Multicultural Report

The hair extension category is heating up. The use of synthetic or human hair incorporated into a natural head of hair is telling its story in ad and editorial copy. There are now more than 100-plus companies targeting women of color with myriad colors, lengths and hair textures in the ever-expanding category of hair extensions. Manufacturers of chemical treatments, relaxers, and maintenance products are quietly complaining that ethnic consumers’ purchases of human and synthetic hair may be retarding growth of these traditional products.

Evidence is everywhere that marketers of this segment are dominating B&B/OTC’s retail sales in inner city locations, increasing their marketing presence in magazines and beauty shows and targeting women of color. It is apparent that these marketers are growing in their understanding of and merchandising to multicultural consumers with a sharply increased level of sophistication in their creative placed prominently on magazine back covers and advertising spreads. No doubt about it, their advertising in both trade and consumer publications is dominating the ethnic beauty business on the show scene with BIG stages using celebrity stylists at crowd wooing extravaganzas.

Some of the well-known human and synthetic hair brands include Royal Imex Inc.’s Zury; Rodeo; Hollywood Hair Fantasies, 800- 811-6541; Shake-N-Go Fashion, Inc.’s Milky Way-Platinum Collection, (www.snghair.com); Janet Collection Hot Stuff Fusion (www.janetcollection.com); Amekor’s Beverly Johnson Stitch-N-Go Weave (www.amekor.com); Adorable Hair-Do Corp. (www.adorablehairdo.com) and Jinny Corp’s Urban Beauty.

Color continues to dominate the ethnic market growth segment as competition intensifies among market and style leaders. The results of the American Board of Certified Hair Colorists’ (ABCH) latest poll of 750 colorists are available in the ABCH American Haircolor Trend Report. Call 310-547-0814 or visit
www.hair-colorist.com.

At Avlon Industries, several veteran ethnic product masters are responsible for chemistry and marketing. Ali N. Syed is the president and founder; Ned Washington is director of worldwide sales and Will Steward, is vice president of marketing. Ali was master chemist at both historic Johnson Products Co. (JPC) and Soft Sheen before its acquisition by L’Oréal. Steward was the marketing director at JPC and Washington was in charge of worldwide sales. Call 800-332-8566 or visit www.avlon.com.

Avlon is a pioneer and category leader for exclusive to salon sales of professional products. Others in this category are McBride Laboratory’s Design Essentials; L’Oréal’s Mizani; Dudley’s Q+ and J.M. Products’ ISOPLUS UpTurn Care. Consumer color brands include Realistic Crème Gel Hair Color, Wella Color Charm Permanent Hair Color, Crème of Nature Colors Permanent Hair Color, Clairol New & Improved Textures and Tones-Designed For Women of Color, Bigen Permanent Powder Hair Color and Xpressive, Classic Salon Products Excellence HiColor Hilights for dark hair (www.lorealclassicsalon.com) and the Feria professional line.

Men who want to get rid of the gray like the results they’re getting from Just For Men Shampoo-In Haircolor and Brush-In Color Gel manufactured by Combe Inc. Contact Ralph Marburger, product manager, at 914-461-4447 or visit www.justformen.com.

Salon owner and award winning stylist Olive Benson teamed with Connie Sullivan to conduct the back stage beauty room in the dressing room at the Democratic National Convention this past summer in Boston. Kerry daughters Alex and Vanessa and other VIPs, including Senator/astronaut John Glenn, Rev. Jesse Jackson, former president and first lady Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter were styled for the cameras.

The Truth About Dandruff for Professional Stylists and Barbers, published by Segmented Marketing Services Inc, (SMSi) and sponsored by the Nizoral AD brand of McNeil Consumer and Specialty Pharmaceuticals, has been distributed to 15,000 African-American beauty professionals who are members of the SMSi Beauty and Barbershop networks. The publication was also featured in Sophisticate’s Black Hair Styles and Care Guide’s “Salon Talk” section. Dandruff affects 63 million Americans — one out of every three adults. Among African-Americans, the incidence is 13% higher. The 20-page publication addresses dandruff myths and realities, types of dandruff and scalp conditions. Another section addresses “How To Talk to Your Clients about Dandruff.” For a complimentary copy, contact Gerry Patton at 336-759-7477 or gpatton@smsi-net.com.

Competitive analysis indicates Procter and Gamble continues heavy promotion, advertising and consumer sampling support for its Pantene Anti-dandruff Shampoo Pro-hair for relaxed and natural hair. Retailers report dramatic shelf velocity with black salon patrons buying the product at drug and mass outlets and carrying it to their salon for stylist application.

Renée Reynolds, director of merchandising for ethnic and multicultural products for Sally Beauty Company, debuts “Cutting Edge,” a new column in Urban Call-The Beauty Salon and Barbershop edition, a bi-monthly magazine distributed to 100,000 ethnic shop owners and their patrons. For a complimentary copy, contact Joseph Lawrence at 336 759-7477 or jrlawrence@smsi-net.com.

Jory Luster, president of Luster Products, Inc., Fred Luster II, vice president and director of research and development, and Sonja Luster-Munis, vice president and manager of information systems, have presented a $30,000 check to the American Cancer Society on behalf of the Luster Black Heritage Foundation. Fred Luster Sr. was a founder and ardent supporter of the American Health and Beauty Aids Institute, a great friend and industry leader. Visit www.lusterproducts.com.

Lafayette Jones is president and CEO of Segmented Marketing Services Inc., a marketing, promotion and publishing company. For more information, visit www.segmentedmarketing.com. You can also contact Lafayette to submit your multi-cultural news to Beauty Industry Report at 336-759-7477 or e-mail him at ljones@smsi-net.com.

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