketing

To establish Parachute coconut oil’s online presence in Russia, we opened brand accounts on two of the country’s most popular social media platforms, Instagram and VKontakte.

The content plan was created with the aim of not only showcasing the product but also informing the audience about its beneficial properties and usage for the entire body, considering that coconut oil produced in India has high bioactivity and is a great source of nutrients for the skin and hair. Thus, we categorized the content into four different types: interesting facts and benefits of coconut oil, customer reviews, personal care tips featuring the use of coconut oil, and essential information about the brand and Parachute oil.

Targeted ads

We initiated a targeted advertising campaign on Instagram and VKontakte to expand the reach of the target audience, increase brand awareness, and boost sales.

Prior to the social media advertising campaign, we conducted a comprehensive audience segmentation analysis for each specific segment. Audience settings for the advertising campaign varied depending on age, interests, and location of potential buyers, within a 2 km radius of the largest cosmetic stores.

After three months of work, the client’s social media accounts gained almost 3,000 subscribers, while the total audience reach was almost 1 million potential buyers.

Our experts have prepared a set of recommendations based on the results of the advertising campaign for each segment of the target audience, to further promote the Parachute brand in the Russian market.

Are You Planning to Market a Beauty Brand in Russia?

Our team of experts will conduct market analysis and research to develop and execute the most effective plan for promoting your brand in the Russian market. Additionally, we will provide regular reports and recommendations to optimize your promotion channels and budget throughout the advertising campaign.