How INNISFREE is showing the way for a successful sustainable beauty business

Renowned Korean beauty brand, INNISFREE, has unveiled an enchanting new identity that encapsulates its essence like never before. Under the resonant tagline, ‘Clean Island, where clean nature and healthy beauty coexist happily’, INNISFREE has embarked on a journey that brings us one step closer to a harmonious embrace of nature and healthy beauty. This rebranding initiative encompasses a new visual identity, a rejuvenated website, and highly anticipated product updates.

At the heart of this fresh identity lies the distinctive Active Green colour, meticulously developed by INNISFREE, radiating life and vitality, and destined to become a consistent hallmark in the brand’s packaging system. With a decade-long legacy, INNISFREE is now poised to underline the remarkable efficiency and efficacy of natural ingredients in nourishing our skin, vividly bringing the ingredient journey to life.

In conversation with Adgully, Paul Lee, Managing Director, AmorePacific Group, speaks at length about the rebranding of INNISFREE, how the brand is revitalising Jeju Island, meeting the growing demand for eco-friendly and vegan products, and much more…

Could you provide some insights into the journey of INNISFREE in India over the past decade and the significant milestones that it has achieved in the country?

INNISFREE India has achieved a decade of success under its belt in the country, marking a significant milestone in its journey. The brand’s commitment to driving delight and offering a diversified range of products has contributed to its growth. The brand is renowned for its natural and eco-friendly skincare products. INNISFREE has a strong presence through its offline stores and online platforms, catering to the growing demand for Korean beauty products in the Indian market. INNISFREE’s success can be attributed to its commitment to quality, innovative products, and a loyal customer base.

INNISFREE’s rebranding is quite refreshing. Could you elaborate on the thought process behind the new logo and slogan, and how they represent INNISFREE’s commitment to nature and healthy beauty?

INNISFREE’s rebranding, including the new logo and slogan, is a reflection of the brand’s commitment to nature and beauty. The new logo, with its combination of upper- and lowercase letters and a brighter shade of green, reflects the brand’s bold and revolutionary spirit. The new logo focuses on natural energy and active ingredients, symbolising INNISFREE’s exploration of nature’s infinite energy. The slogan, ‘Effective, Nature-Powered Skincare Discovered from the Island’, showcases the brand’s can-do spirit in exploring the power of nature. INNISFREE aims to create healthy beauty by harnessing the clean and harmonious coexistence of nature and beauty on the pure island of Innisfree.

INNISFREE has been involved in revitalising Jeju Island. Please share some details about the brand’s initiatives and contributions to the island’s sustainability and well-being.

INNISFREE plays an important role in the revitalisation of Jeju Island and has made significant contributions to its sustainability and well-being. The brand’s commitment to preserving the unique ecosystem of Jeju Island is reflected in its sourcing of natural ingredients from the island. By using these ingredients in their beauty solutions, INNISFREE also takes great care in ensuring that their formulas are free from harmful chemicals, prioritising the health and well-being of their customers. INNISFREE’s initiatives include efforts to conserve Jeju’s natural resources and protect the environment, aiming to give back to the clean island that has inspired their brand heritage.

With the new product range featuring a completely vegan-grade formula, how does INNISFREE plan to cater to the growing demand for clean and eco-friendly beauty products in India?

INNISFREE’s commitment to clean and eco-friendly beauty has always been a part of the brand’s DNA. The brand’s new product range features a completely vegan-grade formula to meet the growing demand for such products in India. INNISFREE believes in value-based consumption, which is why it offers products that are vegan and free of animal ingredients. Additionally, the brand’s packaging is designed to be minimalistic and uses sugar cane paper, which further emphasises its commitment to sustainability.

What role does INNISFREE see itself playing in the Indian beauty market, and what are the brand’s future plans and goals for its presence in the country?

INNISFREE envisions itself as a key player in the Indian beauty market, aiming to further consolidate its position and grow its presence. The brand’s future plans revolve around providing innovative and nature-powered skincare products for Indian consumers.

The brand wants to continue to offer a diversified range of products that cater to the specific needs and preferences of Indian customers.

One of the brand’s goals is to enhance its offline and online presence by opening more stores in different cities across India and expanding its e-commerce platform. This will make INNISFREE’s products more accessible to a wider audience.

The brand will continue to source natural ingredients from Jeju Island and prioritise clean and eco-friendly formulations. This aligns with the growing demand for sustainable and ethical beauty products in India.

INNISFREE has always emphasised on a harmonious relationship between nature and beauty. How will this philosophy be reflected in the brand’s marketing campaigns and training programs?

INNISFREE’s philosophy of harmony between nature and beauty has been an integral part of the brand’s identity. The brand’s marketing campaigns and training programs aim to reflect this philosophy by raising awareness about the importance of nature conservation and sustainability.

INNISFREE strives to create a unique brand experience that focuses not only on outward beauty, but also promotes inward beauty and a connection to nature.

Could you share some insights into the consumer trends that INNISFREE aims to address with its new product range and marketing strategies in India?

INNISFREE’s new product range is designed to meet the growing consumer demand for clean and eco-friendly beauty products in India. The brand has developed a completely vegan-grade formula to meet the growing demand for natural and chemical-free products.

Moreover, INNISFREE’s sustainable packaging aligns with the increasing awareness of environmental sustainability among consumers.

In terms of marketing strategies, we are developing a CGI video, which is the new trend these days, we are also putting in our budgets for digital marketing and collaborating with portals like Nykaa, Tira, Myntra, Amazon, Tata Cliq and many more to give the best to our customers and to reach out tp influencers through collaborations.

What are the key messages that you hope consumers will take away from the refreshed INNISFREE brand, and how do you plan to communicate these messages effectively?

The key messages that INNISFREE hopes consumers will take away from the refreshed brand are its commitment to natural beauty, green initiatives, and trustworthiness as a skincare brand.

INNISFREE plans to communicate these messages effectively through various strategies:

• We will emphasise our natural beauty philosophy and use natural ingredients from Jeju Island
• We will communicate this through marketing campaigns and product packaging, as well as through training programs that emphasise nature conservation and sustainability
• We will demonstrate our commitment to green practices by using sustainable packaging, using vegan and eco-friendly formulas, and participating in green initiatives such as tree planting campaigns, waste cleanups, etc.
• We will increase our offline and online presence (more MBOs, e-commerce platform, etc.)
• We will build long-lasting relationships with our customers (more customer engagement, loyalty programs, etc.).