Latin Beat: Coty Reinforces Latin American Brand Presence

Fabio Palazzi, general manager for Coty Argentina, informed GCI magazine that the company’s local Argentine subsidiary is beginning to export aerosol deodorants throughout Latin America. Only the European and Latin American subsidiaries produce deodorants in this format. The company began production at local levels in 2005, and now leads the region in the product category. Adidas will be the primary deodorant brand export. Palazzi also announced that, as of January 2007, Coty’s Brazilian branch will operate under the direction of the Argentine subsidiary.

The Calvin Klein brand, which was acquired by Coty in 2005 and is distributed in Argentina by Bright Star Group due to a previous agreement with Unilever, could be under the management of the local subsidiary by December 2007, allowing Coty to reinforce its presence in Argentina. Palazzi noted the return to Argentine consumption levels similar to those prior to the devaluation of local currency in 2001.

Beautyworld in Buenos Aires

Cosmesur Beautyworld Buenos Aires International Hair Styling, Perfume, Cosmetics, Aesthetics and Beauty Fair will celebrate its 14th show in Buenos Aires, September 14–17, 2007. The event will be organized by Indexport Messe Frankfurt (which organizes the show worldwide) for the fourth consecutive year. Floor space has increased 2,000 square meters to 22,000 square meters since the 2005 show. Organizers have created a new visual identity for the show, and expect to host 200 local companies.

New to the show is the Hair & Beauty section, which will feature training and new products aimed at the professional stylist, and training will also be key in the Second International Congress of Applied Aesthetics. The event is supported by the Argentine Chamber of Cosmetic and Perfumery (CAPA).

Idesa Parfums Launches in Latin America

The Spanish company Idesa Parfums plans to launch Pura Esencia and Pura Esencia Man, the two fragrances signed by Spanish pop singer David Bisbal, in Latin America. Idesa hopes the products achieve the same popularity in Mexico, Argentina, Colombia, Peru and Chile as recorded in Spain. In Argentina and Peru, the brand will be represented by the Argentine distributor Greta, which finalized the last details of the agreement at the recently held Duty Free Show of The Americas, organized by the International Association of Airport Duty Free Stores and held in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Idesa has also signed a worldwide agreement with Spanish musician Alejandro Sanz for the development and marketing of fragrances under his name, to be launched in Spain at the end of 2007. Latin American launches will follow.

HR Goes Five Star

Helena Rubinstein’s Live Brilliantly was launched at hotel Palacio Duhau, which offers HR products in its spa. The new line, which is faced globally by Demi Moore, will be represented locally by Argentine actress Andrea Frigerio.

Located on the famous Alvear Avenue, the hotel Palacio Duhau–Park Hyatt Buenos Aires is situated in the city’s most exclusive and fashionable downtown residential and shopping district.

Bright Star Adds Ferrari

Bright Star Group announced the addition of a new Ferrari fragrance line to its portfolio. The line includes three fragrances for men—Ferrari Red, Ferrari Black and Ferrari Passion—designed to communicate elegance, prestige and excellence.

Bright Star Group was founded in 1990, and is focused on cosmetics for both men and women. Its Argentine operations launched in January 2005, and are responsible for the distribution of several fragrance lines—including Calvin Klein, Jean Paul Gaultier, Issey Miyake and Lagerfeld. Currently, Bright Star Group employs more than 450 people in the three countries in which it operates: Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay. The company states that its largest market is Brazil, where it holds 60% of the market share.

Natura Continues Expansion

As part of its expansion plans for 2007, Brazilian beauty brand Natura launched a portfolio of 300 products in Venezuela. The company already markets 600 products in Brazil—including fragrances, makeup, skin and hair care, deodorants, soaps and shave creams.

Venezuela represents “a country full of investment and growth opportunities” for Natura, according to Anderson Feracini, general manager for Venezuela Natura. Feracini notes that the strategy in the country will go beyond business, because a corporate philosophy that incorporates balance and integration among economic, financial, social and environmental aspects provides the strongest foundation of company growth. “The concepts that envelop our products are agents of social transformation that seek to strengthen a more fair and balanced society that is involved with care for the environment,” said Feracini.

Natura began marketing in Chile in 1982, Argentina and Peru in 1994 and Mexico in 2005. The company also has a presence in Bolivia through a distribution agreement established in 1987, and inaugurated, in 2005, the first world store of the brand, Casa Natura, in Paris.

Quiksilver Launches

In September, Inter Parfums will launch fragrances and skin care lines produced under the Quiksilver name, as well as Roxy sun care products, in Uruguay, Peru, Chile and Argentina. The brand will be distributed by Greta, announced the company’s general manager, Renato Saphir. The contract between Quiksilver and Inter Parfums runs through December 2017, a step that Bernard Mariette, president of Quiksilver, considers a new step in the diversification of the company.

Greta also began distribution of Van Cleef & Arpels (Inter Parfums) in Uruguay, Peru, Chile and Argentina in January 2007, and launched products from fashion brand Morgan in Uruguay in April.

Kenzo Bets on the Latin Market

In March, Patrick Guedj, creative director of the LVMH Moët Hennessy–Louis Vuitton-owned Kenzo brand, visited Argentina to introduce a marketing effort for the Flower by Kenzo fragrance. The effort is supported by a strong audiovisual campaign, to be broadcast on Latin American television. In the introduction, Guedj showed a making of the film video.

“The Flower by Kenzo film, with actress Shu Qi, is my tenth film for Kenzo perfumes,” Guedj told the large crowd of Argentine journalists at Yacht Club Puerto Madero. “Initially, I worked with the creators, the ‘noses,’ as well as focused on the packaging design and the flasks. There is a harmony in the whole creation.”

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