In an effort to grow and expand its travel retail footprint in China, Dr. Ci: Labo has partnered with China Duty Free Group (CDFG) to unveil a debut O2O Concept store at the newly opened cdf Haikou International Duty Free Shopping Complex in Hainan.
The store offers an immersive, digitally driven shopping experience. It is centred around Dr. Ci:Labo’s ‘Omotenashi’ brand ethos. Omotenashi is the Japanese philosophy of hospitality, which is core to the personalised skincare experience being offered at the boutique.
The opening, according to Dr. Ci:Labo Regional Business Development Manager Travel Retail Michelle Tong, marks an important milestone in the brand’s expansion strategy. She says: “The opening of the new Haikou O2O store with CDFG is a milestone for us as Hainan is clearly a major travel-retail market in terms of fulfilling our three-year expansion plan.
“With over 72 million travellers visiting Hainan last year, this offers huge potential for Dr. Ci:Labo to expand its physical footprint. The time is ripe for us to extend our digital presence from online and offline.
“With travel retail returning to pre-pandemic levels, we believe expanding our physical footprint through a memorable O2O retail store concept will take our Omotenashi experience a step closer to our consumers in Hainan.”
The boutique highlights Dr. Ci:Labo’s clinical heritage and ‘holistic beauty ecosystem’ through physical and digital touchpoints. At the store, shoppers are introduced to the brand’s Omotenashi spirit by Dr. Shiropy, Dr. Ci:Labo’s mascot. Dr. Shiropy is the digital personification of the brand’s founder, Dr. Shirono.
One of the standout features s a full-height digital screen that takes visitors on a mixed reality journey powered by a WeChat Mini Program that can be accessed via an in-store QR code. Dr. Shiropy accompanies customers throughout the virtual experience.
“Experiential shopping is a growing focus for retailers as they enhance their understanding of how younger Millennials and Gen Z shop,” Tong explains. “These demographics are more likely to be drawn to brands that engage them using the same digital channels and behaviours that they use on a regular basis.
“Designing a hyperconnected O2O travel retail store not only creates an immersive 360◦ brand showcase but also engages consumers through interactivity and gamification that will bring our clinical brand equity to life via our virtual skin health expert, the AR Shiropy store guide.”
According to Tong, Dr. Ci:Labo’s first-ever O2O concept store aims to elevate the consumer experience with a connected omnichannel ecosystem. She says, “Product exclusivity in the virtual and physical space takes this to the next level. Our goal is to provide consumers with ease of navigation, personalised skincare, and an experiential shopping experience.”
Visitors to the store can buy a range of travel retail-exclusive releases including several CDF-exclusive sets. “Travel retail-exclusive products allow us to differentiate our offerings and generate in-store excitement,” Tong explains. “The new modern design of Dr. Ci:Labo’s travel retail-exclusive products project the premium brand equity of our Omotenashi service, effective skin results and advanced research and science.
“Helming the travel retail-exclusive offer is our cult favourite 377 range which includes a new serum and cream launching this November. We are also launching a CDF-exclusive, which comprises the 377 Serum and 377 Brightening Serum. It is perfect as a gift set for the year-end festive period.
“As sustainability becomes top of mind for many consumers today, we are also upgrading our packaging to FSC certified materials. This is so our consumers have the option to support a healthier planet.”
According to Tong, the O2O concept store underlines Dr. Ci:Labo’s belief in the power of travel retail. She says: “Travel retail plays a significant role as a brand showcase, driving discovery and awareness among shoppers in Japan, China and other international markets. Seven out of ten shoppers buy a new brand or product for the first time in travel retail. Therefore, it is an important channel for new user acquisition.
“We are also extending our engagement with travel retail shoppers in our core markets of China and Japan where our Dr. Ci:Labo Clinic is present. As a result, travel retail benefits from the halo effect from the core markets, thus creating a virtuous circle,” she adds.
“We are scaling up our O2O retail concept store in key locations and exploring pop-up spaces to present new immersive and interactive installations which engage with global shoppers. We are also looking at expanding into new markets in APAC in the coming years as we build our brand awareness and momentum.”
A new Beijing flagship clinic
In addition to the O2O concept store in Hainan, Dr. Ci:Labo has opened a new flagship clinic in Beijing. The clinic was designed to promote the brand’s Omotenashi service and highlight its position as the top dermo-cosmetics brand in Japan.
Commenting on the opening, Johnson & Johnson Senior Director Marketing Beauty Hong Xiang Wen says, “We are very excited to bring a new aesthetic clinic experience to Chinese consumers that meets their ever-evolving needs.”
Notably, the flagship offers a holistic derma-cosmetics clinic experience in partnership with BeauCare Clinics, which is one of the top 100 most innovative healthcare service companies in China, the brand says.
“The clinic blends Omotenashi service with brand founder Dr. Shirono’s 25 years of laser clinic expertise,” Hong explains.
“At the clinic, patients can enjoy science-backed, non-invasive aesthetic treatments and advanced topical solutions. Our service continues beyond the store through an immersive O2O experience. This begins from the aesthetic non-surgical treatment protocol at the clinic to our derma-skincare products which can be applied at home.”
Both the flagship clinic and O2O concept store in Hainan are centred around the brand’s ‘holistic skincare ecosystem’. Hong says: “Our skincare portfolio is based on the philosophy of integrated care. Our advanced topical skin care solutions are inspired by and complement non-surgical treatments. O2O customer service is part of Dr. Ci:Labo’s holistic skincare which provides consumers with support pre-, during and post-treatment.”
Tong adds, “As part of our skin philosophy, we’ve put in place a pyramid model to provide holistic beauty to our customers. Once a year, they get treated by our doctors at one of our 15 laser clinics. Once a month, they receive maintenance by our beauty professionals at any of our 31 salons. We also encourage them to engage in a daily routine with our medical skincare-inspired products.
“Our beauty advisors on the ground have built valuable one-to-one relationships with our customers post-purchase. They introduce them to loyalty programmes in order to increase our reach through CRM, as well as educate them about our clinic services.”
The power of the holistic skincare ecosystem relies on Dr. Ci:Labo’s ongoing partnerships with trusted dermatologists. Hong says, “For the Beijing clinic, we have collaborated with a team of Japanese doctors from the Dr. Ci:Labo Skin Institute to elevate consumers’ end-to-end experience. Our partnership helps us offer a proprietary and personalised aesthetics clinic programme, driven by our Omotenashi ethos.
“In short, the Dr. Ci:Labo clinic is about bringing the best of Japanese skincare to China,” she adds. “Our goal is to introduce new signature treatments that deliver the best results for Chinese consumers who want naturally healthy and glowing skin.”
For Hong, Dr. Ci:Labo sets itself apart from other skincare brands by listening and adapting to customer needs. “Dr. Ci:Labo is a brand that listens actively to the needs and desires of our customers,” she says.
“It is through this active listening that we can meet consumers’ ever-evolving needs. We are confident that our Omotenashi care and hospitality, together with our results-driven derma-skincare and effective non-surgical treatments, will win the hearts and minds of our customers in China and beyond.”
COMING SOON: NEW WONDERS OF THE TRAVEL RETAIL WORLD
The Moodie Davitt Report is delighted to announce ‘The New Wonders of the Travel Retail World’, a duo of landmark publications dedicated to extraordinary projects that have set new benchmarks in the travel retail world.
One is dedicated to the cdf Haikou International Duty Free Shopping Complex, which opened on 28 October in Hainan province, China.
The multi-media, bi-lingual publication is a pioneering joint venture between The Moodie Davitt Report and Hainan Hinews Media Co. For advertising details please contact Irene Revilla at Irene@MoodieDavittReport.com
The other is the Hamad International Airport Expansion in Doha, Qatar, inaugurated on 10 November.
This stunning development is anchored by The Orchard, a 10,000sq m indoor tropical garden with a 268-sqm water feature complemented by a luxury-led commercial offer boasting 65 stores and 35 food & beverage outlets.
Footnote: The ambitious cross-category offer at cdf Haikou International Duty Free Shopping Complex will feature in a dedicated eZine from The Moodie Davitt Report later this month, titled ‘A New Wonder of the Travel Retail World’. For advertising details please contact Irene Revilla at Irene@MoodieDavittReport.com
