INTRODUCTIO1
INTRODUCTIO1
GREENWICH
BUSI-1637 Discover Project
Management
Assessment 2
ID number 001420153
Lecturer/Tutor name Ta Thi Thuy Huong
Student submission date 10/4/2025
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UNIVERSITY OF GREENWICH BUSI-1637 Discover Project Management..........................................1
I. INTRODUCTION.............................................................................................................................3
1. L'Oréal Brand’s Overview............................................................................................................3
2. L'Oréal Vision: Redefining Beauty Leadership..........................................................................3
3. L'Oréal Mission: Beauty as an Inspirational Force....................................................................3
4. L'Oréal Business Strategy: Universalization...............................................................................3
5. 2025 Strategy Framework.............................................................................................................4
II. BODY.................................................................................................................................................4
1. Business Rationale and Project Objectives..................................................................................4
1.1. Business Rationale.................................................................................................................4
1.2. Project Goals and Objectives................................................................................................7
2. Creative components.....................................................................................................................8
3.1. Stakeholder Analysis.............................................................................................................9
3.2. Project Timeline...................................................................................................................10
3.3. Project Life Cycle.................................................................................................................13
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................................16
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I. INTRODUCTION
1. L'Oréal Brand’s Overview
According to Vaughan (2025), L'Oréal S.A. is a leading global cosmetics and beauty company
based in Clichy, France. Established in 1909 by chemist Eugène Schueller, L'Oréal has grown to
become the largest cosmetics company in the world, offering a diverse range of products,
including skincare, haircare, makeup, and fragrances. The company operates in over 150
countries, catering to various beauty needs and preferences.
L'Oréal aims to be a global beauty leader by offering diverse products that positively impact
society and the environment (L'Oréal, 2023). Chairman Jean-Paul Agon emphasizes the
company's goal of shaping beauty's future through science, innovation, and sustainability (HEC
Paris, 2025).
The company aims to create beauty that inspires people worldwide (L'Oréal, 2024), delivering
products distinguished by quality, safety, honesty, and responsibility (Johnson, 2022). By
recognizing beauty's "infinite diversity," L'Oréal develops products respecting various cultural
preferences and individual needs, with inspiration through beauty as their core purpose.
To achieve its vision and mission, the company has implemented a long-term strategy.
According to L'Oréal Groupe (2023), the core of L'Oréal's strategy is universalization, or
globalization that recognizes, comprehends, and honors variations in needs, customs, and wants.
To do it, L'Oréal heavily invests in innovation and research with a global network of research
facilities and marketing hubs in the United States, Japan, Brazil, China, India, and South Africa
to create and produce cosmetics at a local level so that formulas are perfectly suited to the needs
of consumers, no matter where they live. This strategy enables L'Oréal to satisfy the desires of
customers all around the world and provide customized beauty solutions. The company's
decentralized operating architecture empowers local teams to guarantee relevance to customers
in every area.
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Through this integrated strategic framework, L'Oréal maintains industry leadership while
adapting to evolving consumer expectations and market conditions across diverse global regions.
To maintain its growth trajectory and achieve significant sales breakthroughs in the upcoming
year, L'Oréal has established a set of ambitious objectives for 2025, as outlined in its annual
report for 2024, as stated by the report of L’Oréal (2024). The most prominent is Growth and
Innovation, the company intends to allocate substantial resources to research and development
(R&D), employing cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance its
marketing initiatives and research capabilities. This emphasis on innovation is not solely about
the creation of new products, it also encompasses efforts to enhance the efficiency and resilience
of the supply chain. By constantly innovating and developing, L'Oréal is well-positioned to
continue its leadership in the global beauty market and achieve its ambitious objectives for the
future.
II. BODY
1. Business Rationale and Project Objectives
1.1. Business Rationale
According to Dataintelo and Patel (2021), the global anti-wrinkle cream market was valued at
approximately $8.5 billion in 2023, with a projected compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of
5.1% from 2023 to 2032. This steady increase indicates a growing consumer demand for
effective skincare solutions, as the rate of population aging in all countries is increasing. The
number of people over 60 years old is expected to rise to 1.4 billion by 2030 (World Health
Organization, 2024). To capitalize on this trend, L'Oréal launched a premium product line called
Revitalift Hyaluronic Acid Line Filling Water Cream, designed to hydrate the skin and reduce
wrinkles, with the main ingredient is a combination of 3 types of Hyaluronic acid, the most
prominent of which are Micro HA and Ceramide, which helps strengthen the skin's protective
barrier, combined with a striking purple packaging with the signature Revitalift text in the
middle (LO'réal Paris, 2020). However, the brand faces strong competition from new products
from other companies, especially the Klairs Rich Moist Soothing Cream, with its striking white
packaging, convenient tube cream, and more moisturizing, anti-aging ingredients than LO'real
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like beta-glucan, jojoba oil, and ceramides (Klairscosmetics, 2023), have overshadowed
L'Oréal's offerings.
Research by Pravee Kruachottikul et al. (2023) and Moore et al. (2021) emphasizes the
importance of upgrading and innovating existing products, as it can lead to improved product
quality, increased sales, expanded market share, and enhanced brand image. Therefore, L'Oréal
must update the Revitalift Hyaluronic Acid Line Filling Water Cream to better compete in the
market. Improve the entire product from name, packaging, and ingredients to have a quality
product that is also environmentally sustainable. The revamped product will be renamed
Revitalift Ultra Wrinkles Filling Invisible Cream, and the new packaging will utilize recycled
plastic and glass to support sustainability goals, featuring an elegant design. The formula will
also be improved, it will have a lighter texture and absorb more quickly, thanks to the use of
Cyclopentasiloxane and Squalane oil instead of Dimethicone. These two lightweight active
ingredients absorb rapidly, provide excellent moisturization, and are more environmentally
friendly than Dimethicone. Additionally, the new version will offer enhanced hydration by
incorporating two types of hyaluronic acid compared to the previous version, alongside three
specialized peptides and Vitamin C, resulting in a significantly stronger moisturizing, plumping,
and anti-aging effect. After upgrading, L’Oréal products will have many advantages over
competitors, such as faster absorption, better moisturizing, and stronger and faster skin-
tightening and anti-aging effects. These upgrades are essential for revitalizing L'Oréal's key
product within the Revitalift line, creating a competitive advantage over competitors and
responding to the growing demand for anti-aging cosmetics due to the rapidly aging population
and increasing concerns about maintaining youthfulness (Grand View Research, 2023). The
global anti-wrinkle cream market is expected to reach $13.2 billion by 2032 (Dataintelo and
Patel, 2021). By improving this product line, L'Oréal will be well-positioned to keep pace with
market trends and capture a greater share of the anti-aging cream market.
Based on information from cosmetic ingredient suppliers such as MakingCosmetics,
Bulkapothecart, and Lotioncrafter, along with product development costs from cosmetic chemist
Ananya Sharma (Brown, 2024) and regulatory information (Weiss, 2019), the manufacturing
costs and total costs are estimated as follows:
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Initial investment cost sheets
Category Cost ($) Notes
Research and 300,000 The reasonable budget for product research
and development, ranging from $100,000 to
development (R&D)
$300,000 (Brown, 2024), is a small and
reasonable fraction compared to the amount
L'Oréal spent on R&D in 2023 for all
products, which was $1.4B (Macrotrends,
2024).
Production 200,000 Typically, production costs range from
$50,000 to $100,000, especially when
premium materials are used. Distribution and
logistical expenses might also range from
$50,000 to $100,000 (Brown, 2024).
In recent years, the cost of launching an A-level cosmetic product has increased dramatically.
Expenses can vary from $450,000 to $1.2M for a hypothetical product (Brown, 2024). With a
total initial cost of $1,156,440, this figure is sufficient to develop a good product, aligns with
L'Oréal's strong budget when they spent about €1.1B (approximately $1.2B) on research and
development of new products (L'Oréal, 2024).
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Besides, it is impossible not to mention the ongoing costs after product launch:
The overall objective of the project is to maintain L'Oréal's leadership position in the premium
skincare segment and expand the customer base for the anti-aging product category. Specifically,
the goal is to increase the Revitalift product line's market share in the premium anti-aging
moisturizer segment by 15% in key markets (North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific) within 6
months of product launch. To ensure the project's feasibility, I will apply the SMART model in
setting goals. Firstly, specifically, increase the market share of the Revitalift product line in the
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premium moisturizing anti-aging skin care segment across key markets (North America, Europe,
and Asia-Pacific). Then, meet the measurable, intend to achieve a 15% increase in market share
based on Nielsen retail data, with a 20% increase in consumer purchase intent in the target
demographic based on market research surveys. Turning to the achievable, previous Revitalift
product enhancements have achieved a 10-12% market share increase; the additional investment
in this project supports a more ambitious target. Meet the relevant, aligns with L'Oréal's
corporate objective of maintaining market leadership in the premium skincare category and
expanding the consumer base for its anti-aging product portfolio. Finally, in time-bound,
achieve the market share target within 6 months of product launch (by June 30, 2026).
2. Creative components
After researching a new product, designing beautiful packaging is essential to create more
inspiration for the product that will be contained in a delicately designed cream jar. The product
will be designed with a gradient color tone between purple and pink, creating a delicate style:
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3.1. Stakeholder Analysis
3.1.1. Framework Theory
Internal stakeholder
Title Responsibilities
R&D Department Develop effective and safe formulas.
Senior Management Ensuring the project aligns with the overall
company strategy and generates ROI
Sustainability Team Minimize the impact on the environment
during the production process and product
materials.
Testing team Ensure product stability, batch consistency,
and safety standards.
Marketing Team Increase brand awareness and drive sales.
Regulatory Affairs Comply with cosmetic regulations, prove
claims, and document.
Production Department Resource requirements, quality control,
resources management, production report
External stakeholder
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products
Supply Chain Availability of the product in Supply Chain Optimization
the market
Retail Partners Medium Pre-launch briefings, Strengthen partnerships, sales
promotional sessions, sales support, and advertising
forecasting
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Research & ingredients, 2025 2025
Development developing the
formula,
conducting
preliminary
stability
testing
Phase 2: Prototype Produce in 6 weeks May 18, June 28, R&D Team
Developmen Creation small batches, 2025 2025
t and refine the
Testing formula,
evaluate
sensorially
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Phase 4: Initial Running the 4 weeks October Novembe Prodution
Launch and Production first 26, 2025 r 22, 2025 Department
Operation production,
controlling
quality,
packaging
Key Milestones
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product market entry;
(Phase 3) commercialization confirms compliance
with safety standards
First Production Successful November 22, 2025 Demonstrates
Batch manufacturing of manufacturing
(Phase 4) initial commercial scalability; provides
batch product for market
introduction.
Official Market Product availability December 14, 2025 Begins revenue
Launch to consumers generation phase
(Phase 4)
These milestones provide clear indicators of project progress, making it easier for stakeholders to
monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the work being done. They also serve as crucial
evaluation points for the project steering committee, ensuring that all decisions are based on
actual data and results. Each milestone involves multiple stakeholders, including the research and
development team, the testing team, and the production and marketing departments. The close
coordination among these parties is essential for the project's success. These milestones are not
just progress measurement tools but also stepping stones that propel the project forward,
achieving greater accomplishments in the future.
The project lifecycle provides a structured framework for organizing project activities into
logical phases, facilitating effective management and control (PMI, 2017), and encompasses
initiating, planning, executing, monitoring/controlling, and closing phases (Project Management
Institute, 2021). According to Trott (2020), the development lifecycles of cosmetic products
must especially focus on the transition from laboratory formulation to commercial
manufacturing. It's also crucial to integrate regulatory compliance throughout all phases.
Therefore, I applied the project lifecycle model to this product enhancement project.
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3.3.2. Application of Project Life Cycle
During this initial three-week phase, we'll establish the foundation for the anti-aging cream
project by conducting a comprehensive market analysis and identifying specific consumer needs
in the premium skincare segment. Our team will develop preliminary formula concepts focusing
on advanced anti-aging ingredients while clearly defining project parameters and finalizing the
business case with projected ROI figures.
At the same time, we will identify key stakeholders, including R&D, marketing, manufacturing,
and quality assurance departments, and carry out an initial risk assessment covering formula
stability, ingredient sourcing challenges, and concerns regarding the competitive landscape.
Step 2: Research and Planning (March 22- May 17, 2025) - Align with planning
This eight-week phase will focus on in-depth formula research, including peptide performance
studies and ingredient interaction analysis. We'll select optimal active ingredients based on
efficacy data and concentration optimization, develop a preservation system suitable for sensitive
skin, and conduct texture studies to achieve the desired skin feel and absorption rate.
In parallel, we'll evaluate potential suppliers based on quality, reliability, and sustainability
criteria, explore packaging options that enhance product stability and user experience, and
research regulatory requirements across target markets, including EU Cosmetics Regulation and
FDA compliance.
Step 3: Development and Testing (May 18- August 23, 2025) - Align with executing
During this crucial 14-week phase, we'll develop multiple formula prototypes with varying
concentrations of active ingredients, initiate accelerated and real-time stability testing, conduct
blind sensory evaluation with consumer panels, and develop the manufacturing process with
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scalability considerations. Clinical testing will include dermatologist-supervised efficacy studies
and skin irritation assessments.
Parallel activities will include finalizing packaging design with consumer usability testing,
developing marketing concepts based on product benefits and clinical results, and defining
quality control parameters, including microbiological limits and physical property specifications.
Step 4: Verification and Preparation (August 24- October 25, 2025)- Align with monitoring
This nine-week phase will focus on regulatory submission with complete ingredient
documentation, manufacturing scale-up with equipment validation, final stability confirmation
through challenge testing, and quality control system finalization, including acceptance criteria
and testing protocols.
Simultaneously, we'll develop marketing materials, including product photography and claims
substantiation, prepare comprehensive sales training materials highlighting competitive
advantages, and develop distribution plans with logistics optimization for temperature-sensitive
shipping.
Step 5: Implementation and Launch (October 26-December 28, 2025)- Align with closing
phases
This nine-week launch phase will initiate commercial production with full quality oversight,
execute our distribution strategy across retail and direct-to-consumer channels, implement the
multi-channel marketing campaign, and deliver comprehensive training to the sales force on
product benefits and clinical evidence.
In parallel, we'll establish performance monitoring systems for tracking key metrics, develop
post-launch assessment protocols, and implement continuous improvement processes for
manufacturing and customer feedback integration.
Step 6: Evaluation and Transition (January- February 2026) – Remain aligned with closing
phases
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The final eight-week phase will focus on analyzing market performance against projections,
collecting and analyzing detailed consumer feedback, implementing manufacturing
optimizations based on initial production runs, and completing comprehensive project closure
documentation.
We'll ensure knowledge transfer to operational teams for ongoing product management,
document lessons learned throughout the development process, and establish long-term
performance monitoring systems.
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