Smart marketers use online tools selectively
to support community needs.
L'Or^al strikes the right balance with
its methodical approach. The company
maps its brands along two dimensions:
(i) brands of authority versus brands of conversation, and (2) mainstream versus
niche brands. Each cell in the grid suggests
a different community approach.
Brands of authority offer expert affiliation
and advice. L'OrtJal (the company's
mainstream brand of authority) builds
community through heavy TV advertising
featuring celebrity spokespeople to
inspire hub affiliations. La Roche-Posay
(a niche brand of authority) nurtures
a worldwide community of dermatologists,
both online and face-to-face, to
expertly represent the brand. Brands of
conversation thrive on social interaction
and engagement. L'Ore"al's Gamier (the
company's mainstream brand of conversation)
enlists well-known bloggers
to share what they're doing to make the
world a better place, using these hub
figures to strengthen the brand's pool.
Kiehl's (a niche brand of conversation)
uses a grassroots focus on local charity
sponsorships, in-store customer bulletin
boards, and required employee volunteerism in the surrounding community
to create the social glue. Although the
tactics vary, the goal of L'Or€a1's community-building
strategies is always to
connect with the people who make up
the community in ways that reaffirm
the essence of the brand.