Shiseido Travel Retail partners with China Duty Free Group to unveil ‘NARS Voyage’
The NARS Voyage outpost at CDF Sanya International Duty Free Complex, Haitang Bay Sanya Block C
Building on the success of 2023’s NARS Light The Way campaign, Shiseido Travel Retail is taking travelers on an immersive journey with a 360, omnichannel experience, ‘NARS Voyage’, this month.
The traveler’s journey commences online with the NARS Voyage WeChat Mini Program and culminates in a spectacular retail showcase at CDF Sanya International Duty Free Complex, Haitang Bay Sanya Block C. This enhanced retail experience captivates travelers at every touchpoint.
Siv Chao, Vice President, Marketing, Shiseido Travel Retail, said, “At Shiseido Travel Retail, our ambition is to create a New Culture of Beauty and unique value for travelers through our experiences, services and products. We are thrilled to connect with travelers through immersive retail experiences inspired by Omotenashi. The new ‘NARS Voyage’ campaign offers a VIP omnichannel experience, providing an elevated, seamless journey that caters to the beauty needs of travelers. We extend our gratitude to the China Duty Free Group team for their invaluable collaboration in bringing NARS Voyage, and our broader vision in travel, to life. We hope this bold experience enriches the shopping journey and inspires travelers to rediscover the beauty in travel.”
Dorothy Liu, Vice President / Deputy General Manager, Product Merchant Department at China Duty Free Group, added, “Launching the ‘NARS Voyage’ pop-up is a milestone in our longstanding partnership with Shiseido Travel Retail. Successful omnichannel activations hinge on the seamless integration of online and offline touchpoints to create a cohesive and engaging shopping experience. ‘NARS Voyage’ achieves this beautifully, with advanced features designed to meet the evolving needs of our Chinese customers. We are excited to welcome NARS into this innovative space and lead the trend in travel retail market.”
The NARS Voyage Collection is highlighted in the promotion
Kicking off the omnichannel experience, the WeChat Mini Program, which launched on June 10, includes several interactive elements such as virtual try-ons with iconic makeup looks crafted by the NARS artistry team utilizing products from the NARS Voyage Collection; product exploration and direct purchase options that enhance consumer interaction with the retailer’s ecommerce platform; and gamification to earn ‘miles’ that are used to upgrade the NARS Voyage Boarding Pass. The more miles travelers earn, the more attractive gifts they can redeem at the outpost.
Upon redemption of their NARS Voyage Boarding Pass at the pop-up, travelers will also receive a NARS Passport that allows them to ‘check-in’ to the NARS Lounge, where they can explore product discovery zones, an on-site photobooth for photo sharing, and receive makeover services with purchase.
Travelers will receive a stamp on their NARS Passport for every challenge completed, and once three stamps are collected from the product discovery zones and sharing of photobooth shots, travelers will be treated to exclusive samples at the end of their experience.
The outpost is modeled after an exclusive airport lounge, anchored in the iconic NARS colors and the theme of the TREX collection
The first-ever NARS animation in the newly opened Block C sets the stage with the ambience of an exclusive airport lounge, perfectly embodying the theme of the new TREX collection. Throughout July, the offline component of ‘NARS Voyage’ offers an immersive VIP experience, complete with AI facial scanning technology for a personalized product discovery and weekly live makeup shows by Chinese celebrity artist Hua Tian Qi, alongside NARS Regional Artists from China and Hong Kong.
Echoing the elegance of an exclusive airport lounge, the pop-up’s décor is anchored in the iconic NARS colors of red and black. A distinctive conveyor belt, reminiscent of airport baggage claims and aligned with the travel theme, showcases the TREX collection and bestsellers ready for takeoff.
The ‘NARS Voyage’ collection includes the iconic bestseller Jumbo Light Reflecting Setting Powder, a refreshed Light Reflecting Ultimate Face Palette, the Light Reflecting Foundation Duo set in Mont Blanc, the Radiant Creamy Concealer Duo set in Vanilla and CDF-exclusive set ‘Ace Your Base’.
To maximize engagement, the omnichannel campaign targets Chinese digital natives through a comprehensive paid media campaign across digital channels in China, exclusive gift with purchase offers, retailer amplification, and a special Alipay e-commerce amplification campaign. When using Alipay at NARS boutiques at Block C and Xin Hai Gang, customers will receive a coupon with a minimum spend. The campaign also includes a collaboration with the Rosewood Sanya hotel – featuring ads promoting the campaign across LED screens and guestroom televisions at the hotel. Hotel guests will also enjoy exclusive NARS room drops in selected room types, and an exclusive NARS x Rosewood Sanya ‘NARS Cosmic Voyage’ cocktail at the hotel sky bar.
As China’s tourism sector is projected to reach US$2.61 trillion and make up 11.4% of GDP by 2025, Chinese tourists are expected to make more than 6 billion domestic trips in 2024. As Chinese consumption demand evolves post-pandemic, offering high-quality products, premium branding and rapid, insights-driven responses to market changes will continue to be key success indicators.
According to Shiseido Travel Retail, the ‘NARS Voyage’ campaign “aligns with what travelers are seeking – luxurious, trend-led and immersive shopping experience that elevate their journey”.
