Welcome to the latest issue of The Moodie Davitt Report Spotlight Series, where we tell the story of Sol de Janeiro, a brand that has shone as brightly in travel retail as its dazzling sun-like hues since launching in the channel some 18 months ago.
With its vibrant Brazilian roots and a powerful message of body positivity, Sol de Janeiro has become an extraordinary travel retail and global markets success story. Sol de Janeiro sells a Brazilian Bum Bum Cream every 14 seconds globally amid a mission to inspire women to embrace beauty in all shapes, skin tones and sizes.
For parent company L’OCCITANE International’s financial year ended 31 March 2024 Sol de Janeiro represented 27% of sales (up from 12.5% a year earlier), heady progress for a brand only acquired in late 2021.
In these pages, we explore Sol de Janeiro’s philosophy through an interview with Founder Heela Yang. She reflects on the brand’s journey and its mission to bring Brazilian beauty to the world, while championing inclusivity and self-love. Since its launch, Sol de Janeiro has captured the confident spirit of Brazilian culture, resonating with consumers across generations.
We also showcase highlights from the brand’s dynamic pop-up campaign, Unleash Your Summer Self, which ran across 105 airports worldwide. The campaign’s scale and ambition reflected Sol de Janeiro’s growing presence in travel retail, with major activations at London Heathrow, Istanbul and other key airports.
L’OCCITANE Group Marketing Director Global Travel Retail Mona L’Hostis sheds light on the key strategies driving Sol de Janeiro’s impressive growth in travel retail. L’Hostis attributes the success to a well-curated product assortment, strong social media engagement and impactful pop-up campaigns such as Unleash Your Summer Self, which have seen the brand’s presence and appeal to travellers skyrocket.
Since its debut, Sol de Janeiro has positioned itself as a leading beauty brand in travel retail, bringing a special blend of joy, inclusivity and cultural authenticity to travellers worldwide. The brand’s appeal to Gen Z and Millennial travellers has been particularly notable, with the message of body positivity resonating strongly with these audiences.
We hope you enjoy this special edition and the ebullient ethos of what ranks in more ways than one among travel retail’s brightest brands. ✈
The Moodie Davitt Report Brands Director Hannah Tan
