L'Oréal USA: Digitally Optimizing Consumer Insights

Nima Gohil, head of the new digital and creative consumer research department at L’Oréal USA (L’Oréal), was preparing for the upcoming January 2016 board meeting at L’Oréal’s research and innovation headquarters in Clark, New Jersey. L’Oréal’s competitors were using new digital media to highlight beauty products to current and new users, and L’Oréal was under pressure to develop a better way to connect with consumers to maintain—if not grow—market share. Top management had also urged Gohil’s department to reduce time and costs when collecting insights from consumers. Gohil focused on the hair care consumer segments, where she thought it was critical for L’Oréal to address and fully commit to the digital transformation that was being adopted by many other industries. She had only a few weeks to complete her assessments of L’Oréal’s digital strategy and assets and to prepare a functional recommendation to upper management.