A heritage J-beauty brand builds a loyal following in the U.S.
CHALLENGE
How to debut a renowned skincare brand that’s beloved in Japan but unknown to most Americans?
CONTEXT
Anyone who knows Japanese beauty knows Albion, a heritage brand that got its start in 1956 with the vision of becoming the world’s No. 1 cosmetics maker. Its hero product—Skin Conditioner Essential—is a cult favorite among J-beauty connoisseurs worldwide.
But the brand is essentially unknown in the States, where Albion planned to open up a flagship store in one of the hippest shopping districts in America—LA’s Abbot Kinney Boulevard. The brand turned to StoryCraft when it came time to introduce Albion to U.S. in-the-know beauty shoppers.
ACTION
At StoryCraft, everything starts with a foundational understanding of the brand and its values—what it stands for and it can do for customers. For Albion, we dove deep into its history to come up with a refreshed brand story that would resonate with a contemporary American audience.
To succeed, today’s beauty brands need to sell more than high-quality products. That’s table stakes. They need to sell a brand promise that goes beyond the product. For Albion, here’s how we defined its purpose: To empower you to find your own beauty. To reveal the genuine beauty that’s been there all along.
With this powerful message of empowerment, Albion US could go beyond the traditional, product-focused marketing of its Japanese counterparts toward a more emotive, stickier brand hook. By building a debut campaign around #findyourbeauty, Albion is now attracting a highly engaged audience for its flagship store