Ch. 8 - Segmenting and Targeting Markets

Proactiv is one of the world's leading acne and blemish control treatments and they serve a hefty portion of the acne treatment market all around the world, distributing to about 61 countries. Acne is one of the  most common skin diseases in the United States, affecting over 60 million people. When determining a target market, it is crucial to do  market segmentation. This helps the marketer  narrow down who they'll be selling to and what they'll be offering those individuals in order to meet their needs and wants. It is mentioned that 85 percent of young people between the ages of  12 and 24 suffer from acne and that 25 percent of all adults have active acne. Knowing this kind of information is key when market segmentation is being carried out. Other variables like geographic, demographic, psychographic, benefit and usage-rate segmentation are also used to divide the total market.

The makers and sellers of Proactiv have been successful in positioning the brand on a pedestal giving their competitors a run for their money. Again this is mainly due to their one of a kind marketing strategy which is the use of celebrities who are well known to young individuals. These celebrities are featured in commercials giving testimonials and endorsing the product. This I believe resonates with the young target market and ultimately influences their overall perception of the solution. So far this strategy has been working very well for the marketers of Proactiv.