NEW YORK, NY, September 27, 2012 - Designer names and price tags are not prerequisites for strong brand equity among cosmetics. In fact, the 2012 Harris Poll EquiTrend®study indicates that prestige cosmetics brands, even with all the thrills of beauty counters and makeup artists, are not necessarily earning the highest brand equity scores. On the contrary, data show that lower priced, mass-market cosmetics are generally performing comparatively well on key equity measures included in this study. Harris Poll EquiTrend is an annual brand health assessment of over 1,500 product, service, and lifestyle brands from Harris Interactive.

"When we compare all the cosmetics brands irrespective of category, mass-market brands perform very well when compared to their prestige counterparts, particularly traditional department store brands like Estée Lauder and Elizabeth Arden," says Joan Sinopoli, a Senior Vice President and Senior Consultant with Harris Interactive's Custom Solutions Group. This finding is borne out in the dynamic between Origins Cosmetics, the Prestige Cosmetics Brand of the Year, and Mass-Market Cosmetics Brand of the Year, Physicians Formula Cosmetics. In addition to being the top-ranked brand in its category, Physicians Formula's equity score outpaces that of the more high-end Origins.

Physicians Formula is a brand to watch; not only is it a clear equity leader in the mass-market arena, but it maintains that leadership across most measures of Consumer Connection and Brand Momentum.

The dynamic among prestige cosmetics is quite different. Origins emerges as one of three similarly rated brands, but looking across three key metrics-Equity, Consumer Connection, and Brand Momentum-no one brand can claim preemptive leadership. "The variability in the prestige market does add to the impression that it is more niche; each brand has certain strengths regardless of how much or how little traditional marketing it does," continues Sinopoli. "Physicians Formula may be a case for how clear differentiation and social media marketing can help boost a brand to a leadership position in the mass-market."

Origins Debuts as Prestige Cosmetics Brand of the Year

Within the tightly contested prestige cosmetics category, Origins emerges as the 2012 Prestige Cosmetics Brand of the Year. In its Harris Poll EquiTrend debut, the brand outranks study veterans such as Shiseido Cosmetics and Sephora Brand Cosmetics, along with fellow newcomers MAC Cosmetics and Bare Escentuals Cosmetics.

Sinopoli shares, "Among classic department store brands, only Shiseido is in the top five in overall equity. Perhaps it's the lingering recession; perhaps it's the continuing outflow of these brands through discount beauty and health channels. Regardless of the reason, the 2012 Harris Poll EquiTrend study indicates that just being present at a department store counter is not enough to maintain allure with the general population, particularly a younger generation raised on specialty retail."

Meanwhile, a generation of premium-plus brands that more tightly control their distribution channels has stolen the spotlight. Using brand positioning that aligns with the prevailing industry trend of "nature-meets-science" and "skin care vs. color cosmetics", Origins shines with the top score due to a very good showing across two major elements of brand equity: Quality and Purchase Consideration. However the brand posts a mediocre Familiarity score. Origins' powerful performance in two former aspects implies that consumers considering prestige cosmetics are more interested in a high-quality product than a brand they immediately recognize.

Physicians Formula is a "Fit" as Mass-Market Cosmetics Brand of the Year

Physicians Formula Cosmetics is Harris Poll EquiTrend's Mass-Market Cosmetics Brand of the Year in 2012.

"The brand's cosmeceutical or quasi-clinical positioning helps it appeal to a sophisticated cosmetics buyer, and they are in the right segments, with anti-aging and mineral wear. They even have some fun with a mood-boosting product line," says Sinopoli. "Perhaps most importantly, Physicians Formula is building intimate relationships with their consumers, as their tagline-'Your beauty. Our passion. We promise.'- suggests. This tagline could be an example of the Fit metric in action."

Three factors appear to be driving Physicians Formula's Brand of the Year ranking. First is the element of Trust. "That 'physician' association may very well be helping to drive both Trust and high Quality ratings," offers Sinopoli. Then, and very noteworthy, is Fit; 41 percent of respondents consider Physicians Formula a "good" or "perfect" fit with their self-image. Finally, Physicians Formula posted a category high score in the Social Engagement metric. "Harris Poll EquiTrend's methodology shows us that 18 percent of those consumers rating the brand have interacted with it in the social media sphere. This may well be their secret sauce," says Sinopoli.

Physicians Formula holds a comfortable advantage over the second-ranked brand, Rimmel Cosmetics. Olay Cosmetics, Neutrogena Cosmetics, and Maybelline Cosmetics also outpace the remaining mass-market cosmetic brands by earning equity scores above the category average.

Neutrogena Takes Sun Screen Brand of the Year Honor in 2012

In addition to cosmetics brands used to color, soften, and cover up skin, the Harris Poll EquiTrend study also measures the brand equity of select sun care products. The top four sun care brands with the strongest equity are an odd mix of traditional, no-frills, and mass class brands.

Neutrogena Suncare, this year's Harris Poll EquiTrend Sun Screen Brand of the Year, emerges from the mass class group. Sinopoli notes, "Neutrogena has always been known for gentle skin care, and we already observed in the cosmetics categories how brands with a skin care heritage, including Neutrogena, fare well. So it's no surprise that Neutrogena would become the Sun Screen Brand of the Year."

Neutrogena's Brand of the Year status is attributable to high scores in equity metrics such as Quality and Trust. Also, consumers display a stronger willingness to recommend Neutrogena than any other brand in the category.

However, with sun screen being increasingly expensive, it is not surprising to see the more affordable No-Ad Suncare brand taking second place in the rankings. Other brands rounding out the Sun Screen category above the category average are Coppertone Suncare and Banana Boat Suncare.

About Harris Poll EquiTrend®

Harris Poll EquiTrend® is a leading Brand Equity tracking study conducted by Harris Interactive that measures and compares brand health for more than 1,500 brands. The study was conducted online from January 31 through February 20, 2012 and analyzes the responses of over 38,500 consumers on key measures of brand health - including how well the public knows a brand, how positively they think of the brand and their consideration to do business with or donate to a brand. Each brand is rated 1,000 times among respondents who are familiar with the brand. Harris Interactive has conducted its Harris Poll EquiTrend study regularly since 1989, and can offer yearly trended data from 2005. The Equity Score, a key take-away from Harris Poll EquiTrend, has been validated against financial performance by GeorgetownUniversity.

These statements conform to the principles of disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.

The Harris Poll EquiTrend® study results disclosed in this release may not be used for advertising, marketing or promotional purposes without the prior written consent of Harris Interactive.

Product and brand names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.

For a complete listing of all the brands covered in the study, contact Corporate Communications at 212-539-9600 or press@harrisinteractive.com.

About Harris Interactive

Harris Interactive is one of the world's leading market research firms, leveraging research, technology, and business acumen to transform relevant insight into actionable foresight. Known widely for the Harris Poll® and for pioneering innovative research methodologies, Harris offers proprietary solutions in the areas of market and customer insight, corporate brand and reputation strategy, and marketing, advertising, public relations and communications research. Harris possesses expertise in a wide range of industries including health care, technology, public affairs, energy, telecommunications, financial services, insurance, media, retail, restaurant, and consumer package goods. Additionally, Harris has a portfolio of multi-client offerings that complement our custom solutions while maximizing our client's research investment. Serving clients in more than 196 countries and territories through our North American and European offices, Harris specializes in delivering research solutions that help us - and our clients - stay ahead of what's next.www.harrisinteractive.com.

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