Sophia Angelica F.

Castro
12016753
INTDSI3
IDr. Iza Sim

RESEARCH PAPER

Introduction

HBC Cosmetics in the Philippines in terms of popularity has never been successful. It is
not included in the top 10 most successful local brands in the country. Local brands in 2022 were
Vice Cosmetics, BLK Cosmetics, Happy Skin Cosmetics, Colourette Cosmetics, Careline
Cosmetics, Ever Bilena Cosmetics, Sunnies Face and Human Heart Nature. This made me deem
the HBC as a failing cosmetics store.

Its target market are women due to its products mostly for make ups. Another reason why
I think it is failing is because they only have 52 branches all over the Philippines. Since the women
are known to adore makeup, selling cosmetics can spread the branches and popularity even more.
The store was plastered in pink for the femininity of its product, the awkward aisles of the store,
designs were too much, posters and plasters of their models are either too big or their models are
not popular. HBC signage as Home of Beauty and Color is a beautiful name for a brand with a
cute logo of a heart with HBC. Even though it is cute, the overall design does not capture the
attention of their target market. It is a bit bland and too Korean inspired.

Design Rational

HBC was founded in1993 by the husband and team of Dr. Rolando B. Hortaleza and Dra.
Rosalinda Ang-Hortaleza and at first the fresh new brand of cosmetics has become popular for its
nail care products and salon accessories, tools and reliable sharpening devices. They also
underwent a few reconstruction of the store and launched its own brand of Beauty Exclusives.
With the popularity of its owners as doctors, customers believed in the products, trusting its quality
in terms of cosmetics, skin care, hair colour, and other products they are selling up to this date.

Current state of HBC has decreased in sales due to the pandemic. Its popularity, sales and
network profit has dramatically decreased due to lock down, decreased number of people in the
mall. Markets and malls have only recently opened for cosmetics and other unnecessary stores
when alert levels in the country begin to improve. Still, in comparison to the popularity of make-
up, especially HBC store post and after the pandemic has dramatically increased the store’s
possibility of failing and going bankrupt.
 Suppose the design of the store could use less pink and more colours that resemble pink.
Aisles should be formed properly with every product having its own category or section to avoid
confusion. Less preppy decorations and more class looking starting from the tiles, the lights, the
models, the signage etc. Target design is to look classy, elegant, and local at the same time. This
way, it will catch attention and convince the market that the cosmetic store is indeed upgrading.
When it comes to exterior designs, it is too transparent with its common glass windows and doors.
It looks tacky with all the designs, signage of pink and every other pink product they have. Based
on location, its store location on malls are located at the outer part or at the part where not most
people are walking through.

Therefore, location should be where people are most likely to walk through. Designs should
be bold, powerful and classy. Since it is a local brand, designs of the store and product materials
should be locally endorsed. Changes in the interior design must also be elegant as well because
the brand is endorsing cosmetics for beauty. This is also for them to spice up the brand and grow
their target markets. Not just women in the Philippines, but also those who use makeup other than
women.

1. Store Location Status:

https://josiahgo.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/hbc-logo.jpg

The picture above shows the HBC branch in Plaridel, Bulacan.

 Branches of HBC Cosmetics

Branches:
Bulacan
Metro Manila Zambales
Tutuban Tarlac
Greenhills Batangas
Quezon City Cavite
Riverbanks Center Laguna
España Quezon Province
Sm City San Lazaro Rizal Province
Pasay, Manila Oriental Mindoro
Pasig Albay
Taguig Palawan
Muntinlupa Camarines Norte
Caloocan City Camarines Sur
Makati City Sorsogon
Malabon City Aklan
Mandaluyong City Iloilo
Pateros Negros Occidental
San Juan City Bohol
Valenzuela City Cebu
Benguet Negros Oriental
Ilocos Norte Leyte
Ilocos Sur Zamboanga del Norte
La Union Zamboanga del Sur
Pangasinan Lanao del Norte
Cagayan Misamis Oriental
Isabela Davao del Sur
Nueva Vizcaya South Cotabato
Bataan Surigao del Norte
 Customers are welcomed in the HBC shop, all genders are allowed to use the brand’s make-
up with no limits on who can use it. With the strong appeal of the new generation z, trendy and
eco-friendly products are in and prioritized.

2. Income: Products are targeted to be low priced compared to the last price of the old HBC store.
This way, owners should cut out costs that is not really needed or important. This way, the prices
may go lower without ever affecting the profit of the company brand and staff. Meanwhile,
customers are getting what they deserve, a quality product without having to spend so much
money. This type of marketing strategy always works on the marketing business.

3. Race/Ethnicity: Beauty products and cosmetics are sold for the skin complexion and hygiene
from head to toe.

4. Geographical Location: Malls

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/gLTYPtq05Wk/maxresdefault.jpg

Target Consumer

The HBC cosmetics should take this decreasing sales, popularity and not being able to be
on the list of top 10 beauty cosmetics in the Philippines as an advantage to redesign, reconstruct
and re-launch their products with new packaging, store interior and exterior designs so that their
target market will widen other than women.

Since Korean culture, make-up and especially dramas have been increasing in popularity
in the Philippines. This has greatly influenced all gender to become expressive in make-up.
Therefore, the influence of the boy band in Korea who uses makeup to have perfect complexion
and increase in their attractiveness. This should be one of the target markets of the newly improved
HBC cosmetics. Members of the LGBTQ+, men and especially women should also be their target
market.

Their products must also include skin cares, facial hair growth, cosmetics and other beauty
products and hygienic products are going to sell out to these customers. With the proposed design
to have all the tackiness and feeling of cheapness proposed to redesign the store from exterior to
packaging will do the store good with its current state. This is also to attract and avoid the feeling
of the store to be like a pharmacy due to all the pink and white colour schemes with transparent
windows and doors.

Design Philosophy

Design to surpass the former. Make a design that will invite people to stay in it and make
sure that it is worth their time.

Design Concept

Women are transforming into empowered individuals in today’s generation, and regardless
of age, income, or size, they all want to look their best. It does not take a psychologist to know
why— it is simply because confidence brings out the best in a woman. However, HBC, Inc.
believes in the natural beauty of every woman. With a carefully selected offer of beauty and
personal care products, HBC caters both to the inner as the outer beauty of its clients. That is why,
the main visual element or the design of HBC’s brand identity is the 'tache de beauté’ or ‘beauty
spots,’ being one of the seven attributes of female beauty. For the design of the cosmetics and
beauty shop, both under one roof, the two circles defined both areas, creating, quite literally, two
beauty spots: one for the inner body and one for the outer body.

Color Scheme Board

The brand design and interior design have a strong visual link, resulting in several shades
of pink and white. So, for the color scheme board, young and vibrant palette of pink are preferred
since the goal is to create a place that looks playful and elegant, yet not overwhelming at the same.
Concept Board

The term ‘tache de beauté’ or ‘beauty spots,’ is a euphemism for a type of dark facial mark
so named because such birthmarks are sometimes considered an attractive feature. Facial beauty
spots are typically the ones that get the most recognition and have even been considered
fashionable over time.

In the early 1900s, the world of Hollywood could not get enough of the beauty mark
although it did not get much more alluring than that. However, american actress, singer, and model,
Marilyn Monroe helped to popularize the style with her own natural beauty spot. These days, many
modern celebs are affectionately tied to their beauty spots, too, like Blake Lively and Eva Mendes.

The concept ‘tache de beauté’ is best fitting for the overall design of the store since HBC
believes in a woman’s innate attractiveness. Natural beauty supports inherent beauty. So, it simply
means embracing your inborn magnificence and work with what you have.

Material Board

The goal of the space is to look fresh and trendy, and can appeal to the young customers.
A place where every corner introduces a new decorative element— mixing patterns, solid colors,
lights and mirrors, then contrasting all these with brass accents.
 White shelving and neutral tones for floors and counters will be used as a way to cleanse
the palate in the middle of this chromatic abundance and give these colors even more depth by
contrast. The brass metallic details and accents achieved the same thing, adding reflections of light
and gold tones to the decorative mix. The material of this color is mainly electroplated stainless
steel, and its display effect is very advanced and beautiful. White is the main color, pink is mainly
used for decoration.

Sketches (Bubble Diagram)

Swot Analysis

Strength:
 Owners of the cosmetics are doctors. This could be an advantage to market their products
and brands to the customers.

 Supposed redesigning and reconstructing of the store and its products will lessen the cheap-
like and pharmacy feels of the store.

 Since the product is locally made, products can be marketed as known and effective to the
Filipino skin types since their ingredients also include being tested on Filipinos.

 Exterior redesigning strength is that customers will see the store as new and upgraded if
they do not know it. A fresh new cosmetics to try out in this pandemic will do them good.

 Since the popularity of make-up usage has increased and broadened, models, color
schemes, exterior design of the store should be local, classy and catch the attention of the
future customers.

Weaknesses:
 Products are renewed, therefore customers will only know the past reviews of the product.

 Since sales are low and is the reason for all the redesigning, the owner is investing and
putting out money that they do not know if it is worth it or not. Most likely they would feel
at first that they are being silly but all good things takes time.

Opportunities:
 Relaunching of the cosmetic brand as well as redesigning the whole exterior place will
definitely make the customer curious.

 What the customer sees is what the customer will likely want. Therefore, the designs should
be captivating and very much representing what the brand is endorsing. Local, beauty, and
class.

 Supposed that the rebranding and redesigning are done and the brand is into the relaunching
and re-opening of the stores, this could be a perfect opportunity to hand out free products,
coupons, discounts, low prices with quality.

Threats:
 Even if the brand is relaunching, there are still risks that the brand will only boom in sales
from the start and slowly decrease due to it not being a necessity.

 Local brands are usually not popular in the Philippines since most products that they are
familiar with are those Korean made or Chinese made products that can enlighten the skin.
Pestel Analysis

References

Tribune News Service. (2022, February 25). Make-up for men: how K-pop, changing ideals

and gender identity are driving the male cosmetic trend, and. . . South China Morning Post.

https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3168058/make-men-how-k-pop-

changing-ideals-and-gender-identity-are

Pandika, M. (2021, June 15). Makeup for men wants to defy the gender binary — but does

it really do that? Mic. https://www.mic.com/life/makeup-for-men-wants-to-defy-the-

gender-binary-but-does-it-really-do-that-81185562