BeingGirl

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BeingGirl.com
Type of site
Inbound marketing,
Self care
OwnerProcter & Gamble
URLhttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHmU6DmIfL_gX9arzNh3iOg
CommercialYes
RegistrationOptional
LaunchedJuly 2000; 23 years ago (2000-07)[1]
Current statusUnknown

BeingGirl was a "kid-friendly"

consumer goods company Procter & Gamble (P&G).[5]

It provides information and advice. It is also a marketing tool.

History

The site was created in 2000,[6] with P&G including content provided by experts.[7] Its development was led by the company's Tampax brand[8][9] and feminine care group.[10] Forums were later added, in order to build interest. This enables girls to discuss things with each other, facilitating more subtle and effective marketing by the company.[7] Company representatives "play an active role" in this user-generated content.[11]

As of 2006, the website was available in 25 countries.[12] Its content editor in 2005 was author Marcia Byalick.[13]

Features

The site provides information and expert advice on topical

self care issues such as menstruation, eating disorders, acne and dating,[14] by taking a "big-sister approach".[15] Features such as self-discovery quizzes are also included.[16] It also advertises some of the company's products[6][15] and has offered free samples from Always and Tampax.[17] The information is provided using "cool teenage-girl vocabulary".[12]

In addition to offering advice, the site gathers information from questions asked anonymously by visitors. This is used for inbound

Sociologist Adam Arvidsson, writing in 2006, analysed the site's premise as being that "engagement in community-like interaction will generate emotional and experiential ties" in consumers. They will consequently relate positively to the brand, which will raise the brand's equity.[16]

Marketing agreements

The authors and publishers of 2006 novel Cathy's Book agreed with P&G to include references to the CoverGirl makeup line in exchange for promoting the book on BeingGirl.[3][21][22] No monetary payment was involved.[23] The references were deleted in the novel's paperback edition.[21] Also in 2006, Sony BMG partnered with P&G to feature its artists on the site.[24] David G. Knox, a teenage market specialist in P&G's beauty division said that they approached Sony in order for teens to associate their brands with stars such as singer-songwriter Teddy Geiger.[24]

Reception

It's a safe place where they can go for information about changes they are experiencing but are too embarrassed to discuss.

Velvet Gogol Bennett, P&G's North America feminine care external relations manager (January 2011)[25]

The Taiwan site attracted 6000 registered members in the three months since launch in 2002.[26] As of 2010, it was receiving in excess of 2 million hits worldwide per month.[27] Its "successful engagement of teen girls" has been largely attributed to the company "stay[ing] in the background".[28] Its Indian site was launched in 2006, which Nikhil Pahwa on the contentsutra blog observed to "lack the freedom of a social networking space", such as Hindustan Unilever's Sunsilk Gang of Girls.[29] Writing in 2006, Sheth and Sisodia noted that the open discussion (in real life) by teenage girls of feminine hygiene products may be difficult in some countries.[12]

In 2011, the charity Mothers' Union criticised the site for being "clearly a marketing tool" and Rebecca Morgan of the London Feminist Network linked references to hair removal and erotic underwear with the sexualisation of childhood.[30] Research fellow at the University of York, Dr Merran Toerien, criticised the site's attitude in advertising to such a young age group.[30]

Some reviewers evaluated the health content as being "useful and well presented", although concern was expressed about the number of product mentions.

eating-disorder behavior".[8]

A P&G spokeswoman said that the site's "broader personal wellbeing educational scheme was strongly supported by schools".[30]

References

  1. ^ "Dancing tampons". Wired. July 26, 2000. Archived from the original on November 8, 2012. Retrieved March 30, 2012.
  2. ^ Pearce, Tralee (November 13, 2007). "Cashing in on preteen puberty". Globe and Mail. Canada. Retrieved March 30, 2012.
  3. ^ a b Rich, Moctoko (June 12, 2006). "Product Placement Deals Make Leap From Film to Books". New York Times. Retrieved March 29, 2012.
  4. ISBN 978-1-4411-0791-6
    . Retrieved January 24, 2013.
  5. ^ "beinggirl.com". Procter & Gamble. Archived from the original on April 10, 2016. Retrieved March 29, 2012.
  6. ^ a b Martin, Andrew (January 12, 2011). "As the Web Turns". New York Times. Retrieved March 29, 2012.
  7. ^ a b Lee, Bill (April 5, 2012). "The Things Customers Can Do Better Than You". HBR Blog. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved April 23, 2012.
  8. ^
    ISBN 978-0-8144-0943-5
    . Retrieved January 23, 2013.
  9. ISBN 978-1-55164-276-5
    . Retrieved January 24, 2013.
  10. ISBN 978-0-470-97650-0
    . Retrieved January 23, 2013.
  11. ISBN 978-1-84980-098-3
    . Retrieved January 24, 2013.
  12. ^
    ISBN 978-0-7656-1699-9
    . Retrieved January 23, 2013.
  13. ISBN 978-0-7573-0273-2
    . Retrieved January 23, 2013.
  14. ISBN 978-1-55704-866-0
    . Retrieved January 24, 2013.
  15. ^
    ISBN 978-0-7494-5142-4
    . Retrieved January 23, 2013.
  16. ^
    ISBN 978-0-415-34716-7
    . Retrieved January 24, 2013.
  17. ^ Nutter, Blaise (August 31, 2009). "5 rules for marketing in niche social networks". iMediaConnection. Archived from the original on October 6, 2012. Retrieved March 30, 2012.
  18. ^ Halverson, Nathan (April 24, 2008). "Finding direction as Web 2.0 changes". PressDemocrat.com. Retrieved March 29, 2012.
  19. ISBN 978-0-538-47332-3
    . Retrieved January 23, 2013.
  20. ISBN 978-0-538-47327-9
    . Retrieved January 24, 2013.
  21. ^ a b Petrecca, Laura (September 10, 2006). "Authors strike deals to squeeze in a few brand names". USA Today. Retrieved March 30, 2012.
  22. ^ Deam, Jenny (September 13, 2006). "Selling a book by its CoverGirl". The Denver Post. Retrieved March 30, 2012.
  23. ISBN 978-1-4422-0427-0
    . Retrieved January 23, 2013.
  24. ^ a b Deutsch, Claudia H. (May 9, 2006). "Trying to Make Teenage Hygiene Hip". New York Times. Retrieved March 30, 2012.
  25. ^ Palmer, Alex (January 1, 2011). "Marketers strike a balance between skeptical teens and their cautious parents". Direct Marketing News. Archived from the original on October 15, 2014. Retrieved March 30, 2012.
  26. ^ Hille, Alfred (February 22, 2002). "CONNECTIONS: Whisper site banks on club appeal". Campaign. Haymarket Media Group. Archived from the original on June 3, 2012. Retrieved March 30, 2012.
  27. ISBN 978-0-7494-5923-9
    . Retrieved January 23, 2013.
  28. ISBN 978-1-4419-7082-4
    . Retrieved January 23, 2013.
  29. GigaOM
    . Retrieved January 24, 2013.
  30. ^ a b c Atherton, Sophie; Smithers, Rebecca (August 23, 2011). "BeingGirl website accused of 'exploiting' teenage girls". The Guardian. Retrieved March 30, 2012.
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