Andrea Elsner carefully selects the products she offers online on the website The Very Essence, Organic Beauty and Green Lifestyle and her shop in Hamburg. With the same interest, she will assess the competing brands for Organic Beauty Award 2011 and makes several recommendations.

• How do you view the positioning of organic niche brands into the German cosmetic market ?

Andrea Elsner : The German organic cosmetic market has increased its volume by +11% over the previous year.

This significant market growth among natural, organic and luxury cosmetics provides vast opportunities for new brands and products in Germany. But at the same time, a proliferation of brands is noticed. This means that brands need to differentiate themselves more strongly and find a unique positioning!

Simply having a natural or organic background is not enough. Today, products need to offer a sustainable lifestyle concept. As more and more organic products become “mainstream,” they are no longer limited to a niche target.

The German sales environment is highly competitive!

• What is your positioning ?

Andrea Elsner : With The Very Essence we have created a platform for new brands that are striving for a foothold into the market. We select carefully because we believe introducing a unique brand to a new market is both an exciting enterprise and a great adventure – one that needs exact research and planning, as well as a great deal of passion and patience.

Our brands are unique personalities that we treat with respect and care because they deserve the space and time to grow in order to expand to their full capacity.

• What would be your key advice?

Andrea Elsner : My advice would be plan your market entry carefully and be patient.

We notice that brands want immediate sales and distribution in a premium environment! But although consumers seem to be willing to try new products and pay high prices for them, it takes substantial time and effort – and, of course, budget – to fully establish a new brand.

People connect to brands, not products – and this provides a great chance to separate from the market and to build a true and distinct brand positioning.

• In your opinion, what are the key strengths of Beauty Organic Awards ?

Andrea Elsner : An award creates visibility and credibility! It is not a warrantor for success but a cosmetic brand that builds purely on a marketing story and fails on the product promise side will ultimately fail in a premium sales environment.

The BEAUTY CHALLENGER AWARD ceremony will take place on Tuesday, September 13th on COSMEETING @ Beyond Beauty! Will be awarded the prize for emerging brands, the price of the brand Niche, The Beauty Organic Award, the Beauty Pharma Award, shot Heart of the press, the Beauty Blog Favorite and The Innovation Award.

Kristel Milet – Blog Editor in chief

www.beyondbeautyparis.com from 12th to 14th september 2011 – Paris – Porte de Versailles

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