BeingGirl

BeingGirl was a "kid-friendly"[2] web site targeted at adolescent girls[3][4] created in 2000 by consumer goods company Procter & Gamble (P&G).[5]

It provided information and advice; it was also a marketing tool.

History

The site was created in 2000, with P&G including content provided by experts.[6] Its development was led by the company's Tampax brand[7] and feminine care group.[8] Forums were later added, in order to build interest. This enables girls to discuss things with each other, facilitating more subtle and effective marketing by the company.[6] Company representatives "play an active role" in this user-generated content.[9]

As of 2006, the website was available in 25 countries. Its content editor in 2005 was author Marcia Byalick.[10]

Features

The site provides information and expert advice on topical self-care issues such as menstruation, eating disorders, acne and dating,[11] by taking a "big-sister approach".[12] Features such as self-discovery quizzes are also included.[13] It also advertises some of the company's products[14][12] and has offered free samples from Always and Tampax.[15] The information is provided using "cool teenage-girl vocabulary".[16]

In addition to offering advice, the site gathers information from questions asked anonymously by visitors. This is used for inbound internet marketing of its products, being judged by co-author of social technologies book Groundswell, Josh Bernoff, as being four times as cost-effective as advertising.[17][18] The site facilitates data collection and market testing.[19][20] Sociologist Adam Arvidsson, writing in 2006, analysed the site's premise as being that "engagement in community-like interaction will generate emotional and experiential ties" in consumers. They will consequently relate positively to the brand, which will raise the brand's equity.[13]

Marketing agreements

The authors and publishers of 2006 novel Cathy's Book agreed with P&G to include references to the CoverGirl makeup line in exchange for promoting the book on BeingGirl.[3][21][22] No monetary payment was involved.[23] The references were deleted in the novel's paperback edition.[21] Also in 2006, Sony BMG partnered with P&G to feature its artists on the site.[24] David G. Knox, a teenage market specialist in P&G's beauty division said that they approached Sony in order for teens to associate their brands with stars such as singer-songwriter Teddy Geiger.[24]

Reception

The Taiwan site attracted 6000 registered members in the three months since launch in 2002.[26] As of 2010, it was receiving in excess of 2 million hits worldwide per month.[27] Its "successful engagement of teen girls" has been largely attributed to the company "stay[ing] in the background".[28] Its Indian site was launched in 2006, which Nikhil Pahwa on the contentsutra blog observed to "lack the freedom of a social networking space", such as Hindustan Unilever's Sunsilk Gang of Girls.[29] Writing in 2006, Sheth and Sisodia noted that the open discussion (in real life) by teenage girls of feminine hygiene products may be difficult in some countries.[16]

In 2011, the charity Mothers' Union criticised the site for being "clearly a marketing tool" and Rebecca Morgan of the London Feminist Network linked references to hair removal and erotic underwear with the sexualisation of childhood.[30] Research fellow at the University of York, Dr Merran Toerien, criticised the site's attitude in advertising to such a young age group.[30]

Some reviewers evaluated the health content as being "useful and well presented", although concern was expressed about the number of product mentions.[18] Some of the weight-loss tips were seen by some as "enabling eating-disorder behavior".[18]

A P&G spokeswoman said that the site's "broader personal wellbeing educational scheme was strongly supported by schools".[30]