City Image Study

Presented to L’Oreal Group China

McCann City Image Study July 2006

NY appeals to Chinese women for a

number of factors

The dynamic city atmosphere

The luxury life of the upper class

The attention that is enjoyed by being “Center Stage”

The colorful nightlife

The free spirit and individualistic attitude

McCann City Image Study July 2006

Comfort Zone Challenging

Premium高档

Free and at ease自由随意

Dynamic有活力

Independent 独立

Modern & cotemporary现代时尚

Elegance with Ease

Glamorous

Confident自信

Passionate热情奔放

Mature and sophisticated成熟稳重

Combining hard and soft 刚柔并济

Gorgeous

Luxury奢侈

Colorful丰富多彩

•Esp. night life

Free自由

Different connections for different

NY aspirational elements

High-key张扬

Calculating精明

Fast 节奏快

CD/BJ do not enjoy

Individualist 个人主义

Ambitious

Cool 酷

Self-centered自我

Hot and sexy性感/暴露

Exaggerated夸张

Avant-garde前卫/另类

•Street culture associated

with black hip-pop culture

Wild & daring狂野大胆

Bold and open大胆开放

Sex & the City

Aspirational elements

McCann City Image Study July 2006

Luxury and Indulgence

Joie de vivre

Unique disposition to elegance and sophistication

An idealized scenario - everything is rosy and beautiful

Consumers aspire to Paris for its:

McCann City Image Study July 2006

Paris Vs. New York: two very different worlds

Romantic

Cultural

Historical

Living ‘life’

Slow paced

Profound

Low-key

Introvert

Mysterious

Peaceful and tranquil

Self assured (与世无争）

Artistic

Pragmatic

Commercial (business)

Modern/contemporary

Work

Fast paced (and ambitious)

Superficial

High-key

Extrovert

Open

Dynamic and noisy

Materialistic

Matter of fact

Paris New York

Challenging elements for some Chinese women

Its bohemian,

artistic attitude

Its toughness,

its wilderness

McCann City Image Study July 2006

Tokyo’s perceived obsession for details

generate conflicting reactions

High-tech Tokyo is the fashion leader for the Youth

However, it also represents excessive refinement and

delicacy, and manufactured sweetness

McCann City Image Study July 2006

“小资”, White collar

Look upon quality of life, a

little bit superficial

Business &

work

Fast- paced City

International

Metropolis

Trend follower

“Melting Pot”

As the most advanced city in mainland China, Shanghai is

looked up to because it offers more opportunities for

personal development and a better quality of life .

However, by no means is it as aspirational as the other three

cities and it’s got a long way to catch up.

McCann City Image Study July 2006

• Logo: “Maybelline New York” 美宝莲纽约

• Communication: Print & TVC

• Attitude: Bold, open and daring, Free spirits,

Dynamic, Very young Trendy

• Colours: Metallic, rich, shiny

• Style: Lively, young, dynamic, modern

• Purchase Experience

• Mass Price

• Mass Packaging

STRONG ASSOCIATION

NEGATIVE ASSOCIATION

The spontaneous feedback on the brand incorporates many

of the characteristics of New York but there is still a gap

McCann City Image Study July 2006

“美宝莲的广告，表现的就是纽约人的生活及打扮”

“说到纽约就想起它的化妆品，美宝莲”

“美宝莲用的颜色还是比较亮的，比较鲜艳的颜色，这个比较纽约”

“This ad of Maybelline, it shows how people look and live in

NY.”

“When speaking of New York, I immediately think of the

cosmetics, Maybelline.”

“Maybelline’s color is quite bright, which is very New York”

BRAND COMMUNICATIONS

PRODUCT EXPERIENCES

“感觉纽约档次都很高的，它只不过外衣是那样的。”

“我老觉得不是很注重包装。不太漂亮。就是特别大众，塑料、玻璃材料挺简单的”

“New York is supposed to be premium, and (MBL) only appears

that way.”

“I think the package is not good. It does not look good – the

plastic or glass materials are quite simple, quite mass.”

The image gap between brand

communication and actual experiences

McCann City Image Study July 2006

New York is a precious asset for the

Maybelline brand

• Maybelline and New York together create a strong appeal.

• New York adds to the brand a number of strengths:

– It suggests the idea of playing with multiple identities and looks

– of escapism to an exotic and energetic world and a successful look

– of self fulfillment - you can become someone that you can’t ordinarily be

in your everyday life

– and it captures a touch of wilderness…

“品牌的热辣奔放跟纽约很像”

“就是标准的纽约人，她看起来比较个性化的那种。那个气质是中国人没有的”

“美宝莲带来纽约的成功的感觉，成功女人的感觉”

“MBL (brand) feels hot and open, which is very New York”

“She is the typical type of people of New York, with her own personality and character,

which Chinese people won’t have”

“Maybelline brings the feeling of New York’s success, successful women”

McCann City Image Study July 2006

Don’t hide New York

• New York is an aspirational city for Chinese

women with a distinctive character. It brings

uniqueness and appeal to Maybelline.

• Don’t hide it.

McCann City Image Study July 2006

Even better: be overt

• Chinese women have often a superficial and

limited knowledge of the real New York.

• Be overt when providing visual references about

the city.

McCann City Image Study July 2006

NY is a chameleon city

and so are her spokespeople

• Since Chinese women understand what the NY

‘spirit’ is, they (especially those from Shanghai

and Beijing) are ready to go beyond a literal

interpretation of the ‘faces’ of New York .

• They can be Caucasian, Afro-American as well

as Asian, but they all need to share the right

attitude.

McCann City Image Study July 2006

More of the NY glamour in your future

• There is a gap between the Maybelline brand

image and New York’s image in terms of prestige

cues.

• The introduction of new product lines, with a

more sophisticated/advanced proposition, should

be considered to bridge the gap.

McCann City Image Study July 2006

Be confident

• When you are in New York, act like a New Yorker.

• Be confident: you’ll succeed (even if you are

actually in China).

McCann City Image Study July 2006

Thank you