Boots tempts customers to “try something new” in ads

The first ‘Give it a go Friday’ event is due to launch tomorrow (22 March) at Boots’ 30 biggest stores.

Ruth Spencer, head of loyalty and insight at Boots, told Marketing Week the in-store events stem from research that found women will encourage friends to try out something new, but will not take the step on their own.

The spring campaign also includes a TV ad due to break this week, which shows scenes including a customer in-store trying a new red lipstick, a daughter encouraging her mum to try a new hairstyle and a woman encouraging a friend to try bold nail colour. It uses the slogan “Let’s feel good” introduced in its Christmas campaign.

Online content has been designed to “support” customers who are reluctant to try new products with “how to” style videos to help customers find the perfect shade of red lipstick or how to create a quiff hairstyle.

Activity also coincides with Boots’ quarterly direct mailing to all Advantage Card members offering tips, encouragement and tailored offers in line with the “try something new” concept.

Meanwhile, speaking a the IGD health and beauty conference in London today (21 March) Spencer revealed Boots has overhauled the way it segments its customer data to better market to women over 60. It has scrapped its standalone “health club” for the over 60s in favour of a more integrated approach within Advantage Card.

Boots now offers additional benefits such as extra points or discounts on glasses within its loyalty scheme based on customer insights that showed treating the demographic as a separate segment alienated customers because it relied on an outdated stereotype that older women stopped being interested in beauty.

Spencer added: “You have to not only avoid the topline stereotypes but also understand the nuances. There is as much innovation in insight as in every area of the business.”