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Ido Leffler: Taking on Global Beauty Brands with a Carrot
EXCERPTS
YES TO’S WALGREENS BREAKTHROUGH
In December 2006, Leffler, through an acquaintance, came to know about Walgreens, the global super store. The optimist that he was, Leffler flew down all that way to Chicago, US, to meet Walgreens’ Head of Business Development. Leffler’s pitch to Wallgreens was interesting. Being passionate about carrots, he campaigned about carrots wearing a carrot-colored suit and a matching orange tie that was a head-turner at the venue, which was a suite in Marriott Hotel. The initial slot for the meeting was 30 minutes. Other attendees at the meeting were officials from big companies like Procter & Gamble, Unilever, Kellogg’s, Johnson & Johnson, and many more. Leffler had a hardly-heard tag across his chest i.e. ‘Yes To Carrots’. There were raised eyebrows in the lobby – thanks to the unusual name of his organization and his unconventional choice of costume. Nevertheless, the confident Leffler made his way into the meeting room to meet Michelle, Head - Business Development, Walgreens.. |
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BUILDING THE BRAND ‘YES TO’
While the product composition was definitely a unique feature of Yes To Products, Leffler left no stone unturned in launching an equally effective marketing and brand campaign. He carried the brand Yes To along with him wherever he went, in the form of his costumes...
FUNDING FOR GROWTH
Since 2008, the paraben-free mineral-based Yes To products had garnered a lot of attention from consumers, media, and retailers. Sales had more than doubled that year as compared to the previous year. By 2008, Yes To stood as one of the fastest growing brands in the $ 300 billion global beauty care market, selling its products in more than 17 countries across North America, Europe, and Asia. By 2008, it was a $ 10 million revenue company which was projected to generate revenue of $ 40-50 million over the following two years. ..
CULTIVATING GLOBAL GROWTH
Leffler’s passion and the hard work he put in to globalize Yes To was evident from his relentless travel schedule. He did extensive globe-trotting for distributors, traveling 400 days in two years...
RELATIONSHIP – KEY STRATEGY
By the end of 2009, Yes To’s success had made it a brand that boasted of 80 products in 30 countries and 28,000 stores, with an association with biggies like Wal-Mart, Target, Walgreens, Wholefoods, Safeway, and Sephora. ..
PRICING AND PACKAGING
Packaging was a clear differentiator across the range of Yes To’s products. Leffler’s disappointment with the packaging of other big brands in the super stores was the driving factor in making Yes To’s packaging more appealing, and most importantly, fun-filled. ‘Fun’ along with health was apparently the most important factor that Leffler considered, even when it came to packaging...
YES TO’S MARCH AHEAD
In October 2009, Yes To partnered with US-based airline Virgin America, to offer a make-up kit which it named the “How Could I Forget” Kit on the carrier's flights...
LEFFLER’S NEXT MOVE
Meanwhile, Leffler moved ahead by starting more entrepreneurial ventures. In 2014, he started Yoobi (Refer to Exhibit III for ‘Yoobi- Business with a Social Cause’) and Cheeky, which made everyday paper goods...
EXHIBITS
Exhibit I:Leffler’s Relationship Management Tips:
Exhibit II:Yes To’s Fun and Optimistic Packaging
Exhibit III:Yoobi- Business With a Social Cause
