TO: Carolyn Holba, Senior Vice President of Marketing

FROM: Sirena M. Frost, Marketing Communications Manager

DATE: October 21, 2015

SUBJECT: Maybelline on Pinterest

Research and analysis indicate that Pinterest has taken on an increasingly important role in the way companies market products and target consumers. According to Digital Marketing Stats:

Pinterest has 100 million active users. 85% of users are female. 30% of users also share what they have pinned on other social media platforms. Pinterest drives more referral traffic than LinkedIn, Google+ and YouTube combined.

As the popularity of Pinterest grows, so does the prevalence of our strongest competitors, CoverGirl and L’Oreal. These brands have already developed a presence on Pinterest and have used their profiles to effectively showcase products by pinning useful content, which includes cosmetic tips and tutorials. This social platform has encouraged these brands to think more visually and unite innovative color technologies with cutting-edge style.

CoverGirl Pinterest Statistics L’Oreal Pinterest Statistics

27 Boards 24 Boards 1,645 Pins 724 Pins55 Likes 1,988 Likes3,832 Following 244 Following 35,629 Followers 7,446 Followers

By not having a Pinterest profile, Maybelline is being excluded as a leader of the cosmetic industry. Although we will not be the first in our field to develop a Pinterest, there are still prime opportunities to take advantage of and establish dominance over our rivals.

Opportunities on Pinterest

1.) Having a Completed Profile That is Appealing—L’Oreal falls short when it comes to providing a thorough description of their brand as well as each of their Pinterest boards. Maybelline can take advantage of this weakness by devising descriptions that contain useful information like product ingredients and reviews. In addition, a high quality profile image and a Pin It button on our main website are necessary.

2.) Organization—CoverGirl has a multitude of boards, however, they lack a sufficient number of pins and appropriate board covers. Most boards conveyed nearly the same topic and therefore could have been combined. This presents Maybelline with the chance to create a more strategic profile that is easy to navigate and has a clear message. We can capture our products in action,

which is what CoverGirl has failed to do with their bland board covers that do not correlate with the board topic.

3.) Engagement—Neither CoverGirl or L’Oreal has taken full advantage of building a community via Pinterest. They do not keep their profile fresh nor do they remain active pinners. This leaves plenty of room for Maybelline to build rapport with consumers by following trendsetters and inviting brand ambassadors to contribute to our site.

4.) Create a Niche Market—Digital Marketing Stats concluded that 13% of Pinterest users are male, which is roughly 6.6 million. Many companies, including CoverGirl and L’Oreal have failed to target the male population because of the overwhelming female presence. However, the number of men on Pinterest are increasing and have become a prime selling opportunity for male cosmetics.

To maintain authority as a beauty brand and continue to empower women, we must strive to be accessible and bring innovation to our industry. Pinterest is key to keeping ahead of our competition.

Works Cited

90 Amazing Pinterest Statistics. (2015, October 8). Retrieved October 22, 2015, from http://expandedramblings.com/index.php/pinterest-stats/2/

COVERGIRL (covergirlxo). (n.d.). Retrieved October 22, 2015, from https://www.pinterest.com/covergirlxo/

Jeffries, N. (2013, July 3). GCI Magazine. Retrieved October 22, 2015, from http://www.gcimagazine.com/marketstrends/segments/cosmetics/Taking-Risks-for-Better-Beauty-with-Maybelline-New-York-and-CEW-214152471.html

L'Oreal Paris (lorealparisus). (n.d.). Retrieved October 22, 2015, from https://www.pinterest.com/lorealparisus/