Page 29 - Sphere No.20 (Nov 2007)

SPHERE 27
Among the products that she will endorse will be a
range of skin whiteners, a popular item with cosmetics
brands in all parts of Asia. It is a popularity that puzzles
people unfamiliar with the market, especially those
from Europe and the United States, where women want
to look bronzed.
The explanation is quite simple – pale skin is a status
symbol and a sign of affluence. In Thailand and China,
for example, women are likely to have dark skin from labouring in the fields, while those with more
delicate complexions have the option of staying out of the sun.
There is also reluctance among younger women to use too much make-up. The
rationale in China is that delicate, light skin needs only a smattering of help, in the
shape of foundation; thicker make-up is traditionally the preserve of more mature
women who need to disguise wrinkles and the inevitable by-products of ageing.
One recent trend that is something of a surprise, particularly in China, is the popu-
larity of products such as face masks, more a luxury item than a cosmetics staple. It is
partially a result of the market maturing at such a fast rate – consumers are now con-
fident enough, knowledgeable enough and affluent enough, to buy such products.
“Basic products will always be the real heroes for us but niche areas are where
we have had big success recently,” says Mr Miles of A S Watson. “People are will-
ing to experiment and try other products. In the area of facial care we have had
some real winners. For women in China, looks are incredibly important and there
is a lot of peer pressure to look like movie stars and famous people.”
Again, the concept of what constitutes beauty is different from the Western world.
The iconic figure for youngChinese is British-raised actressMaggieCheung, who is at-
tractive, confident, worldly and independent, rather than someone likeGongLi, whose
sultry, alluring looks tend towards theWestern concept of classic Chinese beauty.
Watsons also benefits from its long presence in China and its executives’ aware-
ness of the beat of the street. And because Watsons is such a renowned name, con-
sumers are happy to try its own labels, which are pitched at more affordable prices
than the heavyweight international names.
Meanwhile, the pace of growth in China continues to stagger even retail-industry
veterans.Watsons stores are opening here, there and everywhere: by the end of the year,
there will be some 300 stores in 40 different cities in Mainland China. In the so-called
second- and third-tier cities, the opening of a Watsons store can be a major event, the
first chance locals have to encounter a wide range of elaborately-displayed beauty prod-
ucts, with the option of seeking advice fromwell-trained and knowledgeable staff.
Mr Miles sees no sign of a slowdown as China continues its relentless economic
surge. Even he occasionally blinks with disbelief at the pace of change – and the speed
of sales. “What Europe and the rest of the world went through in 50 years, they have
done in five years in terms of catching up,” he says. “China is growing so fast...”
Cosmetics are big
sellers in a country
where Maggie Cheung
(centre photo) is regarded
as the epitome of
Chinese beauty.
SERVING UP SUCCESS
THE Watsons Health, Well-
ness and Beauty Awards is
an important annual event
for the beauty industry in China. This
year, more than 500 suppliers and 50
media representatives were invited
to the award ceremony where 107
awards were handed out to leading
health and beauty brands. Apart from
rewarding the industry leaders, the
ceremony was also a fun event. The
highlight of the evening saw Watsons
China’s Managing Director Christian
Nothhaft and Merchandising Direc-
tor Peter Davies, along with the
whole merchandising team, dress as
chefs and serve the first dish to the
guests. A key part of the evolving
China beauty market, Watsons was
named Most Influential Brand 2007
by the Beijing Shopping Guide. Wat-
sons’ own label today carries more
than 700 products in China.