When introducing consumers to her line of upscale dog-grooming products, Sexy Beast founder Renee Ryan is faced with striking a delicate balance: On the one hand, Sexy Beast is intended to be a luxury brand; on the other, Ryan needs to get her somewhat unconventional merchandise in front of her target customers and let them see it in action. (After all, even the most canine-centric consumer may not realize they need plant-based, hypo-allergenic, 100-percent vegan grooming products—and a fragrance—for touch-ups in between regular trips to the groomer.)The answer: dog “makeovers” in one of Manhattan’s toniest department stores, Henri Bendel. From March 23 to 25, Ryan and doggie stylists invited dog owners to receive a free lesson in using the Sexy Beast line. (The grooming aids, which include the eponymous fragrance, a shimmering powder, and revitalizing gloss, do not require water for use, making in-store demonstrations relatively mess-free.)
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“It helps us to educate people,” Ryan says. “They can see the product being used and see that it’s safe.” The Sexy Beast owner is carefully selecting where she places the brand, pursuing in-store placement at high-end retail outlets and at specialty pet stores and spas.
Ryan, a veteran of—as she refers to it—the traditional grooming industry (read: humans), started her company in response to what she believed was a booming luxury pet-product market. If the turnout for the Sexy Beast in-store promo is any indication of consumer demand, the niche industry is mighty healthy: Sexy Beast serviced 20 dogs the first day of the event and was booked solid with back-to-back appointments the rest of the weekend; ultimately, approximately 75 dogs received a makeover.
—Mimi O’Connor.
Posted 03.28.07.
Photos: Courtesy of Beth Ehrenberg
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“It helps us to educate people,” Ryan says. “They can see the product being used and see that it’s safe.” The Sexy Beast owner is carefully selecting where she places the brand, pursuing in-store placement at high-end retail outlets and at specialty pet stores and spas.
Ryan, a veteran of—as she refers to it—the traditional grooming industry (read: humans), started her company in response to what she believed was a booming luxury pet-product market. If the turnout for the Sexy Beast in-store promo is any indication of consumer demand, the niche industry is mighty healthy: Sexy Beast serviced 20 dogs the first day of the event and was booked solid with back-to-back appointments the rest of the weekend; ultimately, approximately 75 dogs received a makeover.
—Mimi O’Connor.
Posted 03.28.07.
Photos: Courtesy of Beth Ehrenberg
A mini photo studio provided the backdrop for post-primping glamour shots, which could be retrieved at sexybeaststyle.com.
Pet owners reserved spots for an in-store grooming with a $25 deposit, which was credited toward the purchase of a Sexy Beast product. Participants also received a stainless-steel dog tag.
Sexy Beast also hits the road to spread the word, and the beauty. The company’s 36-foot mobile spa RV has made stops at the Hamptons Film Festival and Pet Fashion Week, as well as in New York City neighborhoods SoHo and Chelsea.
Prominently located just inside Henri Bendel’s entrance were several platforms for the display of product and grooming activity.
