[AMOREPACIFIC × SUNNY SIDE UP] Korea’s No. 1 derma-cosmetics brand “AESTURA” makes its full-scale debut in Japan & wins multiple Best Cosmetics awards! What is the secret behind its PR…?

AESTURA, a hugely popular Korean brand, made its full-scale debut in Japan last year.

AESTURA is a derma-cosmetics brand that combines a pharmaceutical company’s DNA with cutting-edge beauty research and dermatology.

As a brand that began with research into sensitive skin, it has been developed with the involvement of more than 40 dermatology specialists from the product planning stage. This has earned the trust of many dermatology professionals in Korea. In Korea—where users have a strong bond with dermatologists and often consult them about many beauty-related matters—AESTURA is loved by many as the “No. 1 derma-cosmetics brand in Korea.”

For its full-scale launch in Japan in September 2023, the brand introduced two lines from its range tailored to various skin types: the A-CICA 365 line for unstable and combination skin, offering care for fluctuating skin and helping prevent irritation, and the Atobarrier 365 line for sensitive and dry skin, supporting hydration and the moisture barrier.

In just about three months after its full-scale debut in Japan, it won 10 awards at Japan’s 2023 Best Cosmetics Awards.

Many of you may have seen it at Olive Young in Korea, or in Japan at variety stores or introduced by influencers, haven’t you?

The company behind the highly talked-about AESTURA is AMOREPACIFIC, Korea’s largest cosmetics company, which also owns popular brands such as “LANEIGE” and “Innisfree.”

At SUNNY SIDE UP, we provide PR support for AESTURA’s full-scale debut in Japan and its penetration into the Japanese market.

To discuss AESTURA’s PR, we held a cross-talk featuring Ms. Lee from AMOREPACIFIC, Yumi Sekiya, Executive Planner in SUNNY SIDE UP’s Account Planning Division, and Hina Ikeda, PR Director in the Public Relations Business Headquarters.

They shared behind-the-scenes stories of the PR for AESTURA’s full-scale debut in Japan.

▼Click here for our report on the team’s visit to AMORE PACIFIC’s headquarters in Korea
We visited AMORE PACIFIC’s headquarters, Korea’s leading cosmetics company! | Plus event info where you can experience Korea’s popular cosmetics in Japan!?

Building awareness and credibility in Japan through multifaceted PR

—Please tell us how AESTURA and SUNNY SIDE UP came to work together.

Ms. Lee: As AESTURA was preparing to launch in Japan for the first time, we were looking for a Japanese company that could handle our overall brand marketing in one package, including social media operations and influencer initiatives.

Ikeda: You approached SUNNY SIDE UP with a request to “develop a strategy to help AESTURA expand in the Japanese market,” didn’t you?

Ms. Lee: The launch was in September 2023, but we also worked together on preparations to unveil the brand at “Amopasi Fes” held in June, as well as initiatives aimed at winning Best Cosmetics awards.

—What initiatives did you actually implement?

Ms. Lee: We implemented a wide range of initiatives, including PR, influencer tie-ups, media tie-ups, social media operations, ad operations, and more. Even within influencer tie-ups, we took a multifaceted approach through influencer seeding, such as YouTube tie-ups and monitor campaigns on @cosme.

Sekiya: For AESTURA, which was still not widely known in Japan, we focused on gaining awareness and credibility, and built our strategy around three pillars: “acquiring reviews,” “media awareness,” and “product trials.” As touchpoints increase, attention naturally grows, so we implemented a schedule designed so that press release announcements and the timing of review postings would overlap.

Ikeda: In particular, our key media goal was to secure coverage in the three major beauty magazines. If we could be featured there, we would first reach the core audience with a strong interest in beauty. From there, we could reach lighter beauty enthusiasts who follow information shared by that core group, and then further reach people thinking, “I want something.” With the ultimate goal of winning Best Cosmetics awards, we carried out PR to help media and beauty professionals understand AESTURA’s appeal.

Increasing media attention through multiple press releases

—When promoting “AESTURA,” which was already a popular brand in Korea, what did you keep in mind?

Sekiya: To begin with, Japan did not really have a market for derma cosmetics (cosmetics developed based on dermatological science to address skin concerns), so building understanding there was the first hurdle. Also, while AESTURA is made with great care, it is not something with immediate effects like pharmaceuticals, so we struggled with how to communicate its functional appeal. We also held workshops where members of the Korean AESTURA team came to Japan and explained how to use each product and its features.

Ms. Lee: We did. It was over a year ago now—brings back memories.

Sekiya: We also kept in mind how to convey the overwhelming trust the brand has in Korea.
Previously, AMOREPACIFIC kindly showed us around Korea, and at AMORE Beauty Park, which we visited then, there was a room displaying AESTURA’s older packaging.
At that time, we heard an episode that “in Korea, families have always had at least one AESTURA product at home, and parents use it on their children.” Wanting to convey that overwhelming trust in Japan as well, we conducted detailed interviews about AESTURA’s reputation and customer base in Korea and reflected those insights in our communications.

—What did you do to refine the PR initiatives?

Ikeda: By intentionally setting multiple timing points for information dissemination, we were able to create many periods and opportunities to explain the brand to media. Normally, a release announcing the launch decision would also disclose product details, but in AESTURA’s case, it did not yet have high awareness in Japan. So we first communicated to help people learn about the brand itself. Then, once brand awareness had spread, we issued the release about the Japan launch to further raise expectations.

Ms. Lee: Unlike Japan, in Korea it’s not very common to issue a release for each individual product. Working with SUNNY SIDE UP, we also learned about Japanese PR approaches.

Sekiya: We created explanatory materials while thinking through catchy Japanese wording that clearly conveys product functions, and while also understanding what information media professionals are looking for. We moved forward by aligning what the AESTURA team wanted to communicate with Japanese PR formats and how to convey information to the media.

More new products coming soon! We also want to expand availability in dermatology clinics

—What is your impression of SUNNY SIDE UP?

Ms. Lee: I first learned about SUNNY SIDE UP through Hidetoshi Nakata. I also had connections, such as Korean friends who knew people at SUNNY SIDE UP, so I felt close to the company from the beginning.

Sekiya: I see (laughs)!

Ms. Lee: I had imagined that people working at Japanese companies would wear suits and sit in assigned seats, but when I visited your office for the first time, everyone was dressed freely and you had free-address seating, so I felt it must be an open and good company.

Ikeda: That’s right (laughs). I clearly remember that we were able to hold meetings with everyone at AMOREPACIFIC in a relaxed atmosphere.

—Please tell us about your future outlook.

Ms. Lee: Right now, we are preparing new products and seasonal communications tailored to Japan for the new fiscal year. While reaffirming the brand direction, we would also like to continue developing wording for our communications.

Ikeda: As AESTURA claims to be the “No. 1 brand recommended by Korean dermatology professionals,” it is a brand with a 98% adoption rate in top-tier hospitals in Korea, but it is not yet available in dermatology clinics in Japan.

Ms. Lee: That’s right. Going forward, we would like to increase availability in dermatology clinics and further build trust and awareness in Japan.

Sekiya: Many people who want to buy Korean cosmetics are drawn to catchy ingredients and visuals. However, AESTURA’s Atobarrier 365 line does not rely on catchiness; its defining feature is that it is truly skin-friendly, basic skincare. The key will be how we gain understanding of that and connect it to purchases.

Ms. Lee: Exactly. We often hear people say, “It was great once I actually tried it,” so we believe it is important to create situations where people can experience the products in various settings.

AESTURA continues to bring more and more new products to Japan.

Just listening to the cross-talk makes you think, “I want to try it at least once!” Also, it seems AESTURA has various events and new product launches planned going forward…!? Please look forward to it.

For articles on other projects handled by SUNNY SIDE UP, please see here.