Introduction: “Sol de Janeiro is the perfect recipe between having the right product and assortment, the right colours and the right brand DNA.” That’s L’OCCITANE Group Marketing Director Global Travel Retail Mona L’Hostis’ emphatic observation as she reveals the secrets to the brand’s meteoric rise in global travel retail.
This success, according to L’Hostis, can be attributed to a focused product assortment, strategic social media engagement and impactful campaigns such as ‘Unleash Your Summer Self’, which have expanded the brand’s presence and appeal in key markets globally.
Since its acquisition in 2021, Sol de Janeiro has been one of the standout brands for L’OCCITANE Group. It grew +167% in FY2024 globally and now contributes over a quarter of the company’s overall sales.
L’Hostis reflects on the biggest milestones and learnings and what lies ahead for the brand as it continues to share its ‘Love It. Flaunt It. You’ve Got It.’ mantra with travellers all over the world.
Sol de Janeiro is a relative newcomer to travel retail but it has made a heady impression since those fledgling first steps with Dufry (now Avolta). L’OCCITANE Travel Retail Head of Marketing Mona L’Hostis says: “It has only been a year and a half since we launched Sol de Janeiro and we already have quite a wide coverage in terms of doors and channels.
“We are in airports, cruises and ferries and have good success onboard airlines. We are now starting to ramp this up even further.”
Commenting on the biggest milestone since the brand’s channel debut, she recounts: “We have done so many things since the launch, so it’s not just one specific thing but the entire journey.
“Looking back to our pre-launch with Avolta, we were amazed at what we have achieved in one year. We were so quick and agile and were able to jump on every opportunity they gave us.
“This is what makes me proud today. Our current summer campaign, Unleash Your Summer Self, takes that partnership to the next level and reflects our grand ambitions of what this brand can be in global travel retail.”
A year of dynamic activations
Travel retail is proving fertile territory for Sol de Janeiro. In 2024 alone, the brand has brought its joyful, body-positive spirit to numerous airports, exemplified by recent Délicia Drench animations at Sydney Airport with Heinemann Oceania and Paris Charles de Gaulle with Extime Duty Free.
Other animations include pop-ups at Kuala Lumpur International Airport with Heinemann Duty Free Malaysia, and a Carnival-themed campaign at Rio de Janeiro and São Paolo airports with Avolta and at Melbourne Airport with Lotte Duty Free.
L’Hostis says: “Sol de Janeiro is the perfect recipe between having the right product and assortment, the right colours and the right brand DNA. Sol de Janeiro promotes inclusivity and body positivity and feeling good about yourself, values that set it apart from anything else in the market.
“There is no brand even remotely like Sol de Janeiro in the premium bodycare category and in fragrance mists. The brand created the mist category and we now have an amazing footprint with mists comparable even to some other brands’ fragrance performances.”
Commenting on the biggest learnings, L’Hostis says: “One of the key insights is the power of having a small assortment. This is something that we are now applying to other brands in our portfolio. With a short assortment you can focus on driving conversion, which would be difficult if your assortment was too wide.
“Brands are always challenged on productivity per square metre,” she adds. “This is not something new but is more important than ever, particularly in stores where space is minimal. So we need to be super-efficient where we are. And to do this we need to have a short, consistent and clear assortment.”
A Gen Z favourite
One of the key elements to Sol de Janeiro’s success is its resonance with Gen Z shoppers, who have fully embraced the brand.
“The challenge we are facing in the coming years is to ensure that these customers know that we have Sol de Janeiro in airports. To achieve this, we need to partner with the retailers to better communicate and make sure that customers know they have new and Gen Z-oriented brands available such as Sol de Janeiro.”
Unleash Your Summer Self
The Unleash Your Summer Self global campaign is an investment that reflects L’OCCITANE Group’s belief in the brand’s potential.
“Unleash Your Summer Self is all about the freedom of wearing Sol de Janeiro and enjoying the summer,” L’Hostis explains. “The campaign, with its vibrant colours and visual cues, is centred on body positivity and joy. There is nothing in travel retail quite like it.
“This campaign importantly matches what we are doing in the local markets, so we are really amplifying it through targeted social media, OOH media and pre-, during and post-trip engagement. Throughout the summer, we hosted various events promoting our hero body creams and fragrance mists. We’re not promoting novelties, but instead shining the light on the bestsellers which are the true heroes of the brand.
“We have taken a true 360-degree approach with this campaign and focused on the experience aspect. We wanted to make the pop-ups destinations within themselves and change the experience from transactional to emotional. That is really our goal.
“With Unleash Your Summer Self we have everything from fun summer-inspired trolley carts, free cotton candy and lively DJ sets every week. Across all the animations, we offered free bracelets and other elements that allowed travellers to discover the Brazilian spirit of Sol de Janeiro.”
Having a good Trinity or, better yet, Quaternity partnership is crucial to bringing an ambitious campaign such as Unleash Your Summer Self to life. “People think that these pop-ups are a short-term thing, but they are a long-term investment and involve so many different stakeholders to achieve,” L’Hostis notes.
“There is so much collaboration involved and so we are thankful to our partners in travel retail for their continued trust and support.”
The two main locations for Unleash Your Summer Self were at London Heathrow with Avolta-owned World Duty Free and Istanbul Airport with Gebr. Heinemann and Unifree Duty Free. L’Hostis says: “Our objective is to grow stronger together so we can really try and push the boundaries. Sol de Janeiro is the perfect brand to achieve that.
“This is exactly what we have done with most retailers but our ambition goes beyond that. We are now talking about new projects that have never been done before, and how we can achieve that in the channel.
“To do this, we need to be incredibly collaborative with our retail partners so we can bring something truly new to travellers. The Trinity must work together to deliver the best experience to travellers so everyone can win. This is exactly what we are doing with Unleash Your Summer Self and we are already seeing the results.”
Looking ahead
Now, L’Hostis and the L’OCCITANE Travel Retail team are faced with the challenge of maintaining Sol de Janeiro’s impressive momentum in the channel.
“We are starting to launch some limited-edition SKUs in travel retail. This mirrors our strategy in the local market. We recently partnered with Gebr. Heinemann through limited-edition mists and the results were impressive.”
Beyond expanding its product range with limited editions and travel retail exclusives, L’Hostis and her team are also seeking to grow Sol de Janeiro’s footprint in the channel. “We have our current permanent spaces and are looking to expand our presence across key airports,”
Talking about geographical priorities, L’Hostis says: “Sol de Janeiro is not yet available in China but we are looking at that for sure. We are now exploring Southeast Asia and we’re only just beginning.
“Outside of Asia Sol de Janeiro is already everywhere. Europe is where we started and we have a strong presence there, particularly in the UK, which is our top country in terms of sales. Of course, we also enjoy a strong presence in the Americas.”
Sol de Janeiro’s rapid ascent in global travel retail is a testament to its effective brand and communication strategy. By homing in on a concise product range, the brand has captured the attention of Gen Z travellers, with campaigns such as the ‘Unleash Your Summer Self’ not only showcasing the brand’s playful spirit but also demonstrating the power of targeted, experience-driven marketing. ✈
