Drunk Elephant is making its highly-anticipated debut in travel retail and duty-free.
Shiseido Travel Retail has strengthened its skin beauty business with the much-awaited launch of leading prestige skincare brand, Drunk Elephant, in global travel retail. Drunk Elephant’s effective and biocompatible products, unique brand voice, and strong community engagement have garnered a loyal following worldwide, setting the stage for its timely expansion into the travel retail channel.
Capitalising on this momentum, Shiseido Travel Retail has hailed a succession of debut door openings for Drunk Elephant across Asia and EMEA travel retail in the fourth quarter of 2021. The strategic roll-out, which began end September, includes key downtown and airport duty free locations in Greater China (Hong Kong and Macau), South Korea, France and the Middle East. The brand looks to further expand its reach in travel retail in 2022, with additional locations to open in Thailand, Germany and the United States.
The introduction into travel retail is a major milestone that marks the first time that the Drunk Elephant range – along with new travel-exclusive sets – will be available to global travellers. Chinese travellers will now be able to purchase Drunk Elephant products at travel retail counters in some of their favourite travel destinations, as the brand has only been available for purchase online through its cross-border platform in mainland China to date.
Drunk Elephant is set to further develop in strategic duty free markets where it has a strong domestic presence, leveraging Shiseido Travel Retail’s expertise and partnerships to connect with diverse traveller audiences around the world.
The Drunk Elephant Difference
Since Tiffany Masterson founded Drunk Elephant in 2012, her goal to deliver top-of-the-line skincare products that live up to their claims has remained the same. Staying true to her ingredient-elimination philosophy, the Drunk Elephant range is formulated with only biocompatible ingredients that focus on healthy pH levels, formulations the skin recognizes, and effective active ingredients that also support and maintain the skin’s acid mantle.
What is left out of the products is just as important as what is put in – as such, Drunk Elephant products are free from the Suspicious 6™ ingredients that Tiffany believes is at the root of almost every skin issue: essential oils, drying alcohols, silicones, chemical sunscreens, fragrances/dyes, SLS . Consumers are encouraged to take a Drunk Break™ by removing the Suspicious 6™ entirely from their skincare routines, so that skin can reset and return to its healthiest, most balanced state.
Drunk Elephant’s products are silicone-free and biocompatible with skin, so they mix easily and are highly absorbable, allowing users to blend the products together – instead of layering them – to form a Skincare Smoothie. Much like choosing ingredients for a daily smoothie based on the body’s needs, users can pick products for morning and evening skincare smoothies based on how their skin feels – mixing any of Drunk Elephant’s serums, creams, or oils together in the palm of their hand and applying them all at the same time.
Philippe Lesné, President & CEO, Shiseido Travel Retail, commented: “I am delighted to welcome Drunk Elephant into our prestige portfolio. The opening of the brand’s first travel retail counters is an important achievement that underpins Shiseido Group’s goal to become a global leader in skin beauty by 2030. With the launch, Shiseido Travel Retail is bringing Tiffany Masterson’s unique skincare philosophy to travelers worldwide for the first time – an opportune development with huge potential, as consumers increasingly seek out functional skincare and simpler routines.
Lesné continued: “Travel retail is a global showcase for exceptional consumer experiences, differentiated products and digital engagement, and Drunk Elephant is a great fit. Thank you to our retailer partners for trusting and supporting us in this landmark launch – together with Tiffany and her team, we look forward to unlocking new synergies for growth and developing Drunk Elephant to its full potential in the channel.”
Making a Statement with ‘House of Drunk’
With a range of retail formats and sizes, the dynamic new Drunk Elephant counters command attention in the crowded travel retail environment. Bringing to life the vibrant ‘House of Drunk’ concept, the counters create bold, inclusive and irreverent shopping spaces through the use of bright neon colors and playful patterns.
Each counter expression incorporates an element of surprise, such as the unique use and layering of materials, curious play of forms and geometry, and lively messaging in friendly tones – inviting travelers to discover Drunk Elephant and create their own “Drunk Journey”.
The launch of Drunk Elephant is supported by a comprehensive digital marketing campaign in collaboration with strategic travel retail partners, in order to amplify the brand online and offline – this includes multiple in-store activations across key locations.
Product Showcase
The newly opened travel retail counters feature a selection of kits and travel exclusives which include Drunk Elephant’s bestsellers:
The Littles™ Night Out Kit
The Littles are the perfect travel companion to reset skin to its healthiest, most balanced state. The Night Out Kit includes four bestsellers – Beste™ No. 9 Jelly Cleanser (60ml), B-Hydra™ Intensive Hydration Serum (8ml), T.L.C. Framboos™ Glycolic Night Serum (8ml), and Protini™ Polypeptide Cream (15ml) – that go to work resurfacing, smoothing, and hydrating skin while you sleep.
Drunk To Go – Travel Exclusives
Drunk Elephant has created its first travel-exclusive kits – under the ‘Drunk To Go’ range – to help consumers combat the common skin conditions experienced during travel:
• When In Roam: The strengthening polypeptides of Protini™ Polypeptide Cream (50ml) and the hard-core hydration of B-Hydra™ Intensive Hydration Serum (50ml) keep skin firm, plump, and healthy at 35,000 feet.
• The Takeoff Kit: T.L.C. Framboos™ Glycolic Night Serum (50ml) exfoliates dead skin cells, while Lala Retro™ Whipped Cream (15ml) and B-Hydra™ Intensive Hydration Serum (8ml) moisturize and hydrate the skin for a smoother, brighter complexion by the time you land.
