Unilever sells several multicultural hair care brands to Strength of Nature

Consumers appreciate choice. Putting multiple solutions on the shelf is a good approach for companies striving to meet the needs and gain the loyalty of the new mainstream consumer.

"Strength of Nature is committed to serving the hair care needs of people with textured hair from curly to coily," ​says Charlene Dance, the company’s global marketing director in a press release announcing the deal.

"We want to ensure that this consumer has unlimited hair maintenance and styling options for their particular hair type,” ​she adds, “and are very excited to add these brands to our portfolio." ​

A handful of brands​

Prior to the acquisition, Strength of Nature had over 10 brands in its portfolio, including, Soft & Beautiful, Smart Perm, and Elasta QP.  The company was launched in 2000 by Mario de la Guardia Jr.—his father, a hair care entrepreneur before him—according to the Strength of Nature site.

Detailing the acquisition, de la Guardia says, "the Motions, Just for Me, Consort, Groom & Clean and TCB brands are beloved and trusted with a strong legacy, high awareness and great potential.” ​The newly purchased brands redouble the company’s presence in women’s, kids’ and men’s categories. 

Emphasizing Strength of Nature’s “goal of bringing innovative, solution-driven quality products to the multicultural consumer around the world,”​ de la Guardia notes that “each [new brand] provides an excellent foundation for renewed growth and expanded innovation.” ​

“We look forward to building these brands," ​he says.

A marketplace in motion​

Commenting about a recent CEW event on multicultural beauty​, organization president Carlotta Jacobson affirmed that “as the population continues to shift, beauty brands need to develop new products and campaigns to satisfy the unmet needs of the diverse beauty consumer.” ​

Industry leaders speaking at the CEW Beauty Insider event emphasized that, today, needs and beauty preferences have much more to do with consumer choices than conventional demographics do.

They agreed that brands engaging with and serving the new mainstream consumer should not address a single consumer identity. It’s more worthwhile to ask “what are the shared values, shared demands, and shared needs of today’s beauty consumers,” ​observed Nicole Fourgoux, general manager of the Multi-Cultural Beauty Division at L’Oréal USA.