June 2012
Shiseido to launch Za, a Global-Mega Brand, in the Japanese market
Starting September 2012, Shiseido Company, Limited will
launch Za (pronounced "zee-ei") in the Japanese market. Za is
a skincare and makeup brand currently offered in the Asian
market for women in their 20s as one of the Global
Mega-Brands strategically launched in markets around the
globe. The Za lineup to be offered in Japan will comprise 54
types of 19 cosmetics items, retailing at prices ranging
between 630 yen and 1,260 yen. Shiseido has been marketing Za
products in eight countries and regions, positioning Za as a
"masstige"* brand. Going forward, Japan will be positioned as
an integral part of the Asian market for "masstige" brands.
In its first fiscal year of launch in Japan, Za will be
rolled out at around 300 variety and other stores. Za
products will be manufactured at Shiseido's factories in
Vietnam and Taiwan and imported by Etwas Co., Ltd. and
marketed by Et tu sais Co., Ltd., both wholly owned
subsidiaries of Shiseido.
*"Masstige" is a word coined from "mass" and "prestige." A
"masstige" brand is positioned as a brand that is on a higher
end compared with brands for mass-produced products, but is
less expensive than prestige brands.
Background to the launch
Under its ongoing three-year plan (Fiscal 2011 to 2013),
Shiseido upholds four growth strategies with the aim of
stimulating the domestic market and accelerating
globalization. One of them is the Global Mega-Brand Strategy
aimed at fostering focal brands in predefined cross-regional
markets by making prioritized investment in terms of
manpower, marketing, and other management resources. Under
this strategy, the lower-end Japanese market and the masstige
market of other Asian regions are regarded as one large
monolithic market. Taking advantage of the economy of scale
that can be enjoyed in this monolithic market, Shiseido will
strive to promote its three masstige brands, namely, Za,
SENKA, and TSUBAKI, to achieve growth and profitability. By
adding Japan to its Asian market for Za, Shiseido seeks to
reinforce its capacity to meet lower-end demand in Japan,
acquire new customers, and boost sales.
Za as a masstige brand
The Za brand, which does not piggyback on the Shiseido name,
was first launched in 1997 as a strategic brand targeting the
expanding middle-income population. Currently, the brand is a
comprehensive skincare
and makeup brand and is positioned as a masstige brand. Za
products are self-marketed at retail prices of around US$10,
mainly at drugstores in China (including Hong Kong), Taiwan,
Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and New
Zealand. The total number of stores that carry Za products
currently exceeds 6,000.
Regional marketing activities for the Japan launch
In launching Za in Japan, items that are popular in the
current Za markets will be selected for promotion at the
usual Za store spaces. In addition, fixtures will be
installed for special sales promotion and advertisements will
be placed on public transport for promotion among its
targeted customers. Jun Hasegawa (Japanese), Davika Hoorne
(Thai), and Emma Pei (Chinese), who currently model for Za,
will also be featured in advertisements for the Japanese
market to promote the type of beauty that can be acquired by
using Za products.
Za display rack in Thailand
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