Asian Beauty Secrets Meet High-End Cosmetics
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Chinese Cosmetics South Korea’s high-end cosmetic brands such as Sulwhasoo are making a big impact in Chinese market. ASIAN BEAUTY SECRETS MEET HIGH-END COSMETICS American and European brands may have been the traditional leaders in a majority of luxury goods sectors, but in high-end cosmetics, Asian brands, led by Japanese and South Korean companies, is making its presence known. By Zhou Ying When it comes to choosing cosmetics, (which ended in March of 2014), 50.5% of and hair care, makeup, sunscreen, perfume the first decision most Chinese people face the group’s $5.53 billion in revenue came and beauty supplements. is deciding whether to go with American from foreign markets and by the middle of Quite a few Chinese consumers’ first and European or Japanese and South January of this year, the group’s market experiences with high-end cosmetics start- Korean cosmetics. value had reached $5.5 billion. The quintes- ed with Shiseido. The flagship brand of the Japan’s Shiseido Group, led by its cos- sential example of a comprehensive cos- group’s international business, Shiseido metics brands Shiseido and Clé de Peau metics group, Shiseido’s brand positioning products are sold in 89 countries and Beauté, has long held a place as one of the covers the high, mid-range and mass con- regions around the globe. No matter if it’s in world’s top 10 giants of the high-end cos- sumer groups, while its range of products the US, Europe or Asia, the Shiseido brand metics industry. During the 2014 fiscal year extends into a number of areas such as skin can be found in high-end retail stores such EMERGING MARKETS INSIGHT 3 Chinese Cosmetics as Nordstrom, Harrods, Neiman Marcus and awareness, business models, market share Lane Crawford right alongside Lancôme, and profitability. Dior, Sisley and other big-name American and European brands—a testament to its South Korea Makes Waves influence in the industry. As for China, for While the Shiseido brand has long been a the past seven years, Shiseido has continu- familiar face at high-end retailers around ally won a place among the top-10 in New the world, it has a new Asian neighbor and Fortune magazine’s Annual Survey of the competitor in the form of South Korean Best Loved Luxury Products in Capital brands. Represented by Sulwhasoo and Circles. Whoo, this South Korean wave is currently Of course, it’s obvious that whether it’s sweeping through the international high- the global stage or the Chinese market, end cosmetics market. European and American brands still possess Sulwhasoo is one of AmorePacific’s top- overwhelming advantages over their tier products, whereas Whoo comes from Japanese and South Korean counterparts South Korea’s LG Group. It’s said that LG when it comes to aspects such as brand designed Whoo specifically to compete with Sulwhasoo, while the name, which means “empress” in Korean, brings to mind images of regal beauty and the beauty secrets of empresses past. It’s easy to see the impact this South Korean wave has had around the world. For Shiseido’s brand positioning instance, visiting Lane Crawford in Hong covers the high, mid-range Kong’s Harbour City shopping mall and heading to the beauty section, one can find and mass consumer groups. Shiseido brand products occupying six sec- tions (three of which are specialty counters; the other three located at perfume coun- ters), while three sections are the domain of AmorePacific, the group’s namesake brand. South Korean products. Additionally, of the A new rising star, AmorePacific has yet to be 10 makeover rooms at Lane Crawford, listed among the other brands on the digital except for the one room that is open to all, screens at Lane Crawford or on the map of three rooms are taken by Shiseido, Clé de stores at Harbour City. Peau Beauté and Sulwhasoo, another three The spot it currently takes at Lane belong to Giorgio Armani, Sisley, Ceanelove Crawford originally belonged to Fresh—the and the last three are shared by Clarins/ American-born brand that made its name SK-II, Guerlain/Dior and Lancȏme/Helena with brown sugar facial masks. Acquired by Rubinstein. luxury giant LVMH in 2000, Fresh’s annual Even if this doesn’t explain why Sulwha- sales currently sit at more than $20 million. soo is able to encroach on the territory of Looking at the 25-square-meter counter cosmetic brands such as Shiseido and area where AmorePacific now stands, it’s Represented by Sulwhasoo Lancȏme, it clearly sends an important easy to see why Fresh moved: It needed message to consumers: Sulwhasoo’s the space. Fresh now sits right across the and Whoo, this South Korean AmorePacific has the money and the ambi- walkway from its old location, probably giv- wave is currently sweeping tion to try and stand eye to eye with tradi- ing AmorePacific the hope it can benefit through the international high- tional European and American brands. from Fresh’s popularity to get a few extra end cosmetics market. In addition to Sulwhasoo and Whoo, customers, or maybe someday reach the other South Korean brands at Lane point where it too will have customers that Crawford include Sulwhasoo’s sister brand are willing to wait in line half an hour just to EMERGING MARKETS INSIGHT 4 Chinese Cosmetics With its 40% market (Figure 1) share in the South Korean GOING UP Over the past five years, AmorePacific stock cosmetics market, prices have far outpaced the the AmorePacific Group is Estée Lauder Group and the L'Oréal Group the largest cosmetics group (AS OF JAN. 30, 2015) 1000% AMOREPacific in South Korea. ESTÉE LAUDER L'ORÉal 800% 600% 400% buy a stick of lip gloss like they do at Fresh. website, in October of 2010 it became the All in all, the shops are located in a good first South Korean cosmetics company to 200% area. Nearby is the main entry way that be admitted to the Dow Jones Sustainability 0% leads to Lane Crawford’s beauty and cos- World Index (DJSI World), an indication of 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 metics section and the main escalator that the group’s position in the global market. Source Google Business leads to the apparel department down- However, taking a closer look, of the group’s stairs. five skincare brands that have already With its 40% market share in the South entered the global market place (according (Figure 2) Korean cosmetics market, the AmorePacific to the group’s 2013 fiscal report, Amore- LOW PROFITABILITY Compared to Estée Lauder and L'Oréal, the Group is the largest cosmetics group in Pacific had yet to enter the Hong Kong mar- profitability of Japanese and South Korean South Korea. Owners of a diversified brand ket), only Laneige and Sulwhasoo have cosmetics enterprises falls a bit short. portfolio, in addition to the group’s 13 skin- entered the American market (the former in 20% care brands that range from high-end to 2004 and the latter in 2010), leaving the affordably priced, AmorePacific’s reach also rest of the group’s brands to focus mainly 15% extends into daily-use products such as on Asian countries. toothpaste, perfume and hair and body From an overall viewpoint, the AsiaPacific care, leading to a total of more than 30 Group’s annual sales volume is roughly one- 10% brands under its purview. third that of the Estée Lauder Group and it Many of these products have been is still quite a ways from that of the L’Oréal 5% extremely successful. For instance, since Group. Additionally, the group’s 12% oper- hitting the market in 1997, cumulative sales ating margin is only higher than Shiseido’s of Sulwhasoo’s First Care Activating Serum, 6.5%. Compared to the more than 15% 0 Amore- Shiseido Estée L'Oréal Coty Inter one of the group’s heavyweight products, operating margins enjoyed by Estée Lauder Pacific Lauder Parfums has reached more than 1 trillion won and L’Oréal, the profitability of Japanese Source Company financial reports, New Fortune (approximately $930 million). With roots and South Korean cosmetics enterprises fall tracing back to 1932, over the years a bit short (Figure 2). AmorePacific has become a global cosmetic luxury market wouldn’t be what it is today, powerhouse. Led by Sulwhasoo, Laneige, The Strength of Chinese Money nor would Shiseido and AmorePacific have Mamonde, Innisfree and makeup brand Even though Shiseido and AmorePacific achieved such growth and success. Etude House, the group’s sales for the 2013 may still lag their contemporaries in the US Only reaching China in 2006, in less than fiscal year reached approximately $359 mil- and Europe, their rapid progress in the high- 10 years, Whoo has established more than lion. Additionally, over the past five years, end cosmetics and even the entire cosmet- 100 stores throughout the country, reach- the group’s stock prices have grown at a ics industry has been evident for all to see. ing as far as Gansu, Qinghai and Xinjiang in rate of more than 800%, far outpacing the This is no truer than in China, the world’s the west. Currently, Jiangsu Province sits at Estée Lauder Group and the L’Oréal Group second largest cosmetics market. To a cer- the top with 18 stores. (Figure 1). tain extent, if it weren’t for the enormous The power of mainland money is clear. According to the AmorePacific Group spending power of Chinese consumers, the One of the main reasons Whoo and EMERGING MARKETS INSIGHT 5 Chinese Cosmetics Sulwhasoo chose Harbour City’s Lane increase the Chinese market’s contribution tier cities.