A product extension for a public company - 6 parts of paper and 2-3 page for each

LOLA Tampons

XXXXXXX

Signature Assignment- Final Paper

BUMT 3200

06/24/2020

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Table Of Contents

Brand Introduction…………………………………………………………………………… 3-4

Brand Extension………………………………………………………………………………4-6

Strategy………………………………………………………………………………………..6-9

Questions & How do you find information?...…………………..………….……………10-15

Systems………………………………………………………………………………….….16-17

Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………….....17-18

Works Cited Page……………………………………………………………………….…19-21

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Brand Introduction:

Lola is a new trendy all-natural brand that specializes in feminine care products. Lola’s

mission is to create period and sexual wellness products that are safe, clean, and made with their

customers health in mind. All of their products are made with 100% organic cotton, and do not

include any added fragrances, dyes, or toxins. Their brand voice revolves around women's

empowerment, and making women feel more comfortable and clean during their cycle. They

focus heavily on getting their message across through social media, and are very active on

Instagram. The content of their posts are mostly educational and include facts and statistics on

the tampon tax, as well as posts about real women talking about their period.

The target market for Lola CBD Tampons are women primarily 13-35 who are eco

conscious and always on trend with what’s new. They value holistic healing and are always on

the hunt for the latest innovations in beauty and personal care. Cute packaging and branding

matters to the Lola customer as they themselves are stylish and current with the trends. They are

educated, researched buyers with middle to upper level income. They are all ethnicities and

inclusion is important to them when buying a product. The Lola customer values convenience

and is likely to be a subscriber to multiple subscription boxes.

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Brand Extension:

Since Lola is breaking the mold for period products, I believe that this brand has the

opportunity to introduce a line of CBD infused tampons. CBD tampons have never been

introduced to the US market, so Lola would be the first company to innovate this product.

According to Peter Drucker’s article on “The Discipline of Innovation”, CBD tampons would be

considered a change in perception, as well as new knowledge. In the past, the thought of

vaginally inserting CBD would sound unsafe, and perhaps dangerous. Consumers thought of

CBD as “something from marijuana that gets you high”. Today, consumers are much more

knowledgeable on the positive effects of CBD, and thorough research has been done to prove

that CBD is safe and effective to heal many issues women deal with on a monthly basis.

CBD is becoming increasingly popular for its healing and pain relieving properties. There

are CBD sprays, patches, creams and even suppositories for everything from neck pain to pelvic

and sciatica. With consumers becoming more and more receptive to CBD products and as an

alternative to traditional pain relief methods like ibuprofen or acetaminophen. While most adults

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have pain from everyday stresses of life, one pain that is consistent every month and can be

crippling for half the population is menstrual pain.

The market alone for CBD consumer goods is known to be progressively growing, and is

not expected to slow down anytime soon. According to an article sourced from Sifted, (a

European media platform for innovators and entrepreneurs) by 2023 the market for CBD

consumer goods should be worth 1.7 billion dollars (Knowles). Although there is a potential

market for CBD products specifically for healing menstrual pain, no research shows products

similar to CBD infused tampons has been innovated.

CBD infused products specifically for PMS or menstrual pain has the opportunity to be

successful due to the growing trend of CBD and the consistent rates of women who experience

pain and discomfort during their menstrual cycles. Lola has the opportunity to be at the forefront

of this innovation, and can successfully do so if taken the right steps.

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Strategy:

According to Womenshealthconcern.org, around 80% of women experience period pain

and 5%-10% of women report that the pain is severe enough to disrupt in their life. This shows

that there is a market for menstrual products that also have pain relief. Using the same idea as

CBD suppositories, CBD tampons will allow the CBD to be absorbed into the bloodstream

through the vaginal wall’s mucosa.

According to Jennifer Berman, a board-certified urologist and sexual health expert based

in Los Angeles, “the vagina is actually very absorbent, much like the lining of your mouth or

your gut and the effects can begin working on the area immediately.” Currently, there is no

product on the market filling the niche of addressing women’s menstrual needs while also aiding

in pain relief. Women know when their time of the month comes, they need to have their

feminine products on hand as well as pain relievers like Advil, Tylenol or Midol. CBD tampons

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take the headache out of wondering if you packed enough medicine to get you through the day

while also being made of 100% organic, absorbent cotton so you know what you’re using is safe

and effective. Additionally, CBD is much safer than over-the-counter painkillers, and the vaginal

canal has the highest concentration of cannabinoid receptors making it the best place to absorb

the compound. CBD tampons take the idea of localized pain relief and brings it into the feminine

care space.

While there is currently no brand on the market that offers CBD tampons, Lola, like any

other brand, has their competitors that must be taken into account when releasing a new

innovation. For example, a new feminine care brand by the name of Daye is a main competitor

for Lola. Daye was developed by Valentina Milanova, a woman who expressed that she herself

suffered from menstrual pain and wanted to provide a product for women and made by women

that would avoid the side effects of a pain killer (Knowles 2019). The brand has not launched

their product yet, but upon release the company’s plan is to acquire subscribers who will be

receiving a monthly package of CBD infused tampons aligned each person’s time of cycle. This

product will be available online at yourdaye.com, and packaged in a plastic sealed envelope that

contains doctor approved, sanitized and sustainable CBD tampons sealed in paper. A brand such

as Daye is a potential competitor for the repositioned product presented due to its soothing,

healing and sustainable properties.

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Another form of a CBD tampon was created by a brand named Foria, the first of its kind.

However, this product is not meant to absorb period blood, but its primary claim is to help soothe

period cramping. This product is available for purchase online at foriawellness.com for 72

dollars. The package comes with 8 suppositories total in white and baby blue box with the brands

logo on the front secondary package. Ultimately, this brand is one of the few that is providing a

solution to menstrual pain and discomfort with CBD rather than medicine.

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The brand Cora, is another brand that provides healthy tampons made from 100%

certified organic cotton that is tailored for each customer’s needs. Although they do not provide

CBD infused tampons, they are still considered a competitor because the needs of their target

customer brand aligns with the needs of Lola’s CBD tampons target customer. Cora can be

purchased online at core.life, Groveco and Target. Retail price is $5.99 a clean white box as its

secondary package that carries 16 tampons. This brand provides a customizable experience for

each customer that wants feminine care products free of dyes, toxins and other unwanted

chemicals all while providing options that are environmentally sustainable.

Overall, each competitor has provided sufficient information on what is trending in the

market while also determining factors of success for each brand. Sustainability and clean

ingredients recurring factors that customers seem to like due it to its benefits for the women’s

overall reproductive health. These factors have finalized the decision to reposition a brand who

already provided sustainable options and adjusting the product into tampons infused with natural

ingredients that will help heal the body and soothe the body while still serving its primary

purpose.

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Questions & How do you find information?

1- Are CBD tampons safe for vaginas? What safety measures and testing’s took place

to ensure that this product is safe? List all of the test that had to be passed along

with a description and purpose of the test.

- To be able to answer this question regarding the safety of CBD tampons, I must

research safety measures and testing required for tampons. I must also conduct

research to see if any additional testing’s are required for these specific tampons since

they contain CBD. According to the U.S Food & Drug Administration website,

tampons are regulated as medical devices, so this product would have to be FDA

approved. In terms of CBD, the FDA has only regulated one CBD product, so

perhaps CBD tampons could be the second product they regulate. Center for Devices

and Radiological Health. (n.d.). Menstrual Tampons and Pads: Information for

Premarket Guidance. Retrieved from https://www.fda.gov/regulatory-

information/search-fda-guidance-documents/menstrual-tampons-and-pads-

information-premarket-notification-submissions-510ks-guidance-industry

2- How effective are CBD tampons? How long will it stay effective, and what effects

should the consumer expect?

- The CBD Industry Association has a website that posts articles on the effects of CBD,

as well as its versatile usage. Viewing these articles, specifically ones that discuss the

effects of CBD tampons will allow Lola to get an idea of what the consumer should

expect when using CBD tampons. Green, M., Green, M., & Green, M. (1969, March

1.) What Are CBD Tampons, and Do They Work? Retrieved from

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https://cbdindustryassociation.org/what-are-cbd-tampons-and-do-they-

work/#:~:text=CBD tampons are also able,more effectively than typical painkillers.

3- How often does a CBD tampon need to be replaced? Is there a limit of how many

CBD tampons a women should insert in a day? Specify the usage.

4- Are there any side effects of CBD tampons? List all of the potential side effects.

5- Are some women at higher risk of developing side effects of CBD tampons? Who

should/ should not use this product.

6- What are the benefits of CBD tampons? Are there long term benefits? List all of the

short and long term benefits that a consumer could receive if using this product

continuously.

- (Questions 3, 4, 5, 6) A source called Green State posts articles on CBD, and discuss

the “latest craze” on CBD tampons as well as their usage, side effects, risks, benefits,

and long-term benefits. It would be a good idea to use this source to find more

information how to answer these questions regarding CBD tampons. LifeStyle.

(2020, May 7). CBD Tampons Are the Latest Craze. But Are They Safe, and Do

They Even Work? Here's What You Need to Know. Retrieved from

https://www.greenstate.com/health/cbd-tampons-are-the-latest-craze-but-are-they-

safe-and-do-they-even-work-heres-what-you-need-to-know/#:~:text=While most

women use them,starts to offer relief quickly.

7- What will the packaging look like? List and provide images of what the primary

and secondary packaging will look like for this product. Include a complete product

design plan.

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- To get an idea of packaging, Lola should consider their original products packaging,

and decide how they can fit a CBD line to align with their brand/ products. Lola

should also take into consideration the packaging of competitors products. One

competitor’s packaging that they should keep an eye out on is Foria; a brand who

sells CBD vaginal suppositories. Relief. (n.d.). Retrieved from

https://foriapleasure.com/products/relief

8- Where will this product be sold? In what states and stores in the US are consumers

more likely to purchase this product? What areas in the US are consumers more

likely to NOT be ready for this product?

- To answer this question, Lola should do research on what geographical locations

show that consumers are more susceptible to purchasing CBD products. These

locations should be areas where consumers are more openminded and willing to try

new, trendy products and ingredients. An article from ColaDigital lists the 25 best

cities to sell CBD products in the USA. Where To Advertise CBD Products in the

USA? Here Are The 25 Top Cities. (2019, September 6). Retrieved from

https://www.coladigital.ca/where-to-advertise-cbd-products-usa/#:~:text=The CBD

Awareness Project found,Tennessee, respectively made the list.

9- Will CBD tampons be sold online through a subscription service?

- To answer this question, Lola needs to consider where/how they are currently selling

their merchandise. Based on this information, Lola should then decide if they are

willing to sell CBD tampons in these same locations, or only in a few hot spots.

Looking at Lola’s website on their main page, as well as on “Find a Store” should

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help answer this question. We're LOLA - reproductive care for women, by women.

(n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.mylola.com/

10- Are these CBD tampons sustainable? What sustainable efforts went in to producing

this product? Think of the product itself as well as packaging and processing.

- ELLE is a source that posted an article containing information regarding Lola’s

sustainability efforts. This article will help find the answer to this question

considering that if Lola already practices sustainability, they are likely to continue

those efforts with the launch of CBD tampons. Hoff, V. D. (2017, October 11). These

New Tampons Are a Total Gamechanger. Retrieved from

https://www.elle.com/beauty/health-fitness/news/a29215/lola-sustainable-tampons/

11- Where is the CBD sourced from? Is this source sustainable? What strand of CBD is

in this tampon?

- To answer this question, Lola will need to find information on how to sustainably

source the CBD that they use for their tampons. Since there are a lot of different CBD

manufacturers, Lola will have to do a lot of research to find a source that best aligns

with their mission and ethos. One sustainable source I found was a company called

Way of Leaf, who claims that they “make no compromise in terms of quality of

manufacturing processes of their CBD”. WayofLeaf. (2020, April 9). Welltiva CBD:

Sustainable Hemp Farming, Farm-to-Doorstep Hemp Oil. Retrieved from

https://wayofleaf.com/cbd/brands/welltiva-cbd-colorado

12- How much will the CBD tampons cost? Will the cost be different online via a

subscription service versus the price in stores?

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- To determine the price of CBD tampons, Lola will have to consider the price of their

original tampons first. Since these tampons contain CBD, they will most likely be a

little more expensive than the original tampons. Additionally, Lola should research

prices of their competitors’ products.

13- Who are top competitors for this product? Is there anything like this already being

sold in the market? What are the cost of my competitors’ products?

- In order to find Lola’s top competitors, the brand will have to do research to see who

is selling similar products to their target market. A source called Owler lists Lola’s

main competitors. LOLA Competitors, Revenue and Employees - Owler Company

Profile. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.owler.com/company/mylola

14- How does my product stand out compared to competitors? What’s the USP (unique

selling point) of CBD tampons?

- To answer this question, Lola will have to look at their competitors’ products and see

how they differentiate themselves from them. They should go to their competitors

website to find this information.

15- How should I market CBD tampons? Who am I targeting and how will I reach their

attention in order to persuade them to make a sale?

- To decide how to market CBD tampons, Lola should find information on how to

reach the attention of their target audience. An article from Entreprenuer.com

discusses how Lola marketed their tampons successfully. Schomer, S. (2018, June 5).

How the Founders of LOLA Learned to Talk up the Feminine Hygiene Market.

Retrieved from https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/312750

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16- Is there a need for this product in the market? Is the market proving to shift

towards the introduction of CBD tampons? Give examples and justify the

reasonings.

- To find the answer to this question, Lola should research market trends that their

target audience is shifting towards. They should also do research to see if any other

brands are moving towards CBD tampons, and if there is a need for it in the market.

An article on Sifted discusses how a startup brand Daye in Europe is tackling period

pain with CBD tampons. Mawad, M., & Palmer, M. (2019, May 14). Cannabis

tampon startup Daye is tackling period pain. Retrieved from

https://sifted.eu/articles/daye-cannabis-tampon-startup-europes-cbd-market-ohne/

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Systems:

Since Lola is a feminine personal care brand, the company has multiple departments such

as marketing, operations, finance, and human resource. Each department uses an information/

data system in order for them to gather and analyze material for the company.

Being that Lola is solely an ecommerce company at the moment, and their target market

is younger women who are up to date with trends, their marketing department would use an

information system that supports this structure. A decision support system (DSS) would help

marketing managers measure the desirability of new products (Nordmeyer). This system stores

data that Lola’s target market is interested in, and allows the marketing department to configure

ways to reach that audience.

Lola’s operation department is likely to use a transaction processing system (TPS). This

is due to the fact that operations “is responsible for making sure that customer orders are filled

on schedule” (Gartenstein). This system will allow operations to “process the data transaction in

database system that monitors transaction programs” (computer business research). This form of

information system is most beneficial for ecommerce companies, such as Lola.

For the finance department, Lola would use an information system that specializes in

consumer relationship management (CRM). It is especially important for finance departments to

focus on customer experience. One software company that is heavily used in financial

departments globally is salesforce. Salesforce is a “customer relationship management solution

that brings companies and customers together” (Salesforce). The company claims that they

“make a concerted effort for our finance and accounting teams to interact with a customer in the

same way an account manager would” (Salesforce).

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The human resources department of Lola would use a human resource information

system (HRIS). This system is a “software that provides a centralized repository of employee

master data that the human resource management group needs for completing core human

resource processes” (Rouse). Lola would benefit from this system when recruiting new

employees and placing workers in the correct field.

Conclusions:

By analyzing this product plan, I have become informed on ways that management

information systems can help resolve the issues and questions that may arise regarding the CBD

tampon line I am wanting to launch for Lola. In terms of the speculation surrounding the safety

of CBD for this products intended use, MIS can allow me to gain access on what all safety

measures must be taken prior to this products launch. Additionally, I will be able to have clarity

on the effectiveness and benefits of this product, as well as insights on competition through the

use of MIS. MIS can further educate me on the demographics of who is more likely to be willing

to purchase this product. This information will aid in my decision making of where I should sell

the CBD tampons, and how I should market this product to these specific consumers.

For my future product plan, I would recommend further justifications on the safety and

effectiveness of CBD tampons. I would suggest doing more research on how CBD has been used

in the vaginal area, such as in vaginal suppositories, and the feedback these products have

received. By providing more factual evidence on CBD tampons, Lola would better be able to

educate their consumers, therefore generate more sales.

Overall, management information systems allow this product plan for CBD tampons to

turn into a reality by fulfilling the necessary requirements in order to launch a new innovative

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product. Company’s would struggle, and have a harder time reaching their goals if they did not

have the assistance of MIS. Being that this system has widely proven its success, businesses like

Lola should take advantage of this technological opportunity and implement MIS into their

company for optimal chances of success.

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Works Cited Page:

Billie Nordmeyer MBA, M. (2019, March 05). Types of Information Systems in a Business

Organization. Retrieved from https://smallbusiness.chron.com/types-information-

systems-business-organization-66974.html#:~:text=Small-business managers and

owners,as sales and inventories data.

Center for Devices and Radiological Health. (n.d.). Menstrual Tampons and Pads:

Information for Premarket Guidance. Retrieved from https://www.fda.gov/regulatory-

information/search-fda-guidance-documents/menstrual-tampons-and-pads-information-

premarket-notification-submissions-510ks-guidance-industry

Compact plastic applicator tampons. (n.d.). Retrieved from

http://www.mylola.com/products/applicator-tampons#product_features.

Drucker, Peter F. “The Discipline of Innovation.” Harvard Business Review, 16 July 2015,

hbr.org/2002/08/the-discipline-of-innovation.

Gartenstein, D. (2019, February 05). Major Objectives of an Operations Department. Retrieved

from https://smallbusiness.chron.com/major-objectives-operations-department-

31500.html

Green, M., Green, M., & Green, M. (1969, March 1.) What Are CBD Tampons, and Do They

Work? Retrieved from https://cbdindustryassociation.org/what-are-cbd-tampons-and-do-

they-work/#:~:text=CBD tampons are also able,more effectively than typical painkillers.

Knowles, Kitty. “Cannabis Start Up Daye is tackling proves Europe’s CBD market is flying

high.” Shifted.eu, 14 May 2019.

LifeStyle. (2020, May 7). CBD Tampons Are the Latest Craze. But Are They Safe, and Do They

Even Work? Here's What You Need to Know. Retrieved from

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https://www.greenstate.com/health/cbd-tampons-are-the-latest-craze-but-are-they-safe-

and-do-they-even-work-heres-what-you-need-to-know/#:~:text=While most women use

them,starts to offer relief quickly.

LOLA Competitors, Revenue and Employees - Owler Company Profile. (n.d.). Retrieved from

https://www.owler.com/company/mylola

Mawad, M., & Palmer, M. (2019, May 14). Cannabis tampon startup Daye is tackling period

pain. Retrieved from https://sifted.eu/articles/daye-cannabis-tampon-startup-europes-

cbd-market-ohne/

O'Hear, S. (2019, May 10). Daye, a startup developing a 'cramp-fighting' tampon, raises $5.5M

from Khosla, Index and Kindred. Retrieved from

https://techcrunch.com/2019/05/10/daye/

Organic Tampons Delivered • Modernize Your Period with Cora. (n.d.). Retrieved from

https://cora.life/

PagerDuty CFO Shares Why Finance Teams Must Become Customer First. (n.d.). Retrieved

from https://www.salesforce.com/blog/2019/09/finance-departments-customer-

focused.html

“Period Pain.” Women's Health Concern, 7 Mar. 2019, https://www.womens-health-

concern.org/help-and-advice/factsheets/period-pain/.Ries,

Premium CBD Products by Foria (Broad-Spectrum Hemp Extract). (n.d.). Retrieved from

https://www.foriawellness.com/

Relief. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://foriapleasure.com/products/relief

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Ries, J. (2019, May 17). Do CBD 'Tampons' Ease Pain? Here's What You Should Know.

Retrieved from https://www.huffpost.com/entry/cbd-

tampons_l_5cdac486e4b073aa0b341520

Rouse, M. (2019, September 17). What is an HRIS (Human Resource Information System)?

Retrieved from https://searchhrsoftware.techtarget.com/definition/HRIS

Schomer, S. (2018, June 5). How the Founders of LOLA Learned to Talk up the Feminine

Hygiene Market. Retrieved from https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/312750

Transaction processing system. (n.d.). Retrieved from

http://www.computerbusinessresearch.com/Home/decision-making/transaction-

processing-system

WayofLeaf. (2020, April 9). Welltiva CBD: Sustainable Hemp Farming, Farm-to-Doorstep

Hemp Oil. Retrieved from https://wayofleaf.com/cbd/brands/welltiva-cbd-colorado