Japanese medical cosmetics brand Dr. Ci:Labo is targeting Asia’s travel retail market, with parent company Ci:z Holdings exhibiting at this year’s TFWA Asia Pacific Conference & Exhibition for the first time (Level 1, P11).
Ci:z Holdings was acquired by Johnson & Johnson in January 2019. Travel retail was quickly identified as a strategic channel to drive brand equity and sales growth for Dr. Ci:Labo, and another key brand, Labo Labo.
A dedicated travel retail team has now been appointed and Ci:z Holdings’ aim is to build on consumer momentum in key Asian domestic markets.
Dr. Ci:Labo was founded in 1999 in Tokyo by Dr. Yoshinori Shirono, a pioneer in Japanese dermatological science and a specialist in laser and anti-ageing skin treatments. Shirono sought to address shortcomings with skincare products on the market at the time, and wanted to design products that unlocked the skin’s full beauty potential.
He worked directly with women visiting his clinic to first identify their skin concerns, and then develop formulations using advanced technology and ingredients “that work safely and naturally with the skin’s inherent ability to heal and maintain a beautiful, youthful appearance”.
The Dr. Ci:Labo brand features a signature ‘Aqua-Collagen-Gel’, while Labo Labo is a skincare line for younger consumers and first launched in 2003.
Dr. Ci:Labo International Director Philippe Gueulet commented: “After strong initial success expanding Dr. Ci:Labo internationally and now with a dedicated travel retail team in place, the timing is perfect to accelerate our growth by bringing this unique brand to a wider audience in Asia travel retail.
“With momentum behind J-Beauty currently surging, and with our ability to leverage the scale and expertise of Johnson & Johnson, we are confident that through a partnership-led approach, we can help retailers unlock even more growth in this dynamic category.”
Johnson & Johnson Consumer Asia Pacific Vice President Asia Skin Health Ellesha Kirby said: “Travel retail is an incredibly powerful channel, offering unmatched potential for consumer engagement and brand building – particularly with Chinese beauty shoppers. Our investment in this channel is an important step as we look to reinforce the prestige credentials and brand equity of the Dr. Ci:Labo portfolio.”
Ci:z Holdings will exhibit the full range of Dr. Ci:Labo and Labo Labo products at a duplex booth at TFWA Asia Pacific, which takes place in Singapore between 12 and 16 May.
