UK. L’OCCITANE Group has partnered with Dufry for the exclusive pre-launch of Brazilian beauty brand Sol de Janeiro in travel retail.
The brand is exclusively available in Dufry’s stores at London Heathrow and Gatwick Airport and will be rolled out in Stansted and Manchester airports in May.
Sol de Janeiro is already available with Dufry in Spain and will be launched in other key European airports in coming months, followed by a US, Canada, Argentina and Mexico roll-out. Sol de Janeiro will be released globally with other travel retail partners from June.
Sol de Janeiro has invested heavily in social media and offline marketing campaigns to reach its target Millennial and Gen Z audience. The brand believes that Dufry is the ideal partner to reach these audiences.
Sol de Janeiro’s London launch kicked off in Gatwick South Terminal, supported by Dufry’s Emotion+ campaign. The campaign leverages both online and offline channels to boost brand visibility and engage with travellers in a meaningful way.
Sol de Janeiro’s 360° campaign has enabled the brand to build brand awareness in the UK market through immersive in-store promotions and by engaging with customers through Dufry’s ‘Red by Dufry’ VIP programme.
The brand has also launched a big media campaign in Gatwick, Heathrow and Stansted airports – with Manchester to follow. The campaign promotes Sol de Janeiro in over 300 screens across the airports.
Sol de Janeiro is an inclusive beauty brand that celebrates diversity and body positivity. To highlight these key brand values, the partners have launched dynamic in-store visibility and pop-up spaces which feature empowering and colourful messages. 24 key Sol de Janeiro products are on display at the animations, while posters saying ‘Love It. Flaunt It. You’ve Got It.’ drive the brand’s key inclusive messaging.
According to the partners, initial results of the campaign have been very positive particularly with Millennial and Gen Z shoppers driving impulse purchases and enhancing awareness through user-generated content on social media.
“Dufry is really excited to partner with L’OCCITANE Group to launch Sol de Janeiro exclusively into travel retail from 1, April 2023, and we are already seeing an extremely positive customer response,” commented Dufry Head of Beauty for the UK Delphine Poultney.
“Sol de Janeiro fits in perfectly with Dufry’s strategy to bring in new and exciting brands which meet the demands of the customers visiting our stores. Our roll-out of Sol de Janeiro starts in the UK and European and US locations will then follow. We are looking forward to working in close collaboration with L’OCCITANE Group on further developments.”
L’OCCITANE Travel Retail EMEA & Americas General Manager Antoine Lafourcade added: “We are delighted to partner with Dufry for this two-month exclusive pre-launch of Sol de Janeiro in travel retail. Working with Dufry has offered Sol de Janeiro a tremendous travel retail launchpad in the UK, Europe and Americas.
“The brand is off to a flying start wildly exceeding expectations as it reaches new consumer profiles, young, tech-savvy, Millennials and Gen Z our travel retail partners are eager to attract. With summer on the way, we anticipate even stronger performance and success as the brand rolls out across in TR.”
Love It. Flaunt It. You’ve Got It.
Sol de Janeiro is one of the fastest-growing skincare brands in North America offering body care, fragrance and hair care products. Sol de Janeiro speaks to a multi-generational cross-section of consumers, with a particular focus on Millennial and Gen Z shoppers.
Sol de Janeiro was founded in 2015 by Heela Yang, a cosmetics industry expert and graduate of Harvard Business School. Yang relocated from the US to Brazil, where she launched Sol de Janeiro, which translates to ‘Sun of January’. The name takes inspiration from the Brazilian belief in loving and flaunting one’s body in a sunny, liberating and inclusive environment.
Sol de Janeiro’s hero product is the Brazilian Bum Bum Cream, with a jar sold every 14 seconds globally. The Brazilian Bum Bum Cream comes in a vibrant orange and white jar. It is a rich, fast-absorbing moisturiser centred around the guaraná plant, which offers a myriad of nourishing benefits. Native to the Amazon, the seeds of the guaraná plant offer a highly concentrated form of caffeine which stimulates micro-circulation on the skin.
Other pieces in the Bum Bum collection include the Brazilian Crush Cheirosa 62 Hair and Body Mist. The product pays tribute to the 1962 bossa nova classic, ‘The Girl from Ipanema’ and features scent that celebrates Rio beach culture. Cheirosa 62 opens with top notes of pistachio and almond with base notes of caramel, vanilla and sandalwood.
All Sol de Janeiro’s collections feature nutrient-rich formulas made from sustainable-sourced Brazilian ingredients. They are vegan-friendly, sulphate and cruelty free.
Commenting on the brand’s travel retail debut, L’OCCITANE Group Head of Global travel Retail Marketing Mona L’Hostis said: “We are thrilled to be supporting Sol de Janeiro at the start of its exciting travel retail journey. This life affirming and inclusive, best-selling brand has already garnered an obsessed and loyal multi-generational global following, especially among Gen Z shoppers. We therefore cannot wait to unveil its full potential and Brazilian sense of joy to travellers at airports worldwide.” ✈
