An exploration of the hair and hair care experiences of Black South African women as a basis of consumer brand identification in polarised product categories

Abstract

This study explores the hair and hair care experiences of middle class and upper middle-class South African black women as a basis for consumer brand identification in a polarised product category. The research begins by conducting a theoretical understanding of Maslow hierarchy of needs, to gain a general understanding of how black women categorise their hair care needs. The study then goes into exploring how people formulate perceptions, how they learn to exist in the world as well as how people identify socially and culturally within the context of hair. Following a theoretical understanding of the motivations behind the hair care needs of black women, this study explores consumer brand identification as its brand theoretical framework. The gap in literature identified in the research highlighted the need to explore the role black women having to compartmentalise their hair identity in different social environments has on consumer brand identification, within the hair care category. Following that, the research objectives identified in this study led to qualitative research being used to close the gap in literature. The qualitative method used to collect data from fifteen black women aged between 25 and 33 was used in focus group research. The findings from the focus group research indicated that the language used in the hair care industry perpetuates perceptions of western beauty hair ideals being the standard. It also indicates that as much as a representation of black hair as good hair is evident, it is still not respected or portrayed as such. The findings furthermore indicated that the role of brands should be to communicate the functional benefits of their product offerings consistently and transparently, and not to create a narrative that stereotypes black women's social identity based on their chosen hair style. The key implications for consumer brand identification outlined in this study with regards to black hair care include the following: brand communication should be kept direct and functional, brands should test product offering and communication between a diverse pool of local black women, brands should not centre the brand around a singular aesthetic, brands should keep marketing efforts consistent and transparent and lastly brands need to create new product offerings under a new brand name and identity.