E-Commerce Business Strategy for Colgate Palmolive

Client: Colgate Palmolive
Class: Business Strategy
Team: Jahnvi Manek, Rebecca Paul, Juan Sanchez, Rasha Shihabi
Role: UX/UI, Research and Concept Development

Executive Summary

In order to develop a viable strategy our team conducted an in-depth analysis examining the growth of the E-commerce landscape, mobile technology, and how the convergence of these two sectors has changed consumer behavior. Within that scope, key trends have been identified and applied to the development of a viable E-commerce strategy for Colgate-Palmolive. These trends include: increased consumer spending online facilitated by mobile devices, and an increase in the use of mobile technology as a tool for consumers to obtain information about products and personal care. This strategy is focused on Colgate-Palmolive’s Oral Care division, and the target demographic is Young Professionals living in the United States. The components for this strategy include: amplifying Colgate-Palmolive’s value of care; establishing a strategic partnership with an existing retailer; and the development of a mobile application that connects consumers’ activity online and offline. Ultimately this strategy allows Colgate Palmolive to move forward within the E-commerce space without exhausting their financial or human resources.

Project Overview

Target Demographic

For this strategy, we have identified Young Professionals living in the United States as the ideal demographic. Young professionals are described as an ambitious group that embodies the work hard, play hard mentality. The daily record identifies Young Professionals as people between the ages of 24-39, with a college degree and heavy consumers of news and information.

Communication Strategy

In order to effectively influence the relationship that CP has with Young Professionals the marketing components developed for this strategy have been guided by the following questions:  

• What does CP’s Oral care stand for?
• How can CP connect with this target demographic (Young Professionals)? 
• How can we utilize new technologies to better service these needs?

Establishing a Strategic Partnership

It is key to the success of this multi-channel “app and mortar” strategy for Colgate to establish a partnership with an existing customer that has the following attributes: 

• An existing network of brick and mortar locations, that is associated with a strong offline experience for their customers. 
• An established E-commerce platform with excellent distribution capabilities. 
• The capacity to combine the customer’s experience both online and offline utilizing new technologies. 

Colgate’s New Bright Mobile App and Supporting Campaign

The main value proposition for the mobile app and in-store experience is to allow consumers to access “Bright” information about the best products and procedures for a sound oral health. The platform will encourage consumers to engage with the Bright app through their mobile device with in-store communications (shelf signage advertising) that will incorporate touch-codes or QR codes.

With this strategy Colgate will be able to extend their partner’s existing platform through the brand’s knowledge and engagement with oral care product’s consumers. The extension will include the following components:

• Recommend products or procedures based on consumer’s needs or purchasing history
• Present Colgate offerings for the partner’s store. 
• Allow consumers to be reminded to buy Colgate oral care products when introduced in the shopping list.
• Inform consumers with directions to complementary Colgate products when directed to Colgate shelves