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40 Percent of U.S. Adults Willing to Try CBD

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According to a new study, roughly 40 percent of U.S. adults age 21 and over indicated a willingness to explore CBD under the right conditions.

The study on U.S. CBD consumers by High Yield Insights is the first to quantify booming domestic consumer interest in products containing CBD, a therapeutic chemical compound found in cannabis. CBD has been proven to alleviate symptoms associated with seizure disorders and is known to address issues associated with anxiety, pain, depression, sleeplessness and other health conditions.

The report breaks ground in understanding the behaviors, product and format preferences, and demographics of both current and potential CBD users. The study included U.S. consumers who indicated interest in CBD, finding that the majority (64%) are 35 years or older, female (56%) and with college experience (79%).

For these potential users, key motivations for trying CBD include easier access to products (42%), availability of unbiased research (44%) and a physician’s recommendation (34%). Among products potential users might consider, accessible forms such as chocolates and baked goods rank high along with types resembling familiar OTC products such as pills and capsules.

“We are seeing many consumers looking to incorporate CBD into their wellness regimen,” said Mike Luce, co-founder of High Yield Insights and a 20-year veteran in consumer insights and market research. “Consumers previously unfamiliar with CBD are rapidly showing interest. Now that the federal government is finally taking steps to clear up the hazy legal picture, people see CBD as an entry point to the therapeutic benefits of cannabis.”

Among current CBD users, approximately half are under the age of 34 and most (54%) have used CBD for less than one year. Some (30%) current users report using products containing CBD only while others prefer medicating with products containing a mixture of CBD and the psychoactive compound THC.

While the legality of products containing THC varies state to state, the U.S. government seems to have bestowed legal status on some products containing CBD. Only CBD derived from “industrial hemp” containing a mere trace (.3 percent) of THC has been approved for consumer use.

70 Percent of Women Feel They Are Not Represented in Images

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Even as we celebrate women this month, 70 percent of women globally say they still don’t feel represented in the images they see every day.

In light of that, Dove, together with its partners Getty Images and Girlgaze, recently announced Project #ShowUs, the world’s largest stock photo library created by women and non-binary individuals to shatter beauty stereotypes. The ambition? To come together and put an end to the narrow definition of beauty consistently portrayed around the world, setting a new standard for the authentic, diverse and inclusive representation of women across the world. Women wish media and advertisers did a better job of portraying women of physical diversity with two-thirds (66%) currently feeling there is limited body shapes and sizes and 64 percent feeling characteristics such as scars, freckles and skin conditions are unrepresented.

Even with decades of work by Dove, Getty Images and Girlgaze to liberate women from limiting stereotypes, many images continue to impose unrealistic beauty standards that present a narrow view of who women are, what they should look like, and what they can achieve. Every day, women’s lives are affected by these limitations, exclusions and stereotypes. It affects their health, relationships and the opportunities they are given.

In one of the largest global studies of its kind, Dove research study found that 67 percent of women are calling for brands to step up and start taking responsibility for the stock imagery they use. On Getty Images, the search term “real people” has increased 192 percent over the past year, “diverse women” by 168 percent, and “strong women” by 187 percent, providing more evidence of the demand for a more realistic portrayal of women and beauty. There is also huge need for stock imagery to include women in more progressive and empowering roles and scenarios with “women leaders” up by 202 percent.

Project #ShowUs is created in partnership with Getty Images, one of the world’s leading creators and distributors of imagery, and Girlgaze, a network of 200,000 female-identifying and non-binary creatives from all around the world. Dove calls upon creative and media professionals to join them in redefining how women are represented in the images we see around us every single day.

Project #ShowUs, which contains over 5,000 images, is available now for the media and advertising industries to view, license and use in their next project or campaign.

Instagram’s Checkout Shows Social Commerce Continues to Grow

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Instagram is launching in-app shopping capability is another sign that social media platforms are getting into the commerce game.

So how does all this impact direct selling? With so many distributors using Instagram as a way to showcase new products and build their own personal brand, it’s only natural to assume they will want to use the Checkout feature. So will direct selling companies ignore, counter or embrace Instagram given so many of their distributors use the platform in some capacity?

In Beta Stage with 23 Brands… for now

The answer will not come for a while. The Checkout feature is in beta stage currently with only 23 larger brands having access to it. It’s still very early and adopting this feature for every brand will take some time, but it—and the answer to direct selling’s willingness to embrace it—will come eventually.

The photo sharing app’s shopping strategy illustrates how non-retail entities such as social media channels are increasingly tapping the lucrative consumer opportunity. But perhaps more importantly, the move also shows how the retail customer experience is evolving beyond the physical store and e-commerce realm and taking increasingly deeper root within mobile device and social media environments.

Social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest currently boast billions of members and social traffic has increased by at least 357 percent as compared to the same time last year, demonstrating unprecedented growth.

Consumers Appreciate Personalized Nature of Social Media

How has the impressive growth come about? It’s because today’s shopper is more aware and wants a personalized shopping experience. Consumers appreciate the personalized nature of social media and are vastly influenced by social sharing, which encourages a healthy conversion rate on organic traffic. That’s why social media sites like Facebook have one of the highest conversion values in the industry.

What is fueling the social shopping experience on these sites? Positive reviews. Consider this:

  • 71 percent of consumers change their perception of brand after seeing a positive response to a review on social media
  • Conversions increase 133 percent when mobile shoppers see a review that is positive before making an ecommerce purchasing decision

Last year, that power of positive reviews led to record-breaking numbers. Social commerce posted year-over-year increases of 14 percent in revenue, including a record-setting Black Friday and Cyber Monday weekend in 2018. And 91 percent of e-retailers saw an increase in SEO rankings due to social media referrals.

Now Instagram, with over 1 billion active users, is primed to cash in through its Checkout feature by enabling consumers to stay in app to complete their purchases. The app has more than 130 million users tapping to reveal product tags in shopping posts every month, up from 90 million in September. And what sets it apart from Amazon is the product discovery process. Amazon, the undisputed king of e-commerce, pioneered the online platform as payment facilitator to reduce friction in product discovery and purchase, and is now the starting point for anywhere from 40 to 60 percent of product searches. But it is seeing more and more competition from social media platforms that are continually enhancing the customer experience. Case in point: What’s appealing about Instagram’s Checkout feature is that it lets the consumer discover new or different products with relative ease, which is something that is hard to do on Amazon.

The Instagram news and continued success of social commerce underscore the dramatic impact direct-to-consumer brands and buying mechanisms have had on commerce.

Thirty-One Gifts Launches Spring Fundraising, Kindness Campaigns

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Thirty-One Gifts and its charitable program, Thirty-One Gives, has launched a spring fundraising campaign to transform mental health services for children in the U.S. and Canada.

Now through May 31, Thirty-One Gives will focus on raising awareness to break mental health stigmas through kindness while raising funds to support critical life-changing mental health research at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in the U.S., and vital mental health programs across Canada through Canada’s Children’s Hospital Foundations.

 Thirty-One will offer customers the opportunity to support both hospital systems, including Nationwide Children’s Hospital’s On Our Sleeves behavioral health platform, by rounding up their purchase price to the nearest dollar or donating an amount of their choice.

The On Our Sleeves campaign features child models with graphic icons on their arms reminiscent of tattoos. The campaign seeks to break stigmas, start important conversations and raise much-needed funds for behavioral health research. Graphic stickers symbolize issues associated with mental health, and individuals are encouraged to engage with the topic because kids don’t wear their thoughts on their sleeves. The campaign will launch nationally in May, during Mental Health Awareness Month.

“Since 2016, we have proudly partnered with Nationwide Children’s Hospital in support of life-changing behavioral health research and are now proud to join the On Our Sleeves movement with our family of more than 60,000 independent sales consultants across the U.S. and Canada to break mental health stigmas and support children everywhere,” said Cindy Monroe, founder and CEO, Thirty-One Gifts.

Thirty-One also will launch a kindness campaign. They will encourage their independent sales field to practice kindness in their daily lives, with an awareness that kindness has benefits for those dealing with mental illness. There will be a special focus and social media campaign for the sales field conducted throughout May to involve consultants and customers to start the conversation about children’s mental health.Consultants also are encouraged to “Party with a Purpose” by holding a party with a theme focused on kindness and mental health awareness.

Statistics about children’s mental health are disturbing; one in five children is living with a mental illness.

“It is time to break the silence about children’s mental health, and with the support of mission-driven partners like Thirty-One Gifts, together we can set the foundation for helping children, not just in our own backyard, but also provide critical resources to children and families around the country,” said Niki Shafer, senior vice president, Outreach, Nationwide Children’s Hospital Foundation.

Avon Becomes Founding Patron of New British Beauty Council

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London-based Avon Products, Inc. announced that it has become a founding patron of the prestigious new British Beauty Council.

The Council was established to represent the voices, opinions and needs of the beauty industry. It seeks to promote the huge contribution that beauty makes to the UK economy and to build beauty as a career choice, as well as extending into developing excellence in areas such as formulation, manufacturing, supply and packaging.

As a key player in this venture, Avon will use its 130-year heritage in breakthrough innovation and insight from its millions-strong global network of women to help open up growth and excellence in the beauty sector. As part of its “Open Up” strategy, Avon is embracing new partnerships to transform its brand, reach new consumers and create more opportunities for beauty entrepreneurs to earn, learn and succeed on their own terms.

Louise Scott, chief scientific officer at Avon, is the company’s representative on the British Beauty Council board. “It is estimated that the British beauty industry is worth more than £20 billion.” She said. “As one of the longest-standing beauty businesses in the world, Avon is delighted to be a founding patron of an organization that will champion the power of beauty to create opportunities and contribute to the economy and society. We believe whole-heartedly in the British Beauty Council’s mission to ensure that beauty is to be recognized and supported as a world leading industry.”

Avon was also attracted to the partnership by the British Beauty Council’s pledge to support inclusivity—to celebrate diversity and the interests of the entire industry, regardless of age, ability, gender, race, religion or culture. This aligns with Avon’s own longstanding commitment to democratize beauty by delivering high-quality beauty products at accessible prices and through championing every kind of beauty.

“I am delighted to have an iconic brand like Avon support the British Beauty Council as a founding patron,” said Millie Kendal MBE, CEO of the British Beauty Council. “The promotion of female entrepreneurs via the cosmetics industry is an important and relevant—not to mention valuable—asset. Avon has long been a leader in supporting women in business and has a huge amount to bring to the table as it moves forward through significant transformation—exactly the kind of partner we need to elevate the reputation of the beauty industry.”

Natura, Avon Discussing Possible Merger

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The stock price for Avon Products Inc. spiked last Friday after the Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg and other news sources reported that rival Natura & Co. has confirmed that it has engaged in talks with Avon about a “potential transaction.”

The confirmation, made in a regulatory filing, came hours after the Wall Street Journal reported Avon and Natura were in early discussions about a potential sale that could put the cosmetics maker and pioneer of direct-sales into Brazilian hands.

According to the report, Natura, which bought the Body Shop retail chain in 2017, is considering buying both Avon’s private-equity owned North American business and the London-based publicly traded company, the Journal said Friday, citing an unidentified person familiar with the matter.

“Natura said it will keep its shareholders and the market in general updated on any new material information,” the company said in the filing after confirming it was holding talks “concerning a potential transaction involving both companies.”

Avon shares, which rose after the report first broke, soared as much as 13 percent to $3.15 after its Brazilian rival confirmed that some discussions had taken place. Natura fell as much as 7.5 percent.

Debt holders also cheered the possibility of a takeover. The company’s longer-dated senior unsecured notes due 2024 traded to 88.75 cents on the dollar after the reports of the sale, up from 79.25 where they last traded in January, according to Trace bond trading data.

“If a deal were to come about, it would not only assuage concerns about Avon’s liquidity” and debt refinancing prospects over the next several years, but it would likely lead to meaningful upside” for holders of longer-dated notes given the change of control language and the purchase price, analyst James Dunn of CreditSights said in a note Friday.

Avon, in an email earlier Friday, declined to comment on the report. “We believe in the turnaround strategy that we have articulated to investors,” a spokesperson for the company said in an email. “We are focused on executing our plan and driving long-term value for our shareholders.”

The beauty industry has been facing new challenges as personal-care trends shift rapidly. Hip startups—ranging from venture capital-backed American brands to Korean beauty companies—have eaten away at market share held by industry incumbents. While L’Oreal SA and Estee Lauder Cos., the world’s two largest beauty businesses, have managed to acquire hot brands and use them to attract new young customers, Avon hasn’t been as successful on that front.

In January, the public Avon surprised the market by announcing plans to cut 10 percent of its global headcount as it looks for new ways to save money and simplify its structure. The staffing curbs come on top of the 8 percent global workforce reduction completed in 2018.

Avon largely gave up on the U.S. several years ago, selling its American operations to private equity firm Cerberus Capital Management LP. The cosmetics company, which retained a minority stake in the North American business, moved its headquarters to London, saying the shift would help it focus on international markets such as Brazil, where door-to-door selling still works.

USANA CEO Kevin Guest Honored by Utah Business Magazine

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USANA Chief Executive Officer Kevin Guest has been recognized by Utah Business Magazine as a top CEO in Utah. 

Guest was honored at the CEO of the Year awards, which recognizes executives who exude innovation, show sound business judgment and drive proven financial success.

“There are so many innovative leaders and companies in Utah—to be named among its top CEOs is a great honor,” said Guest. “This award is a reflection of the hard work and dedication of all USANA’s employees and Associates, and I thank them for their support of USANA’s vision, and Utah Business Magazine for this recognition.”

Guest is also a member of the board of directors for USANA and the Direct Selling Association in the United States, as well as an accomplished musician and author. He has performed at the Grand Ole Opry, has played on stage with such greats as Kenny Loggins, Tommy Shaw, Eddie Money and Belinda Carlisle, and continues to perform part-time with country music superstar Collin Raye. Last year, he released his first book, All the Right Reasons, in which he shared his 12 principles for living a life in harmony. All proceeds from the book go to provide meals for needy children, with an ultimate goal of delivering a million meals.

“Kevin has been an important piece in USANA’s success from the beginning,” said Jim Brown, USANA’s president and chief operating officer. “I am happy to see him receive significant recognition for his efforts. Kevin is a true leader in the workplace and has created a positive culture in the company. I’m excited to see where he will take us in the future.”

Chelsey Berend Named VP of Field Experience at Stream

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March is Women’s History Month, a celebration of the contributions of women to events in history and contemporary society.

It’s also a time to highlight the accomplishments of women in various fields, and Stream is doing that with its recent announcement that Chelsey Berend has been named vice president of Field Experience for the Dallas-based direct seller of energy and connected life services.

Berend started working at Stream as a receptionist when the company had only 20 employees. Then a recent graduate of Texas Christian University, she thought getting started on the ground floor of a new company sounded exciting and fun. After a year, she was hooked on the Stream culture and subsequently moved into a coordinator position. She continued to rise in the company, taking advantage of the opportunities to work with Stream’s leadership to acquire more knowledge and grow in her role at the company.

Berend created new roles for herself at Stream and founded the organization’s event department as the organization continued to grow. Her passion project is Women of Power, which brings women together to support each other in business. She was part of the initial team to ignite the program and has since been able to motivate female employees and several thousand women from the Stream sales force through motivational events, mentoring and vision planning.

In her role as vice president of Field Experience, Berend will be responsible for energizing the sales force of thousands to reach new heights. She has advice for anyone willing to work hard to get what they want. “No matter where you came from, you can get somewhere,” she said. “You just need to set goals.”

CBD Drinks: Next Big Disruptor in Beverage Industry?

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Drinks infused with cannabis-derived cannabidiol (CBD) are in a prime position to bring disruption to the beverage sector.

The growing consumer interest in hemp-derived CBD as a health supplement along with the recent passing of the Farm Bill has spawned a growing interest in CBD-infused drinks. In addition, the ever-increasing global trend to legalizing cannabis is also creating demand for “harder” beverages derived from marijuana.

Big alcohol companies have taken a particular interest in investing in cannabis producers. The relationship is also working in an inverse direction, with CBD producers recruiting experienced beverage executives to help launch new products. Corporate interest in building a cannabis-infused beverage profile demonstrates the level of potential growth for such an industry, with key developments being made across multiple channels.

Beverages are among the most trend-driven of all food industry products with continuing innovations in packaging, flavors and formulations being made to drive consumer interest. Decades ago, store shelves consisted of a few cola and fruit-flavored drinks. Since then, there have been introductions of enhanced fruit juices, bottled iced teas and more recently energy drinks, which created an entirely new drink category. Consumer tastes have grown considerably as well, especially when considering the popularity of the fermented tea drink kombucha.

Now a fresh wave of innovation is on the cusp of altering the beverage industry. The growing interest in hemp-derived CBD as a health supplement along with the legalization of marijuana for medical and recreational use in several jurisdictions has led manufacturers to explore new products and expand their consumer base. This has led to the creation of a new product category—CBD-infused beverages.

Driving the growth of this new segment is the rocketing popularity of CBD as a health supplement. One of the many active ingredients in cannabis, CBD doesn’t produce a high in users, unlike cannabis’ more famous constituent, THC. While research into CBD is in its early stages, consumers are increasingly looking for products containing CBD to address a variety of health issues such as anxiety, pain, and immune health. This has been aided by the passing of the Farm Bill in December 2018 which legalized hemp—defined as a variety of the cannabis plant that contains less than 0.3 percent THC—and allows its production and sale in all 50 states. For companies that process the hemp plant into their products, this has provided them with a significantly large market to grow into.

Chances are that, within a decade, every store may have a CBD-infused drinks section. But currently, companies are entering new territory and strategizing the best steps that will lead to success.

 The market for both CBD- and THC-based cannabis drinks has barely begun to take shape but given the dramatic growth in the popularity of cannabis, it could become a major disruptor for the beverage industry over the next few years.

LifeVantage Launches in Spain

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LifeVantage announced that it is expanding its footprint in Europe by launching in Spain.

The new market opened as part of the company’s European Leadership Academy in Barcelona. Spain is open for both distributor enrollments and customer orders. LifeVantage will initially offer select products, including its flagship Protandim Nrf2 Synergizer® supplement.

“We are extremely pleased with the interest we are seeing in Spain, and we anticipate a strong launch out of the gate with participation from all over the world,” said LifeVantage Chief Sales Officer Justin Rose.

In addition to Spain, LifeVantage now has a European presence in the United Kingdom, Germany, Netherlands and Austria. The company also has plans to expand into Belgium and Ireland in the coming months. Select LifeVantage products are currently available in both countries, as well as in France and Italy, on a not-for-resale basis as part of the company’s Global Customer Acquisition Program.

“As a health and wellness company, it’s always rewarding to see our biohacking community expand and our products become more readily available,” said LifeVantage CEO Darren Jensen, “but there’s an extra energy and excitement when you open a market known for its healthy lifestyle like Spain.”

With a population of 50 million, Spain currently boasts one of the world’s highest life expectancies at 83 years.

CEW to Honor Beautycounter’s Gregg Renfrew

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Beautycounter Founder & CEO Gregg Renfrew will be one of six honorees recognized by Cosmetic Executive Women (CEW) with its first-ever Female Founder Awards.

CEW, the leading organization for beauty industry professionals, will present the awards on Wednesday, March 20, to recognize six entrepreneurs for their passion, leadership and innovation.

The Female Founder Awards were created to recognize leading beauty pathfinders who have served as industry inspiration, while successfully growing their beauty brands. The honorees of the inaugural awards are:

  • Amy Errett, CEO & Founder, Madison Reed;
  • Lauren Gores Ireland and Marianna Hewitt, Co-Founders, Summer Fridays;
  • Gregg Renfrew, Founder and CEO, Beautycounter;
  • Vicky Tsai, Founder, Tatcha Inc.; and
  • Nancy Twine, Founder and CEO, Briogeo Hair Care

“For 65 years, CEW has helped women in beauty achieve, advance and inspire,” said CEW President Carlotta Jacobson. “This new award program continues that mission. We are honored to recognize these six visionaries during Women’s History Month for their business accomplishments and industry disruption.”

CEW’s other programs to recognize achievement include the Achiever Awards, which honor outstanding female leaders in the beauty industry, and the Top Talent Awards, which recognize up-and-coming executives at mid-career. Like this new award, the purpose is to inspire future leaders, as well as support the advancement of women in the industry.

Scentsy Teams Up with Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation

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Scentsy has announced that it has teamed up with Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation in the fight against childhood cancer.

Scentsy’s new charitable cause warmer, When Life Gives You Lemons, is poised to bring a little light, warmth and hope to the families of children battling cancer. Twice each year, Scentsy, a leader in international fragrance, creates and features a product specifically to benefit charity.

Starting March 1, Scentsy will raise money and awareness to support Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation through the sale of the When Life Gives You Lemons warmer, a bright, white porcelain warmer with cheery lemon slices and black polka-dots. Scentsy will donate $8.50 ($11.50 in Canada) from the sale of each warmer to help fight childhood cancer.

“We take giving and generosity seriously,” said Heidi Thompson, Scentsy president and co-owner. “Each day, enough children to fill a classroom are diagnosed with cancer, and yet childhood cancer receives a miniscule amount of money for research. We want these children and their families to know they are not alone. We are with them and supporting them in their fight.”

Scentsy just wrapped up a six-month partnership in which over $130,000 was raised for the American Heart Association and over $23,000 for Heart & Stroke of Canada. The fragrance company is continuing its partnership with World Vision in Mexico, Europe, Australia and New Zealand with the sale of the Share Your Heart warmer. So far, more than $71,000 has been donated to World Vision.

Since 2010, Scentsy has donated more than $10 million to charities around the world.