Jackson Jeyanayagam, VP of DTC at Clorox, joins us today to talk about Clorox’s DTC strategy, launching a new brand for an underserved, generation segment in the marketplace, and how his past experiences have prepared him and brought a fresh perspective to his current role.

What’s Jeyanayagam’s story?

• Jeyanayagam started at a PR agency working with T-Mobile.
• Whenever the Sidekick was launched and subsequently hacked, his world opened up to social media and digital marketing.
• This digital marketing and social media focus was further solidified when Jeyanayagam had a role in Old Spice’s brand transformation in 2010.
• While in an agency role, Jeyanayagam worked with brands like NASCAR, P&G, Diageo, and Chipotle.
• Jackson then moved into the startup world with Boxed as their CMO.
• After moving on from Boxed, Jeyanayagam looked for an opportunity to grow personally and move towards his own dream of being the CEO or president of his own company.
• In his experience working with brands at their highs and their lows, Jeyanayagam learned to look past what brand is hot at the moment and into what the perfect role might be.
• He chose a position that would grow and challenge him - Clorox.

Being a Leader

• Jayanayagam has brought his experience and knowledge to the Clorox family of brands and has received mentorship and guidance from his seniors there.
• “I don't care what generation we're in and how technologies evolve, there will be nothing that replaces people and valuing people.” - Jackson Jeyanayagam
• In the Mad men era, things were all about hierarchy and title. Now, great leaders should be adapting to the people they lead, not the other way around.

Don’t Be Afraid of the Moment

• Having experienced the rise and fall of “hot” brands, Jeyanayagam compares the experience to sports. Having a big lead mid-game is no guarantee that things will continue.
• Even at the top, you must continue to take the kinds of risks that brought you to that place.
• Many of the hottest brands today will fall. And likewise, those who have fallen may rise again.
• Microsoft is a powerful example of a brand that reinvented itself to see a second rise.

Clorox DTC

• Clorox owns many distinct brands - RenewLife, NeoCell, Natural Vitality, Rainbow Light, and Burt’s Bees.
• Clorox launched an in-house wellness brand called Objective, which is aimed at Gen X consumers, which are generally under marketed to.
• Clorox also has an in-house brand targeting Baby Boomers called Stop Aging Now.

The Growth of Private Brands

• Working with Clorox, Jeyanayagam has the power of a 100+ year old recognizable brand.
• With the failure of Brandless, is there a message about the importance of brand?
• Traditional brands are facing pressure from knockoffs and generics that forces them to be creative about how they’ll compete.
• Private brand has become more popular through the likes of Amazon and Costco and there’s a lot of growth happening there.

Around You, On You, In You

• Most consumers will pay a premium for a recognizable brand when it’s a product that’s going in or on your body.
• In any given category, there are many brands that co-exist and compete at any given moment. Over the span of a decade or more, very few last. Brand is a key to this staying power.
• The closer the product is to you, the greater the challenge is to gain new customers.
• Around you is easiest - candles, for instance.
• On you becomes more challenging - lotions, shampoo, deodorant. People are less likely to try something now.
• For something consumed or put in you, consumers are much more sensitive.

Consumer 3.0
 

• Consumer expectations are changing and becoming heightened by the experience best-in-class brands provide.
• These expectations can be broken down into functionality and emotional appeal.
• Consumers today not only want to know that the product works, but they care what the brand stands for.
• Beyond that, expectations on things like fulfillment and delivery are rapidly rising because of Amazon. People want things fast and they don’t want to pay for shipping.
• More than demographic by generation, there is opportunity to create brands by psychographic - classifications by attitude and mindset.
• Gen X is a forgotten generation in marketing. They are funding and informing much of Gen Z, but they receive not nearly as much attention.
• Brands have the power to change the world through honesty and transparency. As we can see with brands like Everlane and Allbirds, there is a movement that encourages consumers to care about where their product comes from and the ethics of the brands they purchase from.

 

Links

• John Maxwell’s Five Levels of Leadership
• Clorox’s Family of Brands
• Phillip’s conversation with Brian Kennedy from Ministry of Supply: “Rational vs. Emotional Purchases”

 

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