FROM THE PUBLISHER
LENDING A NEW DIMENSION
TO ‘Social Retail’
Welcome to THE Moodie Davitt Spotlight Series eZine.
This must surely rank as one of the most compelling and certainly the most inspiring editions of our series yet, one that tells the tale of a concept and a collaboration stretching into territory hitherto unseen in travel retail.
On 1 May, the first day of the annual Labour Day holidays, prestige skincare brand SK-II opened its first ‘Social Retail’ pop-up store in partnership with China Duty Free Group. The pop-up store is currently open in Sanya International Duty Free Shopping Complex in Haitang Bay, as well as the Mova Mall in downtown Haikou.
‘Social Retail’ is a fusion of physical retail with new technology. That sounds simple enough but in Hainan SK-II has taken the premise to thrilling new heights. Here, the term ‘social’ takes on an important dual dimension. Augmented reality and gamified skincare experiences converge with a social purpose driven by two notable concepts.
The first one is #CHANGEDESTINY – SK-II’s long-running brand purpose and philosophy (see page 8), which celebrates how destiny (generally understood as the predetermination of events in one’s life) is not a matter of chance but a matter of choice.
Inspired by the stories of women from around the world, #CHANGEDESTINY sheds light on the pressures they face and the universal ‘box’ they are put in to reach perfection in society’s eyes.
The second is the extraordinary new ‘VS’ Series from SK-II STUDIO, also launched on 1 May. SK-II STUDIO is the brand’s first film studio division and content hub, dedicated to tackling societal pressures that women face through the power of film and storytelling.
The ‘VS’ Series, which we profile on page 6, is a ground-breaking animated anthology series starring female Olympic athletes aiming to inspire women to #CHANGEDESTINY. Each film tackles different forms of societal pressures that women experience, portraying them through a ‘kaiju’, Japanese for ‘strange beast’, that must be defeated for them to own their destiny.
In this edition we explore how #CHANGEDESTINY and the ‘VS’ Series have been brought together to exhilarating effect with CDFG in Hainan. We discover how, both outside and within the realms of a physical store, shoppers are immersed in a cinematic universe with just a click of their mobile phones.
We learn how SK-II has turned the alienation of queuing into an integral and engaging part of the experience (‘Waiting doesn’t have to feel like waiting’). Inside the store, visitors can enjoy personalised yet contactless skincare analysis, discover SK-II’s iconic products, such as the PITERA™ Essence, and even receive a complimentary special edition collectible pin.
There’s more, much more, to this marriage of physical and digital, of purpose and product, that we have endeavoured to bring to life in this publication just as SK-II and China Duty Free Group have done so superbly in Hainan.
We hope you enjoy this edition and discover, as we did, how ‘The line is the ride’.
Martin Moodie, Chairman, The Moodie Davitt Report
