In what cases and for whom do ranking badges prove effective?

● Trends by Media Type

The survey on ranking badge awareness and trust rates by media type showed clear differences across the 13 media outlets surveyed. In terms of awareness, "EC Site B" and "Beauty Review Site A" exceeded 65%. "Beauty Review Site A" demonstrated high trust rates alongside its awareness, clearly showing the power of this media outlet.

Looking beyond mere awareness scores to the gap with trust rates, "Beauty Magazines" showed the smallest overall difference. Beauty media originating from magazines generally followed this trend, suggesting this result proves the authority of beauty magazines that cannot be explained by reach alone.

Ranking badges have five effects!

Based on the survey results, we were able to categorize the effects of ranking badges into the following five:

Let's examine the characteristics of these five categorized effects by product and media type.

・For all surveyed products, "beauty review sites" ranked highest in generating interest. This is likely because the media itself is widely recognized and holds high trust as a beauty information source, serving as a trigger to capture many people's interest.

・"International fashion magazines" make products appear more appealing through ranking badges. The sophisticated image associated with globally authoritative overseas media likely influences the perception of the products themselves.

・Interest in the specific award content of ranking badges (e.g., "○○ Grand Prix") is again highest on "beauty review sites." Additionally, "EC sites" tend to contribute more for "hand/foot care products" and "UV care products," while "beauty magazines" also play a role for some "face care products" and "hair care products." The reason is likely that EC sites focus on popularity and actual sales near the point of purchase, while beauty magazines draw interest from the perspective of what the editorial team's endorsement signifies.

・Ranking badges on "beauty review sites" are a key purchase driver. Displaying these badges alongside user ratings is thought to spark interest in the products.

・The effect of enhancing a product's novelty or buzz tends to vary by media type. For hair care, face care, and face makeup products, "online information portals" and "domestic fashion magazines" generally perform well. While these portals and magazines lack the specialization of dedicated beauty media, they may be valued precisely because they offer new discoveries to audiences with relatively lower beauty awareness.

While "beauty review sites" were found to be influential overall, as mentioned earlier, breaking down the types of effects reveals that each media channel has distinct strengths.

Does the effect of ranking badges vary based on consumers' beauty sensitivity or where they make purchases?

Next, let's examine trends by "beauty sensitivity" and "purchase location."

● Trends by Beauty Sensitivity

For the "high beauty sensitivity segment," ranking badges show strong effectiveness for the following products:

・Styling products
・Cleansing products
・Basic skincare products
・Beauty masks/sheets
・Makeup items
・Body Creams & Lotions
・Sunscreen & UV protection

On the other hand,
・Hair coloring products
・Shampoo・Conditioner・Rinse
・Parts care
・Base makeup
・Hand cream, foot cream, etc. showed no significant characteristics.

For makeup items and styling products, it's likely that those with higher beauty sensitivity tend to have stronger preferences. People with strong preferences may own multiple different items within the same category and use them selectively, so the effect of ranking badges is expected to be particularly noticeable.

● Trends by Purchase Location

For most products outside "Body Care," ranking badges were trusted at drugstores. Variety stores, supermarkets, and convenience stores also earned trust for many products, particularly in the lower price range.

Conversely, department store shoppers mostly trust "beauty consultants' advice." However, ranking badges seem to be valued when purchasing items like shampoo, styling products, hand care, and foot care products.

Ranking badges become more effective when paired with third-party opinions or expert information.

Analyzing these survey results also reveals what other information sources people who strongly react to ranking badges trust and reference. For example, in facial care and makeup, a pattern emerges where they gather information through "web-related sources including word-of-mouth + in-store information + ranking badges."

Specifically, they refer to sources such as:

・Face Care… "Beauty cosmetics review sites," "in-store POP displays," "SNS accounts," "review posting sites/e-commerce sites"

・Face Makeup… "Beauty Review Sites," "In-Store POP," "Influential YouTubers," "Online Information," "Online Review Information," "Store-Based Information"

As mentioned in the beauty awareness section, it's likely that ranking badge information will be most effective when it reaches people seeking third-party information like reviews or more detailed information.

Finally, the vast survey data obtained this time enables us to examine communication from various angles. For example, it may be possible to verify patterns such as: "What are the information acquisition characteristics, along the timeline leading to purchase, for individuals who recognize and trust ranking badges from Media XX, have high beauty sensitivity, and regularly purchase XX products?"

In today's environment where both communication and sales channels are becoming increasingly complex and multi-faceted, we hope that the meaningful insights gained specifically regarding ranking badges will contribute to the gradual evolution of future communication strategies for beauty care products.

For inquiries regarding survey results: Dentsu Digital Inc.ap4@dentsudigital.co.jp 

＜Survey Overview＞
・Survey Method: Internet survey (screening survey + main survey)
・Survey Area: Nationwide
・Target Participants: Women aged 18–59 who use beauty care products (identified through screening survey as purchasers within the past 6 months)
　*Excluded: Employees of advertising agencies, market research/consulting firms, and cosmetics manufacturers.
・Valid Responses: Screening Survey: 19,968 responses, Main Survey: 2,127 valid responses
・Survey Period: Screening Survey: December 14-17, 2018; Main Survey: December 21-25, 2018
・Presentation items: 13 ranking badge images