• by Karl Greenberg , June 14, 2010

Procter & Gamble pro hair-care brand Wella Professionals is promoting both the brand and salon hair coloring with a national tour that includes an association with "Dancing With the Stars" host Brooke Burke.

The Wella Professionals Color Discovery Tour will start at New York's South Street Seaport on June 21 before traveling to seven other cities this summer: Philadelphia, Washington D.C., Miami, Chicago, Dallas, San Francisco and Los Angeles.

The tour comprises colorists who explain the process and offer consultations for women for free. The company is also offering discounts to participating Wella salons and complimentary products.

Procter & Gamble says 42% of women have never had a color consultation with their stylist. Following the personal consultations, women will be able to make an appointment at their local participating salon to receive a discounted color service and experience their haircolor transformation firsthand.

The company is also running a promotion dangling a trip to have a celebrity haircolor transformation with a top stylist in New York. Procter & Gamble is promoting the sweepstakes on Wella Professionals' Facebook page.

A fourth-quarter 2009 report from Chicago CPG market consultancy Mintel says the salon channel for retail sales of high-end products is suffering because the economy is moving consumers to value outlets. The firm says that 2008 U.S. sales for the $37.5 billion salon industry fell almost 3%.

"And though retail sales of salon products are only about 7% of the salon industry's overall sales, salons and stylists are struggling to entice their clients to buy the products that should help them to recreate their salon hairstyles at home," says the firm.

Mintel reports that fully one-third of consumers believe salon products are overpriced, and 50% of consumers believe salon products are different from mass retail brands. But more than half of respondents believe salon products are of a higher quality than those purchased elsewhere, such as at mass merchandisers or supermarkets. Almost half of respondents said they follow the product recommendations of their stylist.

Per Mintel, shampoo is overall the product most likely to be purchased at a salon, and mostly by male survey respondents. Females bought more hairstyling products at a salon when compared to men.

As for brands, Paul Mitchell is the most popular salon brand overall among survey respondents. For women, Biolage was slightly more popular. Paul Mitchell salon products are also the preferred choice among all age groups and income levels of those surveyed, with Biolage a relatively close second, per Mintel.