CHINA. Wellbeing house Rituals Cosmetics is roaring into Year of the Tiger with the launch of its first three stores in Hainan and the roll-out of high-profile promotional activities in Macau.
“Asia Pacific is a key focus region for Rituals in 2022 as we continue with our mission to help consumers globally slow down and rediscover happiness in the smallest of things,” commented Rituals Global Travel Retail Director Melvin Broekaart.
“We’ re proud to have opened our first stores in Hainan and raise awareness of Rituals’ extensive gifting and exclusive Home product proposition in time for Lunar New Year — a key holiday in the Asian calendar. The three stores offer the brand fantastic exposure and are an important stepping stone to further openings in Hainan and beyond in Asia Pacific.”
The first of Rituals’ three Hainan shop-in-shops is a 10sq m space at the Times DF x DFS Haikou Mission Hills Duty-Free complex, which is operated by Shenzhen Duty Free with support from DFS Group.
The second is a 35sq m space at GDF Plaza, operated by Hainan Development Holdings with support partner Dufry. As reported, GDF Plaza recently kicked off its one-year anniversary celebrations ahead of Lunar New Year.
The third 35sq m shop-in-shop was opened on 30 December at the Hainan Tourism Duty Free Shopping Complex, which is run by Hainan Tourism Duty Free Investment Co. with support from Lagardère Travel Retail. To mark the opening, Rituals is running a promotional offer which gives shoppers free Mini Fragrance Sticks from the Private Collection for a minimum purchase of RMB450 (US$70).
All three stores offer Rituals’ Home fragrance collections: Classic, Private and the luxury Signature and Mansion Collections alongside its Car Perfumes range. The Mansion collection is exclusive in Asia Pacific travel retail.
Rituals notes that in China, the air care category comprises 50% of Rituals’ sales.
Making noise in Macau
Rituals has partnered with DFS Group to run a key Lunar New Year campaign in Macau. To raise brand awareness during this key shopping period, Rituals is offering exclusive products and rolling out special branding and digital promotions at T Galleria by DFS Shoppes at Four Seasons and T Galleria by DFS City of Dreams.
Rituals has also released a luxury Golden Tiger candle to mark the Year of the Tiger. Hand-crafted by artisans in India, the Golden Tiger scented candle comes in a 24-carat gold gilded jar embossed with a tiger motif and platinum elements.
The candle comes with a Signature Collection set with six Wild Fig mini candles, which is the best-selling Private Collection scent on Chinese ecommerce platforms, said the brand owner. It is exclusively available with DFS in Macau until mid-February.
In addition to striking lightboxes and digital screens, exclusive branding has been installed on T Galleria by DFS’ in-store arches from 2 January to mid-February to generate further Lunar New Year buzz for Rituals.
The arches promote the Signature Collection and the large Ritual of Ayurveda Gift Set. Customers who buy those products also receive a Sweet Jasmine luxury kitchen set as a gift with purchase.
Rituals is bringing the Lunar New Year festivities into the virtual world through a digital campaign across DFS Group’s different social channels: WeChat, Facebook, Instagram and Xiao Hong Shu.
Targeted communications about Rituals’ products is also being sent to DFS Group’s LOYAL T members. Rituals is promoting the DFS campaign on its TMall, WeChat and Little Red Book Platforms.
Footnote (1): The Moodie Davitt Report has launched an e-newsletter, Wellbeing Curated, in association with Rituals. It offers a curated selection of stories focused on the key wellbeing category in travel retail and beyond.
To subscribe free of charge please email Kristyn@MoodieDavittReport.com headed ‘Curated Wellbeing’. All stories are permanently archived on this website. If you would like to be added to its mailing list (or to those for any other Moodie Davitt titles), please click here.
Footnote (2): Every fortnight The Moodie Davitt Report publishes Hainan Curated, in association with Foreo, a selection of all recent stories from the offshore duty free sector in Hainan province.
Click here to view all back issues. Please email Kristyn@MoodieDavittReport.com to subscribe.
