Posted
August 13, 2024
The lip balm market has experienced remarkable growth in recent years. Increased consumer awareness about the importance of lip care has fueled demand, leading to a proliferation of brands and products in the market. What used to be a seasonal essential with basic formulations and a simple function has become a year-round lifestyle, a vital part of skincare routines, and perhaps even a fashion accessory. From flavourful formulations to disruptive designs and aesthetically pleasing packaging, the lip balm market has responded to the growing demand with panache and precision. This trend is not to be underestimated, considering how much of a cultural movement it has become amongst the converted. Partially down to the widespread adoption of Apple Pay, the "phone, wallet, keys" checklist of essentials has now become "phone, keys, and lip balm".
Enter the 'Lip Case' by Rhode Skin, a skincare company founded by Hailey Bieber. Much to the delight of lippie lovers, this highly-anticipated innovation is set to revolutionize how lip balm is stored and carried and perhaps even the utility of the phone case itself. The Lip Case is described by Rhode as "a silicone case for your phone that keeps your lip on hand" and is due to be released at the end of February 2024, though there is already a waitlist. Maybe it's a little too early to tell, but the Lip Case seems to be a stroke of genius by Hailey Bieber and her team at Rhode. From market research to product design and marketing strategy, it ticks all the boxes.
Understanding consumer behavior, usage patterns, needs, and desires is the key to discovering untapped opportunities. The Lip Case demonstrates an adept understanding of the lip balm market and its associated usage patterns. Lip balm has become an ever-present essential for maintaining lip health and appearance, fitting seamlessly into lifestyles and routines regardless of time or location. What other possession can you think of that is equally ever-present? Rhode have 'culture-hacked' the lip balm market and movement and created a genius product because they have developed a deep understanding of their target audience and its behavior patterns.
Though Rhode got their market research spot on, the trajectory from potentially powerful consumer insights to designing a winning product is not linear nor guaranteed. Insights and the opportunities they bring need to be met with creative ideas and inventive solutions. Rhode could've gone in the direction of keyrings like Carmex and other brands did, but that's already been done (plus phones are likely to outlast keys). Instead, they innovated. They met the lip balm lifestyle trend with a solution that enables users to keep their "lip on hand" by attaching it to the only other possession most people have "on hand" at most times. It sounds simple, but it's genius.
There are two noteworthy marketing strategy aspects here. First, the Lip Case presents the perfect opportunity for Rhode to cross-promote their lip balms. In case you hadn't guessed, the Lip Case is only compatible with Rhode lip balms. Many users are, therefore, likely to swap their current lip balm for Rhode just to use it with the case. Even those who don't will now be more familiar with Rhode products (if they weren't before) and more inclined to try them out as a result of all the attention. Second, the Lip Case design almost guarantees constant promotion for Rhode. Every time a user takes their phone out in public or shares a selfie, the Rhode brand will gain exposure.
The Rhode Skin Lip Case study showcases the power of market research and embracing innovation. Rhode developed a comprehensive understanding of their consumers' usage patterns and found an opportunity in the growing lip balm lifestyle market. Then, not only did they design an innovative product to meet the behavior and needs of their consumers, but they also designed a product with tremendous marketing potential.
Think about how you can apply this to your brand and market. Can you identify patterns in your consumers' behavior that could be 'hacked' with an innovative product to enhance their experience? These are exactly the types of things we have designed Keplo to assist you with. From helping you uncover insights in consumer usage patterns to generating product improvement suggestions to enhance their user experience - Keplo is your launchpad for innovative brand and product design.
As we fuel up our engines for the Keplo BETA launch, we can't wait to share everything we've been working on with you. You can join the Keplo journey now by securing your spot on the limited Keplo BETA and get 50% off the entire first year of your subscription. You don't want to miss this!
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