Aim

To come up with critics, new ideas and improvements about the design based company M.A.C. With the design audit, we will find out how they used design in building their brand as well.

TriangulationFinding

Key Questions

1. Does M.A.C understand the designs role in its overall corporate plans?

2. Does M.A.C’s design idea affect the company business positively?

3. How do consumers respond to M.A.C’s design strategy?

4. How does M.A.C design can help building

in consumer loyalty?

5. What do media think about M.A.C’s strategy?

Does M.A.C understand

the design role in its overall corporate

plans?“Fashion and design are large parts of M.A.C’s DNA and we will always continue to be involved with the makeup artist.” Says M.A.C Senior Vice President James Gager.

CorporateIdentity

Uniformed characterto uniformed typeface

Basic ProductsSimple packaging, Wide choice

Appearing effect ion Over 1000 items provided

Limited Collection Trendiest conceptSpecial packaging

New technology

2~5 new launch every month

Visual Graphics Trendiest concept

Theme Story

Co-work with Industry Professionals

Store Colour

LightingDisplay

Retail / Branding Event

Head quarter designGlobal event guideline

Event kit

EmployeeCreative training class

Theme day East meet West

Does M.A.C design’s idea affect the company

business positively? “ The design of new product is one of the key driver for M.A.C’s business. Average 25~30% sales come from M.A.C new/limited product every month, holiday season even more higher .” Valerie Foong, M.A.C Regional Director

“ Unstoppable new collection launch is our secret to attract consumer keep trying and purchasing our product. ” Leslie Yang , M.A.C RRO Team Senior Artist

M.A.C Taiwan

How do consumers respond to M.A.C’s

design strategy?

What do you think about the interior design of a M.A.C Cosmetic store?Which factor is most impressive?What do you think about the images that M.A.C Cosmetics use on their visual design?What do you think about the staff working in the stores?What do you think about the products of M.A.C Cosmetics?

Questionnaire results 50+responses

Questionnaire results +50 responses

Interior design : Very impressiveBut too professional

How do consumers respond to M.A.C’s

design strategy?“One way is to increase a brand value:Use design to encourage trust”“The Brand Gap” Neumeier, 2003

Products :Trendy

Staffs :InspiringProffesstionalAttitude of the staff

Visual Graphics : Attractive But too strong for real life

How can design help in building

consumer loyalty? “M.A.C drives consumer loyalty on design of trend and

artists , consumers keep coming to counter for new products ,and also for artists’ professional advise ” M.A.C Sales Manager Jane Tsai Taiwan

Design applies the power of the brand. A strong brand identity encourages customers to trust existing products and to try new ones.Design Council

What do media think about M.A.C’s

strategy?

M.A.C does not use advertising as their marketing strategy; their strategy focuses on a very impressive, characteristic and full of personality design. Their most attractive features are:

-Wild range choice of colours and textures-Clear product displayers-Professional make-up artist to take care of customers-Strong impressive visuals-Sponsorship fashion events

Hence I think they successfully use design as a key factor to attract people.Yvonne Wang , Senior Beauty Chief Editor ,Vogue Taiwan

What do media think about M.A.C’s strategy ?

AMEC Communication Effectiveness Awards Research Company :Echo Research Client: M.A.C Cosmetics

1. Very strong profile foundationM.A.C’s media profile around the world was 83% positive, with only six negative items recorded out of nearly 4,000 articles (International , not include U.S)

2. Predominantly Visual coverage: Much of the product coverage was mainly visual and special coding had to be devised to reflect the quality of visual coverage rather than textual mentions

3. Key differentiating strengths clearly identifiedTop five descriptors: 1) Stylish 2) Innovation 3) Trendsetter 4) Wide range of colours 5) Cult. ‘Respected by the beauty and fashion industry’

SWOTAnalysis

Strength Weakness

Opportunities Threat

Strong visual DesignWide range, unique product offerProfessional artistsCreative senior design management teamInnovation & developing personality

Strong relationship with make upfashion industry in globalExtend the consumer segmentation

Too much design oriented than consumer oriented.Visual design is too edge andartistic to adapt usual lifeArtists are too professional imagebut not friendly enoughInterior design is too could doapproach consumers

Competitor follow their patternto wider the range of productand adopt into fashion industryLack of strong market supportthat will lose their competitive onStrong design

Recommendation

Understand the consumer need in order to extend the consumer segmentation

To design some mass oriented products for general consumer to adapt

Adjust the artist and interior design image for a more friendly appeal

Come up with some localised or regional collections in varied cultures across the globe

Focus on consumers bit more then design

Give a different design to the basic product packaging to attract new consumers

References

Jinal Shah , PSFK , Mar 3 ,2006 ,M.A.C’s claim to famehttp://www.psfk.com/2006/03/macs_claim_to_f.html

Jennifer Weil,WWD, Oct 26, 2007 , MAC's Theatrical Flairhttp://wwd.com/search/article/119853?query=MAC

Jinal Shah , PSFK , Mar 3rd 2006 ,M.A.C’s claim to famehttp://www.psfk.com/2006/03/macs_claim_to_f.html

EARTH Times ,Nov 23,2007,M.A.C Supports the 10th British Independent Film Awards 2007! http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/news_press_release,229231.shtml

Mintel , Niche brands bustle in on the big boys , Make-up - UK - August 2006http://academic.mintel.com/sinatra/oxygen_academic/search_results/show&/display/id=173798/display/id=228537#hit1

Mintel ,Mainstream cosmetics and toiletries, Ethnic Cosmetics and Toiletries - UK - October 2007http://academic.mintel.com/sinatra/oxygen_academic/search_results/show&/display/id=220158/display/id=304396#hit1

Jason Campbell,JC Report , Feb 2006 ,M.A.C-inghttp://jcreport.com/mailer/issue85/index.html#int

References

2005 AMEC Communication Effectiveness Awards, Echo Research, Best Use Of Media Evaluation - International - M.A.C

M.A.C.com , Producthttp://www.maccosmetics.com/templates/products/products_landing.tmpl

M.A.C Website , Collectionhttp://www.maccosmetics.com/templates/collections/collections_landing.tmpl

M.A.C.com, Lookhttp://www.maccosmetics.com/templates/looks/looks_landing.tmpl

M.A.C.com , Artistshttp://www.maccosmetics.com/artists/artists_landing.tmpl

Make-up Art Cosmeticshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Make-up_Art_Cosmetics