Publicis' Tokyo office will create a new brand identity for Shu Uemura that will be used in its below-the-line and PR communications globally.
"The brand is developing and moving forward," commented Thierry Lacaze, CEO of Publicis' Japan. "It is time to have a solid base on which to build all the communications."
Overseas markets make up half of Shu Uemura turnover, with Asia accounting for the lion's share of international business. Publicis, a L'Oreal roster agency, won the business in a pitch against Dentsu. The company expects to unveil Shu Uemura's visual identity by the end of the year.
"This won't be traditional advertising," commented Publicis' Asia-Pacific strategy director George Singleton. "It's more about creating a brand identity via a visual code, that will be used in point-of-sale, brochures, instore and PR, all with the intention of creating buzz, word-of-mouth for the brand." Shu Uemura has traditionally eschewed advertising. "The communication model will remain PR and below-the-line oriented for the moment," Lacaze said.
The skincare range is available in over 23 countries.
