Today’s personal care shopper is always connected, frequently thinking about purchases throughout the week. According to Amazon Ads Beyond the Buy research, 77 percent of U.S. consumers consider shopping multiple times per week. This behavior highlights a significant shift in how people interact with brands, moving seamlessly across devices, apps, and entertainment platforms in a continuous state of discovery.
The Modern Consumer Journey: Multiple Touchpoints
Before making a purchase, consumers typically encounter a brand at least 11 times. In fast-paced categories such as personal care, where 90 percent of buying decisions occur within a single week, these early brand interactions are crucial. Brands that succeed are not necessarily the loudest at the point of sale, but those that maintain consistent visibility throughout the customer journey, establishing trust and recognition well before the final decision is made.
Planned Purchases Dominate Personal Care
Research indicates that most personal care purchases are planned. Over 80 percent of buying decisions in categories like oral care, personal hygiene, feminine care, and hair removal are made ahead of time, while spontaneous purchases account for less than 20 percent. Routine plays a significant role, with 49 percent of purchases in oral care, personal hygiene, and feminine care driven by established habits. Additionally, 58 percent of shoppers know which brand they will choose before they start shopping, and fewer than 13 percent switch brands at the point of purchase.
Advertising’s Role in a Routine-Driven Market
Despite the routine-driven nature of personal care shopping, advertising remains effective. More than 40 percent of shoppers recall seeing ads before making a purchase, demonstrating that consistent brand presence can influence consumer behavior. Ad recall rates by category include:
- Shaving and hair removal: 44 percent
- Personal hygiene: 42 percent
- Oral care: 41 percent
- Feminine care: 40 percent
Brands must focus on gaining attention early in the consumer journey and nurturing that interest through to the point of purchase.
The Influence of Premium Entertainment
Streaming television, live events, and creator-driven content have become integral to consumers’ daily routines. U.S. consumers now spend more than 90 minutes per day streaming TV, reflecting a broader shift toward solo, self-directed activities. According to McKinsey’s State of the Consumer 2025, Americans enjoy three additional hours of free time per week compared to 2019, with much of that time spent on personal interests such as relaxing, browsing social media, and shopping.
Advertising is now seen as a natural part of the media experience. Seventy-three percent of consumers appreciate entertaining advertisements, and 63 percent believe advertising can influence and create culture. In personal care, where products are closely tied to identity and lifestyle, premium entertainment offers brands a unique opportunity to form meaningful connections. Half of consumers say entertainment is part of their shopping journey, and 54 percent discover new brands while watching streaming content.
Active Engagement During Entertainment
Consumer engagement during entertainment is far from passive. Seventy-two percent of viewers take some form of consideration action, such as researching a product, bookmarking it, or adding it to their cart. These moments of engagement can significantly influence the path from discovery to purchase.
Amazon Ads: Connecting Brands and Shoppers
With shoppers moving fluidly between devices and media, brands need marketing strategies that create a cohesive experience across all touchpoints. Amazon Ads leverages premium entertainment and advanced audience targeting to deliver seamless marketing journeys that drive both immediate sales and long-term brand loyalty.
Amazon’s multimedia solutions, including Amazon DSP, reach over 300 million monthly ad-supported viewers in the U.S. Brands can connect with audiences across streaming entertainment, content browsing, and purchase moments, both on Amazon and across the open internet. Prime Video offers exclusive originals and live sports, while partnerships with platforms like Netflix, Roku, and Spotify further extend reach. Interactive ad formats, such as pause ads, transform viewing into shopping opportunities. Amazon Marketing Cloud provides brands with access to trillions of durable signals and AI-driven optimization, enabling precise measurement and performance refinement.
Strategic Implications for Personal Care Brands
For personal care brands navigating fast purchase cycles and routine-driven behavior, early brand recognition and consistent engagement are essential. Leveraging data-driven insights and premium entertainment, brands can nurture consumer relationships throughout the journey and remain top-of-mind when purchase needs arise.
