Our client’s challenge?

With the approach of winter, Kiehl’s wanted to promote their dry skin treatment by finding a tool that assisted their Beauty Advisors in educating consumers about their extreme skin types while helping them find in-store the product that was just right for them.

The Kiehl’s team wanted their Beauty Advisors to educate consumers about how winter influenced their skin type. Furthermore, the intention of the test was to start a conversation at the POS with the focus on consulting. 

How did USP Solutions help?

USP’s team was briefed that Kiehl’s needed a tool for 1:1 engagement, while supporting their Beauty Advisors to educate and guide consumers.

Both parties concluded that USP’s skin type technology is the best fit to get the best possible results for Kiehl’s. Giving the best results and engaging the customer.

The next step was to decide on the size and shape of the demo card – and after that, the experts of USP handled the project’s next steps responsibly: artwork, printing and on-time delivery.

How does the tester work?

After being educated on how to use the skin type tool, the Kiehl’s Beauty Advisors were eager to educate consumers about the different extreme skin condition/type one can have. That in turn was to evoke the need for an Ultra Facial product. Using this 2-step technology they could prove their claim directly to the consumer – leading to brand trust, awareness and eventually increased sales.

How it works

• Take the test strip and press it for 10 seconds on to the forehead
• Compare the test strip with the result table to identify the sebum level

Wanting an educational tool for their new launch’s activation campaign with Boots, the L’Oreal Paris team wanted to have an awareness tool that measured the UV level in the area and notified the consumer to protect themselves with L’Oreal Paris BB Cream. They needed a tool that could be carried around with the consumer, encouraging them to remember to stay safe in the Sun.

How did USP Solutions help?

Using the UV level detector technology, the USP Solutions team developed a branded sticker that could be affixed to a phone with a built-in secret message. As the phone is carried everywhere on one’s person, it was the perfect tool for the consumer to keep abreast with the changing UV rays in their vicinity. When the consumer was exposed to high UV rays, the sticker revealed its secret message advising the consumer of the dangers of UV and the need to cover with BB Cream.

The Garnier marketing team in Sweden needed an engaging educational tool for their BB cream, wanting consumers to learn about their skin type before they bought the BB cream variant that was best for their skin.  They needed a tool that was easy to use and instantly made the consumer aware of their skin type while recommending the product variant that would suit their skin the most.

USP Solutions designed and developed a branded demo card using their Skin Type Tester technology that measures the sebum of the individual’s skin to determine their skin type. Then using this information the consumer could choose the best products for themselves based on the results.

Looking for a tool that helped beauty advisors to build and recommend a beauty regime for their LANCÔME clients, the marketing team in Austria needed an engagement tool that diagnosed the skin type as well as the wrinkle level of the consumer. They needed a marketing tool that works both with 1:1 interaction, as well as a self-analysis tool designed to diagnose the skin need and recommend a regime for the consumer based on those results.

How did USP Solutions help?

A fully branded engagement folder with multiple demo tools was developed. The 2D Wrinkle Test consists of a Powder Applicator and a Visual Patch. When used simultaneously the strips deliver a 2-dimensional visualization of the skin’s surface structure and/or facial expression lines within seconds. While the skin type tester measures the sebum of the skin and the results chart identifies where the consumers skin lies within the scale. Easy-to-understand instructions and result fields for regimen recommendation steers the consumer to the right product choice. Easy to handle and distribute; the customised multi-sensory demo tool portrayed the beauty consultants as being highly trained, helping them to start a conversation with consumers.

The Garnier team in the UK were challenged to show proof of product claim to the consumers. They needed a tool to demo their claim that was physically engaging as well as could be used in their media campaign. A tool that educated the consumer about the product’s efficacy both visually and haptically. They wanted to prove that with the use of the product over a period of 7 days, the hydration level of the consumer’s skin improved exponentially.

The Garnier team came to USP with their vision and relied on them to ideate and create a winning solution for their need.

Working on our three-step ideation concept USP went on to develop a winning demo:

• Demo Ideation ​– generating ideas and solutions that may best suit the project
• Demo Development ​- evaluating and refining the ideas, based on their feasibility, impact, and alignment of Garnier. The aim was to select the most promising ideas that can be developed further. The selected ideas were then developed into prototypes or mockups to demonstrate how they would work in the real world. This involved creating physical and/or digital prototypes
• Demo Execution – Scaling up and delivering the winning prototype within the timelines 

With each step being dependent on the success of the previous one and with a clear outcome (deliverables)​

It was important for the Garnier team to have a tool that could be used by consumers in-store, at home, as well as used in a video that was distributed online. The tool had to be compelling, credible and easy to use. So each individual could understand the advantages of the product and see the changes in their skin hydration levels for themselves.

The marketing team of ALTAVIA Vichy Italy needed a traffic-stopping tool for their consumers in pharmacies. They needed the tool not only to engage the consumer but to convert them by proving the claim. They needed to conclusively show the consumer that the product contained an antioxidant/antifatigue property. With no clear concept in mind they came to USP for help to prove this claim and help that would lead to an uplift in sales.

Using the three-step process of ideation, USP worked on developing a successful demo:

Step 1. Demo Ideation: By brainstorming, various ideas that could work well for the project were developed. Presenting a number of the most viable to the Vichy team.

Step 2. Demo Development: These were evaluated and the best outcomes were refined based on their feasibility, impact, and how well they aligned with the goals of the project. The aim was to select the most promising ideas that could be further developed. These selected ideas were then transformed into prototypes or mockups to show how they would work in the real world. This involved creating physical or digital models.

Step 3.Demo Execution: USP scaled up and delivered the winning prototype within the agreed-upon timeline.

Each step in the process depended on the success of the previous one, and on specific outcomes or deliverables.

USP designed a product ingredient tester that conclusively proved that the product contained Vitamin C. The easy-to-use, branded demo card was coated with a USP technology that reacted to Vitamin C in the product. Visibly showing that the claim made by the brand can be trusted.

The marketing team of CeraVe Italy needed a tool to educate consumers in pharmacies. They needed the tool not only to engage the consumer but to convert them by proving the product’s claim that would lead to an uplift in sales.

Without a clear vision of what they needed, CeraVe relied on the ideation process to come up with and create a successful solution to their problem.

Using the three-step process of ideation, USP worked on developing a successful demo:

Step 1. Demo Ideation: By brainstorming, various ideas that could work well for the project were developed. Presenting a number of the most viable to the CeraVe team.

Step 2. Demo Development: These were evaluated and the best outcomes were refined based on their feasibility, impact, and how well they aligned with the goals of the project. The aim was to select the most promising ideas that could be further developed. These selected ideas were then transformed into prototypes or mockups to show how they would work in the real world. This involved creating physical or digital models.

Step 3.Demo Execution: USP scaled up and delivered the winning prototype within the agreed-upon timeline.

Each step in the process depended on the success of the previous one, and on specific outcomes or deliverables.

USP designed a skin tester tool that measured the absorption level of the product on the consumer’s skin. In a few seconds, the consumer saw that the claim of fast absorption actually worked and convinced them of its efficacy. Leading to a confident purchase decision.

Vichy Dercos team in Germany needed an easy-to-use, diagnostic tool to be used in pharmacies to explore the different types of dandruff of their individual consumer, as well as help to recommend their product range based on these results. They wanted to empower the consultants in the pharmacies to know their consumers and portray a professional outcome.

The USP developed a tool using their dandruff level tester that worked perfectly as a conversation starter, providing consultation, and as a recommendation tool with a simple workflow. This tester card was engaging and by educating their consumer to learn if they had dry dandruff, oily dandruff, or no dandruff, they helped to establish brand awareness, brand trust, and give added value to their marketing activity…leading to increased sales.

Wanting an educational tool that can be used by doctors as well as consumers, the La Roche Posay team wanted to have an awareness tool that measured the UV level in the area. A tool that could be carried around with the consumer, encouraging them to remember to stay safe while in the Sun. At the same time, showing them the need to use a UV protecting product.

How did USP Solutions help?

Using the UV level detector technology, the USP Solutions team developed a branded sticker that could be affixed to a phone. As the phone is carried everywhere on one’s person, it was the perfect tool for the consumer to keep abreast with the changing UV rays in their vicinity and their need for a protective product.

The CeraVe team in Mexico wanted to activate their moisturizing cream for dry to very dry skin. To engage with the consumer and convince them of the need for the product, the team needed an easy and reliable tool that could boost their expertise while evaluating the dryness level of the consumer’s skin.

How did USP Solutions help?

USP Solutions team developed a hydration level tester card that could measure the level of hydration of the consumers’ skin within a matter of seconds. This tool empowered the skillset of the well-trained beauty advisor to give an informed product recommendation to the consumer.