KAO brings SOFINA brand to Singapore to raise profile in SEA

KAO has launched skincare brand SOFINA in Singapore. As the first brand in Japan with skin analysis machines, the launch sees SOFINA introduce these machines exclusively at its flagship space at ISETAN Scotts.SOFINA aims to use its presence in Singapore as a launchpad to further raise its profile in Asia and strengthen its brand presence in the ASEAN region. The success of Singapore as its trial market will be key to deciding how the company will move forward in other markets and the long-term planning for Singapore. The company's focus is to strategically introduce the product in Singapore, stretch the dollar and also ensure penetration.As part of its marketing strategy, SOFINA is working with three key brand ambassadors. They are influencers, Liv Lo, Amanda Chaang and Janice Koh. Coming from different walks of life, the three influencers held a lively conversation broaching topics from health, exercise, diet, nutrition and beauty. KAO is working with its agency Hakuhodo Singapore, to help break the brand as it forays into the Southeast Asia market.Besides the influencers, SOFINA is focused on real life experiences hence a high investment in user experience rather than using them as typical online influencers. Beyond this, a lot of effort will be to establish brand presence with the media and onground efforts such as events, pop-ups, giveaways and product experience with the technology. This will be targeted towards women in their late twenties and thirties.On partnering Hakuhodo Singapore for its launch into this region, Atsushi Yoneyama, president of Kao Singapore said that the choice to engage Hakuhodo was based on its expertise in launching new products as well as its intimate knowledge of the market and what works in this region.Yoshihiro Fukumoto, managing director of Hakuhodo Singapore said, "Leveraging on our Sei-Katsu-Sha philosophy, we were able to better understand our target audience, and reach out to them not as another economic entity, but as people with aspirations. Then it’s a matter of optimising relevant and effective platforms to engage them.”