A study of the brands characteristics using big data corpus analysis-focused on south korean sanitary pad brands-

Abstract

Background The aim of this study is to identify the characteristics of menstrual pad brands in South Korea and to assess the current and future value of the brands in terms of growth by analyzing a big data corpus collected from the Internet, where a vast amount of information is exchanged. Methods Two of the most prominent brands, referred to as Brand Y and Brand W, the two leading brands in organic and conventional menstrual pads, respectively, were selected as the targets of analysis based on the 2018 corporate reputation rankings compiled by the Korean Corporate Reputation Research Institute. Then, frequency analysis, centrality analysis, and clustering analysis via network visualization were conducted to study the corpus data of each brand. Results The findings concerning Brand Y are as follows. First, Brand Y was shown to be associated with positive words denoting safety and trust, demonstrating consumer trust and confidence in organic menstrual pad products. Second, Brand Y and its associated corpus were found to cover a wide range of keywords related to raw materials and end products such as conventional disposable menstrual pads, reusable cotton menstrual pads, and eco-friendly menstrual cups, indicating that consumers are constantly seeking various alternatives. Third, key terms related to feminine hygiene such as "health, " "feminine cleanser, " or "extract" were also found to be associated with Brand Y, showing a strong interest in feminine hygiene. By contrast, words related to purchasing behavior such as "price" were shown to have a low engagement rate. The above findings indicate that the main characteristics of Brand Y, and its relevant corpus can be described as healthconscious proactive consumerism with a focus on product safety and alternative materials than on price. The findings concerning Brand W are as follows. First, negative keywords concerning thhe safety of Brand W were found, indicating a sentiment of anxiety and insecurity. Second, there were passive attempts to seeking alternative products, as opposed to exploring a wide range of products, evident among the related keywords. Third, there were more keywords related to purchase decision process including price, size, and features associated with Brand W, which is in clear contrast with the case of Brand Y, where product safety and health were given greater importance. Conclusions Brand Y is advised to further strengthen its health-and safety-oriented marketing strategy by highlighting eco-friendly materials and health-related keywords, rather than by emphasizing the pricing factor. If more efforts are made to increase consumer awareness about organically grown raw materials for menstrual pads and their impact on feminine hygiene and skin health, Brand Y is expected to drive higher sales by more actively engaging health-conscious consumers. Brand W, on the other hand, will benefit more from pushing promotional events and feature-oriented marketing campaigns aimed at budget-conscious consumers in order to continue in establishing itself as a market leader in the wider category of conventional menstrual pad products in South Korea. © 2019 Korean Society of Design Science.