Two years ago, AHAVA set an ambitious business goal: to expand distribution around the world and position itself as a high-end brand. In order to achieve this objective, a rebranding process was launched, including a new short-term distribution strategy resulting in differentiation and long-term growth

AHAVA Laboratories was founded 25 years and because body care products captured the major for AHAVA’s most ago, a joint venture started by three kibbutzim in the Dead percentage of sales, the perception evolved that it was a significant change: Sea area. By extracting the therapeutic properties of the brand specializing in body care, not face care products. transition from the mud, water and minerals found in the area, unique face mass market category and body cosmetics were created. Competitive Environment to the selective category, In the beginning, AHAVA’s target audience was primarily AHAVA is a leading brand in skincare products based and entry into international tourists vacationing at the Dead Sea. Gradually, the brand on Dead Sea minerals. The name AHAVA has become marketing chains, such as was also marketed to local audiences through sales in generic in the category, indicating the power of the brand , as well as high-end Pharm chains, duty free stores, and many other local but also contributing to competitors’ sales results, which points of sale in and all over points of sale. With step-by-step penetration of overseas benefit from the AHAVA aura. the world. markets, AHAVA products are now sold in 35 countries, Until two years ago, AHAVA products were widely the US providing the largest market. Over time, the brand distributed, resulting in the brand entering the arena of Creative Solutions has entered new categories, such as sun protection, aggressive competition that exists within the mass market To overcome marketing challenges, it makeup and men’s skincare products. However, this skincare sector in Israel. At the same time overseas, was necessary to take an integrated approach expansion into various categories was carried out without the brand largely competed against selective skincare throughout the marketing mix. Rebranding maintaining a uniform brand language, resulting in each products, but there it encountered problems attributed was integral to transitioning from the mass market category having a different look on the shelves. to low positioning, which prevented entry to high-end to selective category, as was exiting points of sale In addition, since the brand operated in the mass points of sale. incompatible with the new positioning. market category affecting both price and product quality, AHAVA decided to ‘sacrifice’ short-term sales returns in Marketing Challenges order to achieve long-term goals. In Israel, for example, a In order to create international momentum, AHAVA decision was taken to stop marketing AHAVA products at decided to create a uniform, high-end positioning for approximately 900 points of sale found to be unsuitable its products around the world, to planned positioning strategy. both conceptually and in terms Traditionally, the selective category specializes more of product visibility on the shelves. in face care than body care products. Therefore, To do this, a fresh communication AHAVA decided to focus on this category, launching a language and new packaging sophisticated face care product line, while simultaneously design was needed to support this reducing and removing products inappropriate for change in positioning ‘via the shelf’, selective distribution. enabling the product to become The sales results of this shift were unequivocal: the ratio an equal among competitors in between face and body care products switched. Face selective cosmetics departments. care products that had once comprised approximately Because of its affiliation with the 40% of brand sales, reached approximately 60%, and Dead Sea, which is perceived a 60% share in the brand’s product portfolio. as a vacation and healing site At the same time, AHAVA’s R&D Department developed for the adult population, AHAVA a series of formulas and innovative technologies to decided, as part of the rebranding enhance the brand’s face care products, differentiating process, to rejuvenate the brand AHAVA from competitors and creating a broader USP. and expand its target audience. Leading face care products in the EXTREME series The rebranding process to a include natural ingredients from two extreme locations in high-end, top quality and youthful the world: the depths of the Dead Sea (the lowest point product comprised the basis on Earth) and the heights of the Himalayan Mountains VIII www.ahava.com

Things You Didn’t Know About AHAVA ■■The concept of developing the EXTREME series was made by VP R&D at AHAVA, Dr. Zeevi Maor, on a trip to the Himalayas at meetings he conducted with local doctors. ■■Celebrities around the world who use AHAVA products include Madonna, Demi Moore, Donna Karan, Natalie Portman, Meryl Streep and Hillary Clinton. ■■In the 2004 Athens Olympics, a unique (the highest point on earth). In contrast, body care products can be identified by icons product line imprinted with the official Olympic Since one of AHAVA’s brand values is ‘closeness to on the packaging, indicating the main ingredient found seal was especially manufactured by AHAVA nature’, a strategic decision to remove controversial in the product: salt, mud, water or plants. The series and retailed at the games. ingredients, such as SLS and parabens was made as of men’s care products has also been differentiated ■■AHAVA Dead Sea Laboratories is the only part of the rebranding process, making the products by using a slighter darker packaging color. Today, all cosmetics company participating in Israel’s skin-friendly. Similarly, all new packaging and marketing AHAVA products are unified and uniform, magnifying the national nanotechnology research plan. material is printed on recycled paper, designed to reduce prominence and prestige of the products on the shelf. ■■In the AGE CONTROL product series, one of unnecessary use of raw materials and by doing so, to the ingredients is Dunaliella algae, discovered protect the environment. Communication Language in the Dead Sea in 1941 by Dr. Elazari Volcani, Packaging design has also undergone extensive change. Change which until that time had been believed to be With the decision to unify the brands look, AHAVA has At the end of the rebranding process, AHAVA launched a completely void of life. succeeded in creating presence and distinction on the campaign to introduce the renewed brand and reinforce shelf. In addition, until the rebranding process, some its new, high end positioning. of the packages had been colorful, and now it was The campaign was launched in Israel and overseas under With fewer points of sale AHAVA is selling far more necessary to refine and adapt them for sales on selective the slogan “My Skin Reborn”. Using the possessive in products than before. Rebranding has enabled AHAVA department shelves. the first person singular – My – AHAVA broadcast a to penetrate new markets around the world in addition to The color selected for the new packaging is a light desert very personal message, using it to introduce the various selective distribution points that were previously blocked. red-brown, identified with the Dead Sea. The names of products - My Face Care, My Body Care, My Gift, and more. For example, AHAVA products can now be found at the product series are embossed in their specific colors, Using visuals with a mystical quality and focusing on Sephora cosmetics chain and in the past year and a half and relate to the benefit, not the description, i.e., Time products from the EXTREME face care series, the brand’s alone, AHAVA has entered many new markets such as to Smooth, Time to Hydrate. most advanced flagship line, the campaign communicated Italy, Poland, Denmark and Cambodia. In order to create an additional USP for the brand, new AHAVA’s new high-end positioning and the immense Studies conducted by AHAVA have also revealed that packages hold AHAVA’s exclusive trademark and unique change undergone by the brand. the strategic decision to rejuvenate brand perception ingredient – Osmoter™ – a technological innovation and products has brought exposure to new audiences. by AHAVA Dead Sea Laboratories, comprising mineral Results of Shift extracts from the Dead Sea to optimally hydrate the skin. At the beginning of 2011, during the first stage of the Towards the Future To differentiate face care and body care, each series rebranding process, downsizing the number of points AHAVA plans to penetrate eight new international markets has different design and communication features. The of sale and reducing the product portfolio caused an over the next 18 months, continuing to establish and face care series can be identified according to intensity expected decline in sales. market the brand overseas. At the same time, new and effect on the skin, the greater the level of intensity, To date, the trend has completely reversed, and brand products will be launched in existing categories, offering the more stripes on the package. sales are showing impressive growth around the world. new benefits and advanced technology.

1988 1992 1997 2007 2011 2012 Three kibbutzim in the AHAVA products are AHAVA products are AHAVA chain stores Rebranding process Brand is active in 35 global Dead Sea region marketed abroad for sold for the first time in are established is launched. markets and available at establish the brand. the first time. the Super Pharm chain. overseas. selective points of sale in Israel and around the world.

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