Following the announcement that Shiseido had created a new global travel retail marketing team in accordance with the group’s Vision 2020, Global Travel Retail Marketing Director Elisabeth Jougelet has spoken to The Moodie Report about the division’s plans for the future.

“When it comes to travel retail, we are now more committed to the channel,” she said. “We have hired an analyst to help us better understand our key target: Chinese travellers.”

When asked how important the channel is to the group, Jougelet maintained, “Travel retail has to participate in building a global brand. Digital marketing will play a big part in this as global shoppers often plan their purchases digitally before buying. They are extremely savvy and very aware of price competitiveness. So, within travel retail, it is so important that the products create value and that is why we have a TR Exclusive Products Manager, Constance Raboulin.

“We want to excel in retail operations and to do this we need to commit to better penetration, an increase in productivity, improved visual merchandising and added value through travel retail exclusives. This is a very exciting period within the group for travel retail and we do have a strong momentum at the moment. It’s great because finally we have the strategy and the team in place to make this happen.”

The company is poised to roll out a new marketing campaign with the tagline ‘beauty vs the world’ in January, a new logo to emphasize Shiseido’s Japanese roots, and new counter design. “The brand experience at counter is key, particularly in travel retail. In department stores there will be a social table with the idea of experiencing products in a very playful way. In travel retail it’s a totally different story of course because transactions are very quick and space is at a premium so our newly hired Store Design Manager is currently working on how to integrate this experience into travel retail,” Jougelet told The Moodie Report.

The company will also concentrate on its digital communications. “The next big thing is definitely in digital, especially on mobile platforms. We see great opportunities to better engage global shoppers and accompany them along their journey.”