Japan turns to celebrity ambassadors to capture beauty market

By Michelle Yeomans

- Last updated on GMT

Japan turns to celebrity ambassadors to capture beauty market

Related tags South korea

Various Japanese cosmetic brands have been taking an aggressive marketing approach, opting for actors and entertainers as brand ambassadors to push their products across Asia.  

Japanese entertainment agency, HARIPRO is well known for teaming brands up with actors and entertainers in Asia, particularly in China.

Having launched an online shop in Alibaba's 'T-MALL' in China, 'SK-II' has invested in celebrity status.

Japanese actor Yuki Furukawa recently visited Guangzhou to promote the brand as it's 'poster boy'.

"I think the biggest reason SK-II chose Mr. Furukawa Yuki is that, Yuki's image is quite fitting with the equity of SK-II. He is an honest man, with elegance and always for confidence, which is what SK-II wants to present,"​ said an SK-II Public Relations Officer.

Korean beauty brands also believe in celebrity influence

Cosmetic companies in South Korea have taken to enlisting male K-pop icons in an effort to expand beyond its borders and take on the global giants like L'Oreal and Unilever across the continent.

According to Euromonitor, South Korean men spend $900 million a year on beauty products, more than a fifth of the global total and it is cosmetic companies like Amorepacific and LG Household & Healthcare that want to establish themselves as premium products, with a distinctly Asian sensibility.

"Cosmetics sales are said to mirror the popularity of Korean cultural exports, so K-pop stars are the best way to market our products​," said Kim Hee-jeong, marketing manager of LG Household's The Face Shop, which has over 1,000 overseas stores.

For the region's young consumers who have been raised on K-pop, the metro-sexual appeal of South Korean boy bands like 2PM, Big Bang and Super Junior, are said to be a quality Western or Japanese competitors cannot deliver.

Related topics Business & Financial East Asia

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