NATURAL HAIR

COMPANY

Bernice Chan ADV 307

15th April 2013

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Executive Summary

Getting tangled up in competition in a $9 billion hair industry proves to be some sticky hairy business. But not for the Natural Hair Company (NHC). Unlike others of its kind, the NHC boasts of incredible personality and social responsibility. Run by women and made for women, the wholesome company is fully committed to giving 10% of its total revenue back to communities of women, from which it sourced its all-natural human hair to meet the changing needs of increasingly health conscious consumers. The NHC will also bring the romantic allure of Hollywood to the primary consumer audience – 70% of whom are Black women – by teaming up with the movers and shakers of the hair industry, celebrity stylists, to produce customizable (signature lines of) hair afforded by the target audience. The target audience comprises of single, ambitious African American women between the ages of 18-34, who are leading fashionistas and image shapers. These women are hugely self-conscious and admit to being egocentric and vain. They leap at the latest trends and are prone to style and brand experimentation (until they find one that inspires loyalty). The fun, youthful yearlong integrated marketing communications campaign is aimed at attaining a reach of over 70% and a frequency of 12 in order to increase brand awareness and inspire product trials by establishing loyal consumer relationships with the influential demographic. By positioning the brand and its products as an affordable and convenient means for women to achieve effortless, natural glamorous looks insofar as it improves their sense of self worth and status, the target audience will flock to beauty supply stores for the colored, styled and weft hair kits. Even better, these opinion leaders will share their (positive) experience with those in their immediate circle by word-of-mouth, which will further expand the potential consumer base. These women may be heavy consumers of popular African America magazines (namely Ebony, Essence and Black Enterprise) but the most potent and influential tool when advertising to this group proves to be pull promotional strategies such as sampling, event sponsorships, (online) contests and Internet marketing. Research shows that hair product selection is heavily based on previous physical experience. Social media interaction and consumer engagement will also help improve brand memorability. The media plan is national in scope but has some spot markets to help support and maximize effectiveness of media strategies. The target audience is mostly located in Atlanta, Georgia, which demands localized advertising in the area. Other lucrative designated market areas include Chicago, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia and New York. The plan proposes a largely pulsing scheduling strategy that allows for heavy (seasonal) advertising during anticipated peak selling periods such as summer and awards seasons. Ultimately, this proposal makes use of an effective media mix that combines traditional media efforts with new media such as the Internet and mobile advertising to ensure that the Natural Hair Company will start out with a bang.

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Target Audience Objective #1 – Aim advertising media for the Natural Hair Company (NHC) at single, stylish, ambitious, adventurous, trendsetting African American (working) women between the ages of 18-34 to stimulate product trials and increase brand awareness as a means to develop and retain brand loyalty Demographics –

• Fresh college graduates/young professional women • With existing or potential individual employment income up to $35,000-$39,999 • Lives in major metropolitan area(s) like Atlanta

Rationale #1 – Growth of the hair industry may have slowed since 2007 on account of a decline in household disposable income but the Black haircare market remained relatively stable, weathering the wild waves of recession. Although the economic downturn has had some Black consumers trading costly specialty salon treatments for less expensive DIY haircare alternatives (sold at mass merchandisers), the African American demographic still proves to be a booming market. According to Mintel, the 5.5% growth rate for the Black population far exceeds that of other (ethnic) groups, representing an expanding consumer base of the greatest influencers in the industry. Black women, in particular, attach a great deal of importance to their hair. So much so that a study published in the Archives of Dermatology revealed that two out of five African-American women avoid physical exercise for fear of ruining their hair treatments (Cowles, 2012). Jolorie Williams, senior product manager of Texture & Tones (one of Clairol Professional’s ethnic haircare line) told Happi magazine that “{a Black woman} can be overweight but her hair must look good.” This is further supported by a study by The Washington Post and the Kaiser Family Foundation, which found that 66% of heavier black women are more confident than their thinner white counterparts who are reported as having appreciably lower levels of self-esteem (Parker, 2012). And yet, black women have always been deathly insecure about their hair; turning to inherently damaging chemical relaxers to straighten their natural, kinky curls. Mintel reports that 93% of Black haircare users feel more confident when their hair looks good claiming it is crucial for both their personal and professional image. For a Black woman, her confidence is wrapped up in her hair; hair is much more than strands of dead protein. A Black woman’s hairstyle is a mode for creative expression. It is an investment. It is a lifestyle. But it can be observed that a trend toward natural-looking hair has resulted in a 17% relaxer kit

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sales decrease between 2007 and 2011 (Mintel, 2012). This trend is echoed by the “natural hair movement,” in which increasingly more black women – including celebrities like Solange Knowles, Oprah Winfrey and Viola Davis – are embracing their “textured tresses” and abandoning corrosive haircare products (Wilson, 2013). Where the “relaxed hair was a version of the white soccer mom's blunt cut for the previous generation of professional black women”, the recent natural hair revolution has edged out chemical products such as relaxers for “products that meet consumers’ changing needs.” That is, NHC products. But given that the company is new to the competitive landscape, it is imperative to (first) market to the 18-34 year old single “statement-making fashionistas and image-conscious professionals” (Healy, 2011) who are the key to raising brand awareness and encouraging product trials.

An emerging key consumer insight suggests that these women, above all, identify themselves as “egocentric, vain {and} self-centered,” which speaks to their strong fixation on their outward appearance as well as their inclination toward the use and purchase of (healthy) products for their beauty needs. This demographic is also among the most influential women; Simmons findings showed a high index number of 185, which reflected that many of these women are “good at convincing others to try things.” An even higher index number 398 suggests that “people often copy what {they} do or wear.” While others strive to emulate these image shapers who see their life as a runway, it is useful to note that these 18-34 year olds are just as easily influenced by celebrities themselves; the high index number 340 is indicative of these women’s tendency to “buy the same products that celebrities use” (Simmons, 2010). These women like to model their own outfits, looks and hairstyles based on the latest fashion trends channeled by the most idolized style icon(s) and stars, making them the most lucrative target audience for NHC.

What’s more, those at the younger end of this age spectrum are either just getting into or out of college: the time and place for style experimentation, the time and place for young women to find themselves on a journey of self-discovery. Incidentally, it is also the time and place for peaked insecurities. As Mintel suggests, NHC can “leverage this confidence with consumers by encouraging them to buy products” that can greatly improve their image (and self-esteem) as a means to differentiate themselves and attract their male counterparts; it would appear that it is of vital importance for these single women to “be attractive to the opposite sex” (index number: 226) and “stand out in a crowd” (index number: 300). This group will also prove to be early adopters of

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the natural hair movement, as they like to “try things no one else has” (index number: 254). They see themselves as adventurous people who “like to travel the unbeaten path,” (index number: 161). This points to the fact that these young African American women are unafraid of going back to their roots nor are they afraid of trying new brands until they find one that “would inspire brand loyalty.” Naturally, their search would end with the Natural Hair Company. Furthermore, those who are graduating college and embarking on their professional career may fear that their “skills, talent and intelligence could be overshadowed by a hairstyle” as experience has taught them that natural black hair has traditionally been seen as unrefined, as is the person wearing the hairstyle (Wilson, 2013). A Forbes article also called attention to the fact that “Corporate America has a dress code and it applies to…hair” such that Black men and women with natural hairstyles are often dismissed as incompetent (Gordon, 2013). But NHC can cater to the group’s anxiety by presenting them with a solution: with NHC’s organic products, you can get the natural look (and the job) at no expense to health.

As a general group, these women are ambitious “status strivers”. It is their hope to “get to the very top in {their} career” and “set up {their} own business one day.” As these African American women climb the corporate ladder, it becomes more important for them to seek others’ seal of approval and assert their status through their most prized accessory: their hair. But as these working women are on the fast track to success, they have less time to frequent salons. This is mirrored by Mintel results, which indicate only 20% of Black respondents admit to spending “a lot of time on their hair.” In effect, these career driven young women are seeking “salon-quality” products that “offer quickness and ease of use.” Mintel findings reveal that products marketed “with kits…designed to achieve or maintain a certain style without spending a lot of time” can successfully reel these women in. In other words, these women are looking for NHC pre-styled, finely weft hair kits without knowing it. But perhaps more importantly, it should be mentioned that these Black women (especially those in their mid twenties to early thirties) view themselves as “fiscally fit” with an average annual individual employment income of $35,000 – $ 39,999. This signals the fact that these women (can) afford themselves more expensive haircare provided that they think it is worth it. These women can also appreciate that younger Black girls should be encouraged to wear their hair naturally, free from societal pressures that hold chemically straightened hair is superior. Having grown up with the politics of Black women’s hair, this group wants to start “changing the conversation” (Muhammad, 2012). They are most likely to respond to NHC, knowing 10% of the company’s revenue goes back to the communities (of women) from which it sourced its hair. NHC’s mission to give back will strike the target audience as a means of empowering independent women which could lead to even higher college enrollment and graduation rates for the Black population (and subsequently increased household incomes).

Ultimately, it stands to reason that this target audience presents enormous profit potential and purchasing power, which is “expected to climb to $1.25 trillion by 2015.” (Mintel). Targeting this group will no doubt positively impact sales and help bring in new customers.

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Integrated Media/Communications Selection Objective #2 – Increase and generate brand/product awareness among image shaping, trendsetting 18-34 year old African American females via on and offline strategies in order to develop and improve loyal consumer relationships, encourage word-of-mouth and social media interaction as well as influence product trial and/or intent to purchase Strategy #2 – Implement an integrated marketing communications plan that employs the use of traditional media, such as print as well as support (social) media such as Internet and PR to communicate the brand’s promise of effortless, natural glamour and confidence and the brand’s philanthropic philosophy geared toward women Rationale #2 – The target audience may lead very busy college and/or professional lives but it would appear that they are still heavy readers of (almost exclusively) African American publications such as Black Enterprise, Ebony and Essence which all have off-the-chart index numbers: 750, 750 and 734 respectively (MRI, 2011). These women admit that they “cannot resist buying magazines” noting that they are mostly “worth the money” (Simmons, 2012). That being said, sensory, experiential marketing proves to be the superior strategy given that 90% of respondents base future purchasing decisions on previous experience. Mintel advises that “prodigious sampling” and other marketing methods are preferred.

Unlike Ebony and Essence, Black Enterprise is a monthly magazine that is mostly aimed at reporting premier business news rather than softer, feature stories pertaining to African-American (lifestyle) issues and personalities etc. Nonetheless, it would be wise to use this media vehicle as its subscriber profile closely resembles the target audience: over half of the subscribers are single, 62% hold college degrees and most are interested in establishing new ventures as entrepreneurs. The magazine is also devoted to empowering women, which corresponds to NHC’s core philosophy of reinvestment in the communities of women from which it sources its hair as well as communities who aspire to NHC products.

But perhaps the more effective way to reach and connect with the target audience is to sponsor the Black Enterprise Women of Power Summit, a 3-day conference attended by over 700 powerful, influential Black business women in professional positions of leadership ranging from

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(general) managers, executive directors to owners and partners. At the event, unique NHC prestyled sample kits can be given away in gift bags to spur trial. If these women are satisfied with their experience, they are likely to recommend the brand to their immediate social circle, which can help increase product awareness and drive sales. According to Mintel, 66% of respondents consider recommendations from family, friends, or stylists to be the most influential and credible sources of information with respect to choice of haircare products.

But to ensure engagement with these potential prospects, these women are automatically entered into a competition in which they can win a chance to be personally styled by one of NHC’s partner celebrity stylist for free. All they have to do is create their own look with the product sample and upload a picture of their transformation onto the NHC website. This can not only drive traffic to the NHC website but also engage the consumer(s) in a two-way, more memorable and cooperative interaction. Moreover, targeting these African American women of power and status attaches a sense of prestige, esteem and exclusivity to the brand that makes it even more desirable.

In stark contrast to Black Enterprise, Ebony peers into cultural news as well as the love, lives and lifestyles of African-American thinkers, artists and celebrities. Accounting for nearly 40% of African American buying power, Ebony has coverage of 42.4% of women aged 25-54. What makes this magazine an appropriate media vehicle is that “Ebony readers are 12% more likely than the average magazine reader to purchase or to consider purchasing items as a direct result of seeing an in-book advertisement.” That is, print ads featured on Ebony are more likely to prompt action, an essential media objective for NHC. Additionally, Ebony’s media kit shows that its readers report high levels of engagement with “direct response, entertainment, food, and technology ads.”

This allows NHC to explore a pull marketing strategy where inserting a direct response ad will drive the target audience to (their nearest) retailers such as beauty supply stores. Although Mintel reports that Walmart is the leading location for black haircare product purchases, research finds that 18-34 year old African American women are more drawn to beauty supply stores as they look

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for more specialized products. So, a direct response print ad offering free NHC samples by mail and/or at selected locations (such as local beauty supply stores) could also stimulate trial. According to their media kit, Ebony conducts an annual, online contest ‘HBCU Campus Queen’ to select “10 queens from 150 universities and colleges” to be featured on their September issue. This event will unfailingly appeal to the target audience as a platform for them to assert and express their own style and individuality. Much like the sponsorship of the Black Enterprise Women of Power Summit, sponsoring this contest by partnering with the magazine will allow NHC to style the winners and as a result, showcase and feature its signature lines of hair from celebrity stylists to gain brand exposure. Much like Ebony, Essence is another popular African American magazine that delivers the latest news in fashion, lifestyle and beauty to the 18-49 year old demographic. In comparison to the other two publications, Essence delivers more 18-34 African American women (2.8 million), 67% of whom are college educated. Some key events that are held by Essence include ‘Black Women in Hollywood’ and ‘Black women in Music’ in February, ‘Best in Black Beauty awards’ in May and the annual ‘Essence Music Festival’ in July. Unlike the other events mentioned previously, these events will be attended by the very stars that the target audience aspires to become. The focused attention on celebrities during these months not only mark the aperture period(s) for advertising but also the beginning of new trends and styles. The fashion forward, trendy target audience will be inspired to mimic their idols’ (new) hairstyles and be particularly attuned to advertising that can help them achieve the same, natural look.

Classified as being a part of Mobirati, the mobile generation, these 18-34 year old African American females rely heavily on the medium to stay updated and connected to friends. An overwhelming index number of 608 indicates that this demographic is “likely to purchase products {they} see advertised on their phone” (Mintel, 2012). Suffice it to say this target group is replete with perpetual connectivity, myriad online and offline social networks; all of which

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represent essential marketable media outlets given that “increased internet accessibility…has created a network for virtually everyone to share their opinions and attitudes” (Mintel, 2012). Expert reviews are a thing of the past. Peer reviews, on the other hand, are now held in high regard as “unbiased information”. Professional blogger Curly Nikki is a case in a point. She has experienced tremendous success as an opinion leader with a huge following, advertising for Mizani’s True Textures, a line launched by L’Oréal (Dawson, 2012). Much in the same way, the target audience can become NHC’s greatest brand ambassadors with substantial online presence as they begin to do more of their shopping online (index number: 143) and get their information about new products online (index number: 157). Many of these women admit to reading/writing blogs when they are online (index number: 195) but more of them are found in chat forums (index number: 205). But as Mintel suggests, it is not enough sending free products or samples to

bloggers. Solid consumer engagement comes from inviting these influentials to prelaunch events graced by the presence of popular celebrities so they, too, can fully experience the glamour and allure of life in the fabulous lane that can be derived from NHC products.

NHC can consult the successful example of Dr. Miracle’s website which allows the system to generate “customized prescriptions” based on the individual user’s hair needs. This is in line with the growing trend, ‘Make it Mine,’ among Black women where they are demanding a “more personalized approach” to maintain their hairstyle. Similarly, the NHC website can appeal to the target audience by inviting them to upload photos of themselves and create an avatar. The user will be prompted to answer a series of questions regarding their hair, their preferences and the system will offer some hairstyle solutions based on their unique answers. First time registers will not only get free samples, but they will also receive birthday products (carefully chosen for their hair) as well as periodic updates about the latest signature celebrity styles. Closely related to the Internet is social media. Given that these women are highly social, NHC can connect with them through vehicles such as Facebook and Twitter. Just like the internet-based company Arjuni grew to 80 employees generating over $1 million in revenue just in two years, by virtue of “Twitter and other forms of social media,” NHC could do the same (Mintel, 2012). For example, launching a Facebook campaign ‘Life after the BC’ based on the Natural Hair Movement will involve consumers recording videos of themselves, documenting the evolution of their hair since the ‘Big Chop’ or BC (i.e. removing all relaxed or chemically treated portions of the hair). The winner (voted by the online Facebook community) will be flown out for

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a full makeover courtesy of NHC and will get a once-in-a-lifetime chance to walk on the red carpet in the company of celebrities.

To reconcile the fact that these 18-34 year olds are either extremely heavy or extremely light consumers of television (fairly equal index numbers: 120 and 122 respectively), television commercials will only air during awards seasons to gain maximum exposure for product introduction/launch. The Grammys, for example, averaged a 10.1 rating in the 18-49 demographic drawing in approximately 28 million viewers. According to MRI+ the three leading channels include: Black Entertainment TV (BET), Centric, and TV One. Unsurprisingly, these channels – geared toward an African American audience – have the highest index numbers relative to any other channels: 552, 702, and 703 respectively, which can almost guarantee an increase in brand awareness. The use of magazines can provide an extensive reach into the target audience for minimal costs and significantly raise brand awareness but print visuals alone cannot convey all the (health) benefits of NHC products. Prodigious sampling at (promotional) events will allow consumers – especially influential bloggers – to experience and experiment with the organic, NHC hair kits that can (almost) instantly and effortlessly improve their appearance and self-esteem. These experiential efforts coupled with 30-second TV spots that function as product demonstrations and social media campaigns that serve to engage consumers will maximize brand awareness and increase memorability, which will in turn stimulate product interest, trial and subsequently purchase.

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Reach/Frequency Objective #3 – Attain a reach of over 70% and a frequency of 12+ in order to introduce the NHC, to attain profit and maximize brand awareness Strategy #3 – Maintain a consistent level of advertising through an integrated marketing communications plan – involving the use of traditional print and broadcast media as well as experiential marketing through sampling and (sponsorship) of promotional events and social media – so that name recognition and/or message retention persists Rationale #3 – Situating NHC in the competitive landscape, it is considered a much less established brand with little to no awareness so frequency should be optimized during the launch period as there is a need for bigger draw. Since the target audience is new to NHC and its products, the advertising will be informative in nature, which means the message will be more complex requiring higher levels of frequency according to the Ostrow model. To ensure brand recall, 3 exposures a month is considered the bare minimum. Exposing the target audience to four times the minimum would usually run the risk of “wear out” but since consumers are new to NHC they are less likely to turn away from ads. According to Mintel, consumers who are highly engaged in the category are surprisingly insecure about choosing when picking out products and often rely on other information sources such as product advertisement in magazine or newspaper and/or product advertisement on a billboard or other media.

This frequency level is ideal because unlike most other people who avoid watching TV commercials at all cost, this group of African American women “find TV advertising interesting” (index number: 127). They also admit that they “enjoy reading ads in magazines” (index number: 180) which means they tolerate and appreciate advertisements.

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Reaching over 70% of the target audience may seem overly ambitious but currently, only 26% of Black consumers feel that advertising does a good job of connecting with them, according to research by Yahoo. As a result, these consumers are actively looking for content on websites and other media outlets that are tailored for their ethnicity because they “do not find it in the media as a whole.” This means that this demographic wants to be targeted. They represent a “largely untapped” lucrative market with a “spending power of $1 trillion per year, up $53 billion over 2010” (Black Consumer Market, 2012).

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Geography

Objective #4 – To provide a broad base of national advertising support with additional local media weight in the south, including a top designated market area (DMA) such as Atlanta Strategy #4 – Distribute magazines nationwide and aim televised marketing in the south Rationale #4 – Based on Simmons results, the top census region for African American single women aged 18-34 is in the South.

Results from the census bureau also show that over half of the population residing in Atlanta, Georgia is Black making it is the most populated Black city of all the other DMAs. The Atlanta region has the second-largest black population after New York (Nasser, 2011). Conveniently, Atlanta has long had a high concentration of well-connected, affluent blacks. Add to the fact that a “generous entertainment tax credit” has spurred the migration of even more affluent African-Americans from the North including celebrities who find the lower cost of living extremely agreeable (Severson, 2011). In recent years Atlanta has emerged as an “epicenter of the black glitterati” and home to many A-list artists, rappers and stars like Jasmine Guy, the actress whose most famous role was Whitley Gilbert on the sitcom “A Different World” (Severson, 2011). As a result of the economic downturn, many young college-educated Black New Yorkers are heading south. Census data shows that about 17% of the African-Americans who moved to the South originated from New York, far more than from any other state. According to a study conducted by the sociology department of Queens College, of the 44,474 who left New York, half of them migrated south (Bilefsky, 2011). According to chief demographer at the Brookings institution, Both Michigan and Illinois, whose cities have rich black cultural traditions, showed

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an overall loss of blacks for the first time placing Atlanta ahead of Chicago as the metro area with the largest number of African-Americans after New York. 40% of those who moved were disproportionately young: aged 21-40. An example of a mover is 36 year-old Cicely Bland, an owner of a publishing company who left Jersey City in 2006 for Stockbridge, an Atlanta suburb. She said life was better because it was more affordable claiming business opportunities “are here” because you can find many “African-Americans with a lot of influence.” (Tavernise, Gebeloff, 2011). Atlanta also proves to be an ideal location for spot advertising because the place is overflowing with Natural Hair advocates, many of whom have initiated “Natural Hair meetups” in the area.

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Scheduling

Objective #5 – To launch media campaigns in January, the month of concentrated awards shows in order to gain maximum exposure from these star-studded events Strategy #5 – Employ a pulsing strategy – which combines continuous scheduling with flighting – to meet seasonal sale peaks observed during award seasons Rationale #5 – As can be observed from the media schedule (see: next page) there is continued advertising in several media (vehicles) including the Essence magazine, sampling and social media such as Facebook. As mentioned, the subscriber profile of the Essence magazine closely resembles the target audience and reaches 61% of Black women annually. Of the three publications, Essence is delivering 0.8 million more engaged youth than Ebony. For this reason, advertising on this vehicle is consistent throughout the year interspersed with punctuated advertising from the other two print media vehicles Ebony and Black Enterprise during summer months (June, July, August). This is because Black hair is especially sensitive to warmer weather. The increased humidity, sun-exposure and outdoor activities during these months tend to make black hair frizzy, brittle and dry (Kwateng, 2012). As such, during these months, the target audience will seek out recommendations, advice and tips on how to manage and care for their hair. This proves to be one of the aperture periods for the advertisements of NHC products; by presenting the target audience with an alternative solution to haircare without forfeiting their natural look. Similarly, during the winter months (November, December, January) there will also be bursts of advertising on TV as well reinforced print ad efforts. Much like summer, winter is arguably the most brutal season, as they tend to be the months in which African-American hair is the driest (Jewell, 2010). The special attention paid to Black hair in the winter demands special care that can be provided by NHC hassle free natural hair product(s). Advertising efforts are maximized during these months because this time also marks the season of awards such as the highly anticipated Oscars. According to Nielsen’s African-American Consumers: Still Vital, Still Growing 2012 report, last year’s broadcast of the Academy Awards was the second-highest rated awards show among African-Americans drawing in about three million Black viewers (Pearson-McNeil, 2013). With so much hype around the red-carpet style stars, it is most prudent to gain as much eyeballs for the (television) campaign(s) during this period on all three networks: BET, Centric and TV One. Event sponsorships are also active during this period as there are unusually high numbers of high profile, widely publicized events such as pre-parties and after parties attended by the most influential style icons that women aspire to. It is most sensible, then, to schedule the launch of the campaign in January and the months leading up to the most-watched award shows.

Sampling occurs all year round because NHC is still in the early stages of its business development and needs to stimulate product trial. After all, Mintel research finds that previous

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experience/test drives are key deciding factors influencing purchase. Social media is also employed all year round because it is cost efficient and an easy way to encourage brand-consumer engagement. Since the target audience has an enormous online presence, it makes sense to maintain an active social media outlet for (potential) consumers to voice their opinions. But perhaps social media is the most effective during the awards season as Ebony reports, “In addition to…high ratings, BET's social numbers were through the roof as the award show generated 10 million unique tweets — up 683 percent from 2011.” The same article noted that the trending hashtag #BETAWARDS averaged “23,932 tweets-per-minute during the live telecast and experienced 109 separate trending topics from pre-show to post show” (BET Awards Draw High Ratings, 2012). Media Flow Chart –

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Evaluation Plan The success of this integrated marketing communications plan hinges on the impact it has on the target audience. First and foremost, this media plan sets out to increase brand awareness and stimulate product trials. The effectiveness of this proposal may be measured against essential marketing metrics including but not limited to brand awareness, test drive customer satisfaction, profit and word-of-mouth. To test for brand recall/brand awareness, follow up low-cost phone interviews and surveys can be used to ask consumers questions regarding television ad impressions such as: “What is the first company you think of when you think ‘natural hair’?” or “What socially conscious hair companies can you name?” A brand recall test can provide insight into how much information/exposure the target audience is getting as well as their perception of the brand. Since the marketing plan is largely based on promotional strategies such as sampling, the test-drive conversion rate can be a used as a benchmark for success. In the case of NHC, if women at sponsored events such as the Black Enterprise Women of Power Summit are tracked then it is possible to calculate the test-drive conversion rate. That is, “the number of purchases divided by the number of test-drives” (Jeffrey, 2010); this can indicate (the likelihood of) prompted purchase based on product trials. Naturally, a high conversion rate is indicative of a successful marketing method. It should be noted that it is useful to keep track of participant lists at promotional events so they can be contacted for feedback surveys and for future events. Considering this media plan relies specifically on third party, unbiased reviews of professional bloggers as credible brand ambassadors, customer satisfaction with product (sampling) is of vital importance. After all, customer satisfaction means future sales. Customer satisfaction can also be measured by conducting surveys – through mail, email or over the phone – comprised of simple questions such as: “Would you recommend?” (Jeffrey, 2010). While the greatest indication of a successful media plan is in the numbers: the profit, calculated by subtracting all costs from total revenues, word-of-mouth is also an important metric for measuring social media marketing engagement. According to Jeffrey, this can be measured by the sum of direct clicks and clicks from recommendations divided by the number of direct clicks. He cited an example of Word-of-Mouth sharing in the Palm Centro social media campaign in which forwarded links can be tracked throughout the Internet such that “pass-alongs” (i.e. shared clicks) and direct clicks may be monitored. The same method can be applied to the NHC website and Facebook page; the greater click with WOM on the Internet, the more successful the social media campaign. Generally, monitoring website hits/unique visits especially in connection with certain promotional events can reflect traffic and consumer-brand engagement performance. But as Jeffrey suggests, page views is not necessarily an effective indicator of blogs, as you want consumers to stay on the page containing the full review of a product. So the bounce rate, which refers to the “percentage of customers who leave your website after spending less than five seconds on your site” is a preferable metric (Jeffrey, 2010). The bounce rate is telling of what or what isn’t working on a website; if there is a high bounce rate, then it is possible the website content is not fresh or engaging enough.

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