Beiersdorf opens salon stores in Berlin and Dubai
The first Nivea Haus opened in Hamburg in 2006 and its success has prompted the company to think about two more such concept stores.
The Haus offers consumers a number of treatments involving the Germany-based company’s flagship brand, such as manicures, massages and face treatments.
Concept store has regional makeover
Although the concept is much the same for the two new Haüser, the company notes significant differences between the Berlin and Dubai locations mainly due to the cultural and regional differences between the two markets.
Dubai’s Haus will focus mainly on cosmetic treatments such as hair styling and manicures in response to the high levels of fashion consciousness, whereas Berlin’s will in addition offer wellness treatments such as massages, explained the company.
According to Beiersdorf’s Pieter Nota, this recognition of market differences is one of the keys to the company’s success.
“Nivea has become the largest skin and beauty care brand in the world because it appreciates personal and regionally differing consumer needs,” he said.
Furthermore, the brand has received a significant marketing push in recent months, with the launch of the global ‘Beauty is…’ campaign.
The campaign launched in the Middle East earlier this year following the particularly good performance of the region in 2007.
Middle East is a growing market
The results were the best figures the country has achieved since it started trading in the area 40 years ago, and included a 47 per cent increase in the sales of Nivea products.
CEO of Beiersdorf Middle East Robert Taylor-Hughes said results were better than expected and would have been higher if the company had been able to keep up with demand.
"Our Sales would have been even higher for our region if not for the capacity issues we faced during the year, as a result of unexpected higher demand for our products across the world, especially for our newly launched products such as DNAge anti-age programme. Nonetheless, our supply chain optimisation programme (SCOPE) and new logistics facility in Jebel Ali Freezone improved our local service levels by 7 per cent during the year."
