Ch. 8 - Segmenting and Targeting Markets

Mary Kay Cosmetic products are made for all women who care of their beauty. However, the company primary target is aging women because the company focuses on aging products. Mary Kay has two kinds of consumers for its products. The beauty independent consultants who buy the products from the company for direct selling are costumers and other customers as consumers. The minimum consumers are more than 3 million because that is the number of Mary Kay independent Beauty consultants worldwide today. The size is growing up because the company awards its force sales consultants in cars and more.  

In addition, as consultants, Mary Kay Inc. target market is mostly women who fit at least two of the five categories. Women who have a full-time Job, have a College degree, are married, have children, and own their own home. These women are mature enough to run a business and understand the self-disciple involved to be successful. Among the secondary target are men who are consultants and consumers.

Statistic shows the company’s target market that are its independents consultants. Remember that the company has a primary target that is its independent consultants and a secondary one that is consumers. The company has a lot to offer, so different types of target. For instance, there is a product line in its cosmetic color called, Mary Kay At Play.

Mary Kay At Play is specifically for younger consumers, Gen Y. The customers are younger, the sales force are younger also. Mary Kay can relate to them since, according to the company, 35% of new independent beauty consultants in the US are from the Gen Y segment (18- 30 years old) while approximately half of the Mary Kay independent sales force in the U.S. is aged 35 or younger. Basically, the company has so many product lines that everybody is a Mary Kay target. That is like a Mary Kay lady saying that her target audience is “anyone with skin”. 

A target market of aging product is niche of women who fall into 30 years and more. The line product Time Wise has been cannibalized by Time Wise Repair that restores the beauty of those women.