Friday, August 07, 2009

Olay, the luxury brand

Hmmm: "P&G's fiscal fourth-quarter results Wednesday, showing a decline in sales...confirmed how much less defensive the company's business has become. It spent much of the past decade investing in high-growth businesses like beauty and divesting lower-growth staples like food. That has left the company exposed to recessionary conditions....Without a significant improvement in employment levels -- the timing of which is tough to predict -- sales growth in premium brands is unlikely to take off."

So much for a jobless recovery. I just hope this doesn't spell doom for Procter's Dolce & Gabbana line. Where else is a girl going to find Sicilian orange lipstick?

There kinda sorta is maybe good news: "Advertising could be one way to improve sales traction....P&G has said it wants to increase ad spending this fiscal year. But given its projection of flat to slightly positive earnings growth, P&G may be hesitant to be too aggressive."

Oh, for the days of $1.99 Vidal Sassoon shampoo. Things were simpler then. Weren't they?

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