International marketing strategies and practices

International Marketing

Rimmel London is a UK-based make-up manufacturer targeting the mass market of females 20-35. The company faces intense competition in a variety of segments, and has average make-up quality. Their products include mascara, foundation, skin powders and other make-up products for the eyes, lips, nails, face and body. Each of these products is part of the complete make-up portfolio and most customers will utilize a wide range of make-up products daily. Eugene Rimmel invented mascara, and modern mascaras are typically manufactured from different waxes, solvents and pigments. Other make-up products are made with a variety of waxes, oils, aromas, pigments and solvents. Production is done around the world, at a variety of contractors who produce for Rimmel and its parent company Coty Inc.

Each product that Rimmel makes is broadly marketed to the 20-35 demographic of females. The company does not target a wide market, but concentrates its efforts on this demographic, with all products being marketed to it. The mainstream market that Rimmel targets demands a combination of high quality and reasonable prices. Rimmel attempts to meet that need, but sometimes has issues with product quality.

Target Market

Products

Females, 20-35, global market

Mascara, foundation, skin powders, other makeup products

Stakeholders

There are a number of stakeholders at Rimmel. Internal stakeholders include the company's employees, its managers, its owner (Coty, Inc.) and its endorsers. External stakeholders include the customers, competitors, the retailers, distributors and advertising agencies with whom Rimmel works. The company currently markets in a number of countries around the world. In general, the place of manufacture means little to the customers, except when the local producer adapts the products to suit local tastes, as has been the case with Rimmel in China. The place of manufacture is relevant to the company's workers however. Due to local regulations, the company often produces domestically. For example, Coty signed an agreement with a Chinese firm to manufacture Rimmel locally when the brand was launched in the Chinese market (Montague-Jones, 2008). These local producers become an important stakeholder, as do the governments of those nations that support the use of local producers.

Demands of the Market