Market cap

* For banks, enterprise value is substituted with market cap. Source: Bloomberg Finance L.P.

Performance of the brand

Olay (known until 1999 as Oil of Olay in South Africa and North America, Oil of Ulay in the United Kingdom and Oil of Olaz in some European countries) is one of the top skin care retail brands in the world, except for Japan, and is one of Procter & Gamble's multi-billion dollar brands. For the 2009 fiscal year ended June 30, Olay accounted for an estimated $2.8 billion of P&G's $79 billion in revenue.

Olay has a particularly intriguing brand story. The brand began as ‘Oil of Olay’ in South Africa in the late 1940s. A pink, moisturising liquid, it was unlike any other beauty product available at the time. Its marketing too was unique. Olay was sold in heavy glass bottles with no explanation of the function of the product, while print advertising touted the ‘beauty secret’ contained within.

The brand rapidly expanded into Europe, America and Australia, acquiring a series of new names in its new markets, from Oil of Ulay in the UK to Oil of Olan in Australia. From 1999 Proctor and Gamble initiated a consolidation of the brand name, to reflect its status as a global beauty giant. It is now known simply as ‘Olay’ in all territories other than Benelux, Germany, Austria and Italy, where it is known as ‘Olaz’.

Recent Developments

Positive Aspects

10^th Anniversary of Olay Total Effects with new product release selling out almost instantly

Parent P&G is pursuing a high-low strategy.

As middle classes in developed economies shrink, they are tailoring products to the high and low income extremes of the market. For the first time in 38 they have launched a dish-soap in the US at a ‘bargain price’.

P&G has launched site for its beauty products aimed at Latin women with Olay at its heart

Negative Aspects

Has had recent problems with the sale of counterfeit goods in India and slow response of the authorities to act

League tables

Olay appears in the following brand league tables:

Rank 71 in the Global 500 2012.
Rank 1 in the Top 50 Cosmetics Brands 2012.
Rank 76 in the Global 500 2011.
Rank 1 in the Top 50 Cosmetics Brands 2011.
Rank 76 in the Global 500 2011.