web site
A website (also written as a web site) is any web page whose content is identified by a common domain name and is published on at least one web server. Websites are typically dedicated to a particular topic or purpose, such as news, education, ...
targeted at adolescent girls created in 2000 by
consumer goods
A final good or consumer good is a final product ready for sale that is used by the consumer to satisfy current wants or needs, unlike an intermediate good, which is used to produce other goods. A microwave oven or a bicycle is a final good.
W ...
company
Procter & Gamble
The Procter & Gamble Company (P&G) is an American multinational consumer goods corporation headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. It was founded in 1837 by William Procter and James Gamble. It specializes in a wide range of personal health/con ...
(P&G).
It provided information and advice; it was also a marketing tool.
History
The site was created in 2000, with P&G including content provided by experts. Its development was led by the company's Tampax brand and feminine care group.
Forum
Forum or The Forum may refer to:
Common uses
*Forum (legal), designated space for public expression in the United States
*Forum (Roman), open public space within a Roman city
**Roman Forum, most famous example
* Internet forum, discussion board ...
s were later added, in order to build interest. This enables girls to discuss things with each other, facilitating more subtle and effective marketing by the company. Company representatives "play an active role" in this
user-generated content
User-generated content (UGC), alternatively known as user-created content (UCC), emerged from the rise of web services which allow a system's User (computing), users to create Content (media), content, such as images, videos, audio, text, testi ...
.
, the website was available in 25 countries. Its content editor in 2005 was author
Marcia Byalick
Marcia may refer to:
People
* Marcia (given name)
*James Marcia, Canadian psychologist
*Stefano Marcia (born 1993), South African Olympic sailor
*Marcia (wife of Cato), wife of Cato the Younger
Other uses
* ''Marcia'' (Beccafumi), a c. 1519 pain ...
.
Features
The site provides information and expert advice on topical
self-care
Self-care has been defined as the process of establishing behaviors to ensure holistic well-being of oneself, to promote health, and actively manage illness when it occurs. Individuals engage in some form of self-care daily with food choices, ...
issues such as
menstruation
Menstruation (also known as a period, among other colloquial terms) is the regular discharge of blood and Mucous membrane, mucosal tissue from the endometrium, inner lining of the uterus through the vagina. The menstrual cycle is characterized ...
,
eating disorder
An eating disorder is a mental disorder defined by abnormal eating behaviors that adversely affect a person's health, physical or mental health, mental health. These behaviors may include eating too much food or too little food. Types of eatin ...
s,
acne
Acne ( ), also known as ''acne vulgaris'', is a long-term Cutaneous condition, skin condition that occurs when Keratinocyte, dead skin cells and Sebum, oil from the skin clog hair follicles. Typical features of the condition include comedo, ...
and
dating
Dating is a stage of Romance (love), romantic relationships in which individuals engage in activity together, often with the intention of evaluating each other's suitability as a partner in a future intimate relationship. It falls into the cate ...
, by taking a "big-sister approach". Features such as
self-discovery
A "journey of self-discovery" refers to a travel, pilgrimage, or series of events whereby a person attempts to determine how they feel, personally, about spiritual issues or priorities, It also advertises some of the company's products and has offered free samples from
Always
Always may refer to:
Film and television
* ''Always'', a 1985 film directed by Henry Jaglom
* ''Always'' (1989 film), a 1989 romantic comedy-drama directed by Steven Spielberg
* ''Always'' (2011 film), a 2011 South Korean film, also known as ''O ...
and
Tampax
Tampax (a portmanteau of tampon and packs) is a brand of tampons currently owned by Procter & Gamble. It was based in White Plains, New York, US until its sale to Procter & Gamble in 1997. It is a subsidiary of P&G's Always brand and is sold ...
. The information is provided using "cool teenage-girl vocabulary".
In addition to offering advice, the site gathers information from questions asked anonymously by visitors. This is used for inbound
internet marketing
The Internet (or internet) is the global system of interconnected computer networks that uses the Internet protocol suite (TCP/IP) to communicate between networks and devices. It is a network of networks that consists of private, publ ...
of its products, being judged by co-author of social technologies book '' Groundswell'', Josh Bernoff, as being four times as cost-effective as advertising. The site facilitates
data collection
Data collection or data gathering is the process of gathering and measuring information on targeted variables in an established system, which then enables one to answer relevant questions and evaluate outcomes. Data collection is a research com ...
and
market testing
Concept testing (to be distinguished from pre-test markets and test markets which may be used at a later stage of product development research) is the process of using surveys (and sometimes qualitative methods) to evaluate consumer acceptance of ...
.SociologistAdam Arvidsson, writing in 2006, analysed the site's premise as being that "engagement in community-like interaction will generate emotional and experiential ties" in consumers. They will consequently relate positively to the brand, which will raise the brand's equity.
Marketing agreements
The authors and publishers of 2006 novel '' Cathy's Book'' agreed with P&G to include references to the
CoverGirl
CoverGirl is an American cosmetics brand founded in Maryland, United States, by the Noxzema Chemical Company. It was acquired by Procter & Gamble in 1989, and later acquired by Coty, Inc. in 2016. The Noxell Company advertised this cosmetics l ...
makeup line in exchange for promoting the book on BeingGirl. No monetary payment was involved. The references were deleted in the novel's paperback edition. Also in 2006,
Sony BMG
Sony BMG Music Entertainment was an American record company owned as a 50–50 joint venture between Sony Corporation of America and Bertelsmann. The venture's successor, the revived Sony Music, is wholly owned by Sony, following their buyout o ...
partnered with P&G to feature its artists on the site. David G. Knox, a teenage market specialist in P&G's beauty division said that they approached Sony in order for teens to associate their brands with stars such as singer-songwriter
Teddy Geiger
Teddy Geiger (born September 16, 1988) is an American singer-songwriter and record producer who first gained teen idol status with the song " For You I Will (Confidence)" in 2006. Geiger acted in the television series '' Love Monkey'' (2006) and ...
.
Reception
The Taiwan site attracted 6000 registered members in the three months since launch in 2002. , it was receiving in excess of hits worldwide per month. Its "successful engagement of teen girls" has been largely attributed to the company "stay ngin the background". Its Indian site was launched in 2006, which Nikhil Pahwa on the ''contentsutra'' blog observed to "lack the freedom of a social networking space", such as
Hindustan Unilever
Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) is an Indian fast-moving consumer goods company, headquartered in Mumbai. It is a subsidiary of the Anglo-Dutch company Unilever. Its products include foods, beverages, cleaning agents, personal care products a ...
's Sunsilk Gang of Girls. Writing in 2006, Sheth and Sisodia noted that the open discussion (in
real life
Real life is a phrase used originally in literature to distinguish between the real world and fictional, virtual or idealized worlds, and in acting to distinguish between actors and the Character (arts), characters they portray. It has become a ...
) by teenage girls of feminine hygiene products may be difficult in some countries.
In 2011, the charity
Mothers' Union
The Mothers' Union is an international Christian charity that seeks to support families worldwide. In addition to mothers, its membership includes parents, men, widows, singles and grandparents. Its main aim is to support monogamous marriage and f ...
criticised the site for being "clearly a marketing tool" and Rebecca Morgan of the London Feminist Network linked references to
hair removal
Hair removal is the deliberate removal of body hair or head hair. This process is also known as epilation or depilation.
Hair is a common feature of the human body, exhibiting considerable variation in thickness and length across different po ...
and erotic underwear with the sexualisation of childhood. Research fellow at the
University of York
The University of York (abbreviated as or ''York'' for Post-nominal letters, post-nominals) is a public Collegiate university, collegiate research university in York, England. Established in 1963, the university has expanded to more than thir ...
, Dr Merran Toerien, criticised the site's attitude in advertising to such a young age group.
Some reviewers evaluated the health content as being "useful and well presented", although concern was expressed about the number of product mentions. Some of the weight-loss tips were seen by some as "enabling eating-disorder behavior".
A P&G spokeswoman said that the site's "broader personal wellbeing educational scheme was strongly supported by schools".