Kanebo gets brand makeover
Single global label for premium items
Kanebo Cosmetics of Japan has reorganised its brand portfolio by rolling out a single corporate brand under the Kanebo label in Thailand.
The move is part of a plan to become a global cosmetics brand under a single label and boost sales globally.
Kanebo is a corporate label for its prestige products including skincare, makeup and wellness. It launched the new corporate brand in Japan earlier this month, rolling it out in Asia before heading to Europe next year.
Kanebo Cosmetics is under Kao Group, a leading consumer product manufacturer in Japan.
“Thailand was chosen as the first country in Asia to introduce the new Kanebo brand because it is the biggest market for Kanebo Cosmetics,” said Yasuhiro Taguro, president of Kanebo Cosmetics (Thailand) Co.
The Thai cosmetics company will launch the Kanebo skincare line locally next month, with Thailand as the first country in Asean to see the new brand. It will be the first time in a decade the company will launch a high-priced product here.
The logo and package are changed to emphasise a premium feeling, he said.
Kanebo Cosmetics has some subbrands for prestige products including Kanebo Impress and Kanebo Lunasol in Asia and Sensai in Europe. These sub-brands will be phased out from the market next year.
Kanebo’s skincare collection began sales in Japan this month. After Thailand, it will roll out in Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore and Vietnam in November. The launch in Europe and Russia is slated for 2017, targeting total sales of 30 billion yen (10.3 billion baht).
The Kanebo brand will be priced between 1,000-3,300 baht.
The company plans to spend 140 million baht to revamp its 70 Kanebo counters in department stores to reflect the new image by 2018.
“With this new strategy, we hope the number of customers who have Kanebo membership cards will double to 60,000 and brand awareness will increase by 50%, lifting our company into the top 10 of cosmetics firms by 2020,” said Mr Taguro.
Thailand’s cosmetics industry is forecast to be worth 173 billion baht. Of the total, 31 billion belongs to the premium cosmetics segment. Kanebo premium cosmetics control a 1.1% market share, projected to rise to 2.2% by 2020.
Kanebo Cosmetics (Thailand) expects its sales will reach 600 million baht this year, rising to 1 billion by 2020. Of the total, 600-700 million baht will be contributed by the Kanebo brand with 300-400 million from its other brands.