BBR12 Thought Leader Q&A: Nikola Cline, Spilo Worldwide “Strategic Reinvention- How to Use Evolution or Revolution to Grow Sales”

According to a March NPD report, “the majority of women in the U.S. shop for beauty products, but a 4% drop in 2014 brought the industry to its lowest level of shoppers since 2008.”

This emphasizes the increase in competition among beauty brands and retailers, since beauty consumer attitudes have drastically changed in the past few years.

So how should beauty brands stay ahead of the competition?

That’s what Nikola Cline, Spilo Worldwide’s VP of Marketing, discussed during her BBR12 Roundtable “Strategic Reinvention – How to Use Evolution or Revolution to Grow Sales.”

Nikola is proud to be leading strategy and branding at legendary master distributor and marketer, Spilo Worldwide, currently. In the last year, the company has refreshed five key brands, repackaged 400 skus and introduced dozens of new products- all leading to record sales growth in 2014.

Focused on clever, creative, sales-oriented programs that drive brand growth, Nikola has enjoyed working in the professional beauty industry for over two decades. With a talent for trend-spotting, she has developed award-winning products, marketing campaigns and partnerships with today’s hottest brands such as Paul Mitchell, Marriott International, Tarina Tarantino, Macy’s, Sebastian International and Spilo Worldwide.

For over a decade, Nikola helped lead the marketing and product development efforts of global hair care giant, Paul Mitchell. While there, she helped drive double-digit sales growth and the creation of over 100 hair care and hair color products, plus developed significant brand partnerships. Most notably, Nikola negotiated the largest multi-year hotel amenity program in North America with top global hotel chain, Marriott International.

Nikola at her BBR12 Roundtable

Please share 3 key points from your BBR12 Roundtable presentation on “Strategic Reinvention – How to Use Evolution or Revolution to Grow Sales.”

• Evolution marketing – Infusing a brand with innovation through partnerships, new products or promotions is key to keeping things fresh. Brands must step out from the crowd to keep existing users interested and to attract a new generation of customers both. Examples: Starbucks, Vans Shoes & American Express.

• Shocking the System with a Revolution – Brands like Coolhaus, Commodity and Shinola are shocking the categories they are in my doing things differently. Whether its innovative flavors, a new distribution model or a fresh approach to positioning, these brands are standing out from the crowd.

• Choosing your path – Evolution is ideal for brands that have an established foothold in their markets, with substantial brand awareness. A revolution is ideal for brands and companies that lack brand recognition or have a reputation for being slow, stale and behind the trends.

Please tell us about your career path. How did you get started?

I began my career focused on becoming a retail store designer. I was fascinated with experiential marketing and started working for my local Bullocks, later Macy’s, managing their visual merchandising. Looking back, it’s probably where I fell in love with beauty, working on cosmetics launches. I transitioned into the beauty industry, secured my business degree, and began working for a Nexxus distributor. I later transitioned to brand marketing at leading manufacturers Sebastian and John Paul Mitchell Systems as I grew. Today, I am at Spilo Worldwide leading a corporate and brand revitalization.

Nikola Cline at her BBR12 roundtable

Why did you choose this career? Why the beauty industry?

Beauty is a total love affair for me. As a consumer I have always enjoyed hair, makeup and skincare, but beauty as a career is a girl’s dream come true. The products we make help women and men feel and look their best- we all know how empowered and confident we feel when we get a great new haircut or discover a new lipstick. And as a bonus, the beauty industry is filled with the most creative, clever, imaginative individuals I have ever encountered and I feel lucky to spend my days with such amazing individuals. I met and married my husband, who still works in hair care, while working for Sebastian.

A Thierry Mugler fashion show

Who or what are your biggest career influences?

Thierry Mugler. Seriously! I attended a Thierry Mugler fashion show in high school and knew immediately that I wanted to do something in my career that was as experiential and as stylish as that event. I can still remember how the show looked and the excitement I felt. On a more personal level, I have had the honor of working with visionaries and mentors that have made me want to do better, achieve more and have encouraged me to think differently about branding. I’m grateful, I’ve been very fortunate.

Who is today’s beauty consumer? How are they changing?

Well, they are terribly demanding- a really good thing! Quality is expected today. It’s no longer acceptable to market on features and benefits- it forces us marketers to be clever and innovate. Plus social media reminds us to be responsible with our marketing messages, the more transparent and honest we are about our brands, the more love we will inspire from consumers.

What do beauty professionals need to do to continue to connect with today’s beauty consumer?

Be quiet, stop pitching and pay close attention when they give you feedback about your brand. We’re kidding ourselves if we think we own our brands- the consumers do. And the bigger the brand awareness, the more passion the consumers have. In my opinion, connecting must happen via a mix of activities and distribution tactics. Beauty is and will always be about experience.

What do you see as the latest trends in your industry?

Changing distribution. We all must understand that the game is changing each and every day. The more we embrace the change, the easier it is to identify opportunities for our companies and brands. The professional-only channel is dissolving daily and we’ve got to be nimble enough to find our place in the change.

What attributes make a great leader? Tell us about your leadership style.

A great leader strives to inspire and is endlessly (not blindly) supportive. I’m not perfect, but I try really hard every day to be a great boss and teammate, both. My team at Spilo is the most talented, inspiring group of professionals I have ever had the privilege to work with- they are so incredibly smart and hardworking. Attitude is everything and we all work to bring positivity and humor to the department. For example, we have a bell we ring when someone has a victory, large or small. We all celebrate whatever is happening and cheer one another on- it’s great for team morale!

What kinds of qualities do you look for in an employee?

I look first at basic blocking and tackling- did they come prepared? Have they done any homework on the company or brands? It tends to indicate enthusiasm. Marketing as a career path, in my opinion, means you always need to be reading, experiencing and doing- being able to spot trends or think out of the box doesn’t typically happen organically while being engrossed in Microsoft Office. I enjoy being around people who are curious.

What is the best strategy for someone interested in your company to employ to get a foot in the door? What makes a candidate stand out?

A simple, thoughtful phone call or email is easiest and most direct. It’s always great to consider what kind of value you can offer when you approach someone new. It doesn’t matter what level an individual is at, they can always teach me something. I love when candidates or vendors have a great article to share or want to tell me about a product they’ve discovered. It sets these people apart and makes them memorable.

BBR12 Thought Leader Q&A: Trina Albus, Founder & President of Magenta Agency

About Beauty Biz Roundtable
Hosted by Mazur Group, the Beauty Biz Roundtable (BBR) SERIES brings together 125 Mid to Senior Level Beauty Executives in a roundtable format that fosters networking and idea sharing. This is NOT a lecture or panel discussion. The BBR series is your opportunity to sit down in small group settings with industry peers and executives.