Business Research Proposal: Deconstructing Rhode's Market Success

1. Diagnosis of Initial Skepticism: A clear summary of the 3-5 primary criticisms or doubts circulating about Rhode at launch (e.g., "another celebrity cash grab," "market is too saturated").
2. The Rhode Strategic Blueprint: A detailed breakdown of Rhode's strategy across its marketing mix, explaining how each element directly countered the initial skepticism.
3. The Young Female Consumer Conversion Journey: A step-by-step analysis of how a target consumer moved from being aware and skeptical to becoming a loyal advocate.
4. Codified Success Principles: 3-5 core, replicable principles that other brands can learn from Rhode's playbook (e.g., "The Principle of Curated Simplicity").
5. Future Growth & Risk Assessment: An outline of 2-3 potential strategic opportunities and threats for Rhode moving forward.

Part 1: Information Collection

Recommended Framework: The 4Ps of Marketing (Marketing Mix)

• Framework Teaching: The 4Ps framework is a foundational model used to analyze a business's go-to-market strategy. It breaks down a brand's approach into four key pillars:
  • Product: This isn't just the physical item. It includes the product's quality, features, design, packaging, branding, and even the perceived experience of using it. In Rhode's case, this is the "glazed donut skin" philosophy, the minimalist visual identity, and the specific formulation choices.
  • Price: This covers the retail price, any discounts, and the overall pricing strategy. It defines the product's position in the market (e.g., luxury, mass-market, accessible luxury) and signals its value to consumers.
  • Place: This is where the product is sold. It includes distribution channels like direct-to-consumer (DTC) websites, retail partners (like Sephora), and the geographic markets it serves.
  • Promotion: This includes all communication and marketing activities. It covers social media, public relations (PR), influencer marketing, advertising, and brand messaging used to attract and persuade customers.
• Applicability Explanation: This framework is ideal for your study because your research questions directly map onto it. You need to understand Rhode's product development, brand messaging (Product/Promotion), social media approach (Promotion), and overall strategy that led to success (the interplay of all 4Ps). The 4Ps provides a simple yet comprehensive structure to ensure you analyze every critical aspect of Rhode's business model systematically.

A. Web Search Plan

• Web Search Content & Purpose:
  • Queries about Skepticism:

    Rhode Skin launch initial reaction and criticism

    ,

    celebrity beauty brand fatigue analysis

    • Purpose: To establish the "mockery" baseline. This is crucial for understanding the challenges Rhode had to overcome and forms the starting point of your narrative. This feeds the "Diagnosis of Initial Skepticism" deliverable.
  • Queries about Product & Brand:

    Rhode Skin product philosophy ingredients

    ,

    Rhode Beauty visual identity and branding

    ,

    analysis of the "glazed donut skin" trend

    • Purpose: To gather data for the Product "P". This helps you understand how their minimalist aesthetic, focus on a few hero products, and the "glazed donut skin" concept created a distinct and desirable identity.
  • Queries about Strategy & Marketing:

    Hailey Bieber Rhode marketing strategy

    ,

    Rhode Skin social media strategy TikTok Instagram

    ,

    Rhode innovative collaborations Krispy Kreme

    • Purpose: To inform the Promotion "P". You need to analyze how Hailey Bieber's personal involvement, user-generated content, and clever collaborations built an authentic community rather than just advertising a product.
  • Queries about Financials & Market Context:

    Rhode Skin pricing strategy vs competitors

    ,

    Rhode Skin sales data and revenue 2023 2024

    • Purpose: To inform the Price "P" and to quantify success. Understanding their "accessible luxury" price point is key. While specific revenue data can be hard to find, reports on sell-out times and waitlists provide strong indicators of commercial success.

B. User Interview Plan

• Interview Subjects:
  • Segment 1: The Converted Skeptic (5-6 interviews): Young women (18-30) who were initially doubtful about Rhode (e.g., "just another celebrity brand") but are now customers. These are your most important interviews.
  • Segment 2: The Day-One Adopter (3-4 interviews): Young women who bought Rhode products at or near launch and have remained loyal.
  • Segment 3: The Aware Non-Buyer (3-4 interviews): Young women who fit the target demographic and are aware of Rhode but have chosen not to purchase.
• Interview Purpose: To uncover the emotional journey and decision-making process of your target consumer. You want to move beyond "I like the packaging" to "The minimalist packaging made me feel like the product was straightforward and honest, which is what I was missing from other complicated brands."
• Core Interview Questions:
  • For the Converted Skeptic (Segment 1):
    • "Walk me back to when you first heard about Rhode. What were your immediate thoughts or feelings?"
      • Analysis Purpose: Directly captures the initial "skepticism" in the consumer's own words.
    • "What was the specific moment or piece of content that made you reconsider? Was it a post from Hailey, a review from a friend, or something else?"
      • Analysis Purpose: Pinpoints the exact turning points in the customer journey. This is crucial for understanding the effectiveness of their Promotion strategy.
    • "Now that you've used the product, how has your perception of the brand changed?"
      • Analysis Purpose: Helps you connect the Product experience back to the initial marketing promises.
  • For the Day-One Adopter (Segment 2):
    • "What was it about Rhode that appealed to you immediately, even before you tried it?"
      • Analysis Purpose: Helps define the initial Product and Promotion elements that were most effective in capturing their target audience's attention.
    • "You've stayed loyal to the brand. What keeps you coming back compared to other skincare options?"
      • Analysis Purpose: Uncovers the drivers of long-term loyalty and advocacy, moving beyond the launch hype.
  • For the Aware Non-Buyer (Segment 3):
    • "You're familiar with Rhode but haven't purchased anything. What are the main reasons holding you back?"
      • Analysis Purpose: Identifies perceived weaknesses, pricing barriers, or competitive disadvantages, which are essential for a balanced analysis and for your "Future Risks" deliverable.

Part 2: Information Analysis

• Step 1: Define the Initial "Mockery" (The Problem):
  • Start by synthesizing your web search findings on "celebrity brand fatigue" and initial criticisms of Rhode. Augment this with quotes from your "Converted Skeptic" interviews. This will allow you to frame Rhode's entire strategy as a series of solutions to this core problem.
• Step 2: Map Your Data to the 4Ps Framework:
  • Product: Combine web search data on Rhode's minimalist aesthetic, limited product line, and "clean" formulations with interview insights. Use quotes from users who describe the product as "simple," "uncomplicated," or "effective." Analyze how the "glazed donut skin" concept served as a brilliant product promise. This shows how the product itself built trust.
  • Price: Use your competitive pricing research to position Rhode as "accessible luxury." Cross-reference this with interview feedback. Did users perceive it as a fair price? Did the price make it feel more or less credible? This explains how they positioned themselves for their target audience.
  • Place: Analyze their DTC (direct-to-consumer) launch strategy. Discuss how this created a sense of exclusivity and hype, which you can support with data on waitlists and sell-outs.
  • Promotion: This is the core of the story. Use the AIDA (Attention, Interest, Desire, Action) model as a sub-framework here.
    • Attention: How did they get it? Through Hailey Bieber's authentic-feeling social media presence. Use interview quotes from people who saw it on her TikTok or Instagram.
    • Interest/Desire: How did they build it? By moving from Hailey's posts to a wider network of trusted influencers and creating viral, memorable "moments" like the Krispy Kreme collaboration. Use interview data from "Converted Skeptics" about the specific review or post that changed their mind.
    • Action: How did they drive the purchase? Through scarcity (limited drops) and intense social proof (user-generated content).
• Step 3: Construct the Conversion Journey Narrative:
  • Weave the 4Ps analysis into a story. Start with the "skeptical consumer." Then, show how Rhode's Promotion (authentic social content) caught her eye. Explain how the Product philosophy (simplicity, "glazed skin") and accessible Price intrigued her. Finally, describe how the social proof and direct access (Place) led her to buy and become a loyalist. Use direct, anonymized quotes from your interviews to make this journey tangible.
• Step 4: Codify the Success Principles and Propose Future Actions:
  • Based on your 4Ps analysis, distill the key lessons. For example, a principle might be "Founder-as-Chief-Influencer," explaining how Hailey's deep involvement was more effective than a simple endorsement. Another could be "Market a Philosophy, Not Just a Product" (the "glazed donut" lifestyle).
  • Finally, use the insights from your "Aware Non-Buyer" interviews and market analysis to identify potential threats (e.g., new competitors, trend shifts) and opportunities (e.g., new product categories, retail expansion) for your final deliverable.