In May 2011, I was fortunate enough to have an opportunity to visit Yves Rocher’s offices and facilities in France. In addition to seeing honey-scented chamomile harvested in the company’s La Gacilly fields in France’s Brittany region, I met Véronique Gohmann, international marketing and communication director, at one of the company’s Parisian offices.
In the building where the Eiffel Tower was fabricated—and with steel beams reflecting that connection peaking through the walls’ plasterwork—Gohmann spoke of leveraging a 50-year-old brand identity to reinvent that identity, value (“Price is not a value. It’s what’s inside.”), and connecting with and listening to consumers to develop products and foster the brand to remain a valued and relevant part of consumers’ lives.
“I can’t imagine not being linked to consumers,” she said. “There is a never ending story [when speaking to women about products], and an amazing richness listening to consumers.” We’d love to hear the stories your consumers share with you. E-mail me at [email protected], or visit the GCI Facebook page to start a conversation.
