Sharing wisdom: philosophy SEA relaunch targets younger consumers with education focus

In April this year, parent company Coty announced the brand’s comeback with a new product innovation, the dose of wisdom bouncy skin reactivating serum. The product launch was aligned with the brand’s refreshed formulation principle: dermatologic wisdom.

The relaunch of philosophy is part of Coty’s aim to double skin care sales by 2025. Other skin care brands in its portfolio include Lancaster, Orveda, Kylie Skin, and SKKN by Kim.

The brand said it was excited to be “reinvigorated” the SEA region, where 59% of prestige beauty sales are driven by skin care.

Speaking to CosmeticsDesign-Asia​, Paul Mitchell, senior director, global education and events, philosophy, highlighted how the market has changed since the brand debuted in 1996.

“Over time, the client has become more educated, more interested in ingredients, and more concerned about sensitivity, and we have updated our brand messages to match,” ​said Mitchell.

Keeping it simple

As part of the brand relaunch in SEA, where it is available through retail partner Sephora, the brand appointed Jeff Satur, a Thai singer-songwriter and musician as a brand ambassador.

“With philosophy, our focus was to introduce our new brand communication and skin care formulation principle dermatologic wisdom and create a new point of difference in skin care, especially with the younger audience,”​ said Kristina Strunz, managing director, Coty Southeast Asia & India.

Mitchell elaborated: “We have recently focused on telling our technology story in a more dramatic visual way and reinforced our dermatologic wisdom and expertise. Not to mention our 25 plus years of experience – proof that our products work. We have maintained the core that makes everything work so well: our incredible formulations.”  ​

Strunz said that the brand relaunch was underpinned by a digital-first strategy to drive brand awareness and engagement with the younger audience.

“In addition, we have partnered closely with our key retailer, Sephora to engage with the audience and drive commercial success through a series of regional and local activations, such as sampling and podium events,”​ said Strunz.

“We know that consumers are extremely savvy and seek a more simplified skin care regimen with efficacious products that have multiple benefits. While online shopping for skin care is the norm, the physical in-store experience remains key for the consumer to browse and seek beauty advice.”​

The same philosophy

While this has been billed as a brand revamp, Mitchell emphasised that the brand’s core principles have not changed.

“It’s fascinating to me that our formulation principles have been the same the whole time, even if they weren’t spoken about. Beyond ingredients, it’s about the science of actives, delivered to where the skin needs it the most, for long term efficacy without the irritation, even on sensitive skin,”​ said Mitchell.

“The other things that have remained constant are the way we listen to the clients’ needs but balance those with what dermatologists tells us about what skin needs. The goal is to always have long-term efficacy but without irritation.”​

The brand noted that its best-sellers endured the market trends and shifts with the same formulations. As such, both Mitchell and Strunz emphasised that the brand was not out to reinvent for reinvention’s sake.

What remains important is being close to its consumers.

“Our product development experts are really driven to innovate by looking at what our clients tell us they need, and then working to deliver it in an unexpected way – whether that’s a texture, revolutionary new ingredient, packaging or combination of them all,” ​said Mitchell.