Assignment Task
Purpose of the Workshop Exercise
This case study exercise will:
Focus on the simple understanding of integrated marketing campaign, and a pricing exercise
Provide you with an opportunity to apply your knowledge to a real situation.
Encourage you to demonstrate awareness of ethical decision-making issues.
Tasks
Complete your study of Weeks 6-8 (read textbook chapters 7-11) and watch the corresponding lecture recordings.
Read the “Lemon & Beaker” case carefully.
Unlike previous workshops you will not be required to do a SWOT analysis. Instead, for preparation you need to follow the short scenario at the end of the case and individually complete the calculations in the calculation quiz on the Assessment’s page on Stream.
Case study: Lemon & Beaker – a beautiful blend of science and nature
Hannah HeyRim Hong, the founder of one of the newest skincare brands in Aotearoa New Zealand, Lemon & Beaker, used to visit the luxury Smith & Caughey’s department store in Auckland on her way home from school each day and try all the skincare products and perfumes. She became so immersed in the beauty product world that she could pick the fragrance worn by women who passed her on the street.
This love of cosmetics motivated her to do a double-major BSc in chemistry and psychology before going on to a Masters in International Business and Business Administration at Hult International Business School in San Francisco and Dubai. In Dubai, she worked for Bath and Body Works. She completed her learning with a Diploma in Aesthetics and Beauty Therapy from CIDESCO, a leading beauty and spa therapy school in Switzerland. She combined her qualifications with experience working in her family’s clothing manufacturing and wholesaling business in Korea where she developed her own clothing brand.
Hong returned to Aotearoa New Zealand in 2016 to fulfil her dream of beginning a local skincare company using mostly local ingredients that were natural, organic, ethical, and environmentally friendly to produce top quality products. She was driven by her belief that skincare “isn’t only chemical compounds; it’s a mix of the psychological emotions attached to it. The packaging and fragrance; it’s an entire experience – you use all five senses” (Templeton, 2019).
Hong launched Lemon & Beaker in 2018. The name comes from two items she had on her desk at the time she was brainstorming ideas for a brand name. It captures the blending of nature and science that is the hallmark of the company. This drives Lemon & Beaker in its 4 quest for premium and researched skincare to deliver power in a bottle that creates an experience while delivering visible skincare results. Its premium ingredients and best scientific practices in treating skin, pushes the boundaries of where considered skincare can go. This has seen superior essential oils and powerful actives such as Vitamin A and Vitamin C (essential for protecting and restoring skin) feature in Lemon & Beaker formulations. Lemon & Beaker’s Dual-Blend Repairing Serum with Rose Essential Oil received ‘Best Serum’ at the Best of Natural New Zealand Awards in 2020 (Lemon & Beaker, n.d.).
In addition to her business Lemon & Beaker, Hong has started an NGO that explores how beauty can be used for self-empowerment. While starting Lemon & Beaker, Hong was contacted in 2016 by a friend working in an NGO helping refugee women in Amman, Jordan. A few months later, Hong travelled to Jordan with 50kg of luggage (mostly beauty equipment) not knowing what to expect. Hong decided to teach the women massage, facial treatments, nail art, and soap making. The results were life-changing for the women. They experienced enjoyment and relaxation through giving each other skincare therapy and massage.
The women started a soap factory to create employment and income. Hong used the Google Translate app on her phone to buy soap making ingredients at the souk (market) every day. “They have amazing olive oil; high quality premium stuff we can’t get here,” she recounted. “I found amazing ingredients: rosemary, and dried roses for so cheap. I was amazed at how premium the ingredients were.” The women experienced dignity and pride and produced a USD$40,000 profit in their second year of operation, part of which was used to offer extra classes to refugee women and start English classes for children (Templeton, 2019). The soap is sold exclusively in Jordan and is not part of the Lemon & Beaker range.
