BRANDING: L'Oreal opens flagship HK store

The brand selected Hong Kong as the first market to open the boutique. The store is in the city's Causeway Bay shopping district and brings L'Oreal hair, skin and cosmetic products under one roof.

Anita Ma, marketing manager for L'Oreal Paris, said: "L'Oreal is the premium of mass brands. It has a number of beauty products and we really needed our own space to bring alive the brand. The new boutique is there to really express the brand through the concept of beauty. Hong Kong is a sophisticated city, so it made sense to test out the concept here before we took it to other markets."

The store features a magazine-like 'front page' design format, allowing it to focus on a different product each month as a 'cover story'. "This month, we're featuring (Hong Kong model) Michele Reis who represents one of our new L'Oreal products. Then, in the entrance, shoppers will see the editorial content or preview of what's in the store. This is important to get their attention."

Following the magazine concept, the store is divided into different categories or 'stories', such as a section on makeovers called 'Whole new me'. "Another unique part of the store is its men's corner. This was necessary because in today's magazines there is always something for him," said Ma.

The store launch coincides with a major television and online push for L'Oreal's Studio Line dubbed the 'Seven deadly sins' campaign.

See p11.