Shiseido’s new Ultimune Power Infusion Serum commences travel retail roll-out

March 1 was a suitably coloured red-letter day for Japanese beauty house Shiseido as its much-anticipated blockbuster new Ultimune Power Infusion Serum launched in travel retail.

As reported, the new line – the fourth incarnation in Ultimune’s 11-year history – was unveiled in Tokyo last week during a two-day event attended by  journalists (including The Moodie Davitt Report from the travel retail sector), KOLs and business partners.

The new serum’s duty-free roll-out began in Japan and other Asia Pacific and European markets at the beginning of this month, to be followed by the Middle East in July.

Speaking to The Moodie Davitt Report last week at the downtown Japan Duty Free Ginza store in Tokyo, Shiseido Travel Retail Japan Vice President Tatsuya Nagai said, “This is the biggest initiative for us this year. As the world’s first Memory T cell anti-ageing serum, it is a very big innovation in the skincare category. It’s a breakthrough technology… which, I think, will change consumer behaviour.”

Nagai highlighted the way Shiseido was dressing famous Ginza landmarks such as the Mitsukoshi and Matsuya (see below) department stores and Shiseido Parlour in support of the launch.

“Ginza is a very famous place in Japan, so we believe a lot of travellers will see these promotions and it will have a big impact on awareness,” he said.

Shiseido Chief Brand Officer Echo Lo told The Moodie Davitt Report, “We keep pushing and then challenging evolution… we never stop – we always challenge the status quo to keep evolving.”

During an extensive interview (to be published later this month), Lo emphasised the new product had not been launched driven by any marketing need to refresh the Ultimune line but because of a scientific quantum leap.

“Because we have such a great research breakthrough, we think it is very important to disrupt the beauty market,” she commented “This product really does what it says – age is just a number.”

Lo said travel retail will play a key role for new Ultimune Power Infusion Serum, especially given the line’s multi-generation focus. “We want this product to be universal. It should be cross generational, so that at any age you should – and you are entitled to – use it. A lot of products are very targeted in terms of generation. We intentionally want to open the door much wider.”

Commenting on the ‘Freedom from Age’ mantra that accompanies the launch, Lo observed, “Freedom from age is a very beautiful notion. Every generation thinks differently about ageing. So freedom is actually a very broad concept. And travel retail encompasses very different profiles. There are business travellers, leisure travellers and even people who maybe are finally making a once in a lifetime trip.

“So I think we are an amplifier. We are an empowerment for people to be free from the concept of ageing that constrains or limits them.”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by @onlny_winmetawin

(Above) Thai actor, entrepreneur and influencer Metawin Opas-iamkajorn (Win) was a big drawcard at the launch

*Look out for our interviews with Echo Lo, Tatsuya Nagai and Kentaro Kajiya, Vice President Business Core Technology Center at Mirai Technology Institute, coming soon.