2021.03.23
5 things that you may not know about Amorepacific
As many now know, Amorepacific is a leading Korean beauty company with exceptional brands and products. There is, however, much more behind it. Amorepacific has had significant and gripping stories that lay behind its sustainable growth throughout its history, all of which began in a small kitchen of the founder's mother in the 1930s.
1
Opening of the first
beauty service center in Korea
In May 1961, Korea saw the opening of its first customer service center – the Amorepacific beauty service center. It was Amorepacific's brilliant way to answer all phone calls from customers eager to know more after reading its monthly beauty magazine, Hwajanggye, which began in 1958. These days almost all companies have a customer service center but in the 1960s, it was quite refreshing. Indeed, it marked a milestone in the Korean beauty industry.
Ever since then Amorepacific has expanded and evolved its customer-first principle. In 1974, it opened a new customer service department, again the first in Korea and now Amorepacific runs its original customer management process, Customer Gift for Amorepacific (CGAP) to listen better and share the voice of customer with all members. As the name suggests, Amorepacific takes all of customer complaints and feedback as a gift and values their voice. Indeed, the customer-first principle made Amorepacific the leader in the beauty industry.
Ever since then Amorepacific has expanded and evolved its customer-first principle. In 1974, it opened a new customer service department, again the first in Korea and now Amorepacific runs its original customer management process, Customer Gift for Amorepacific (CGAP) to listen better and share the voice of customer with all members. As the name suggests, Amorepacific takes all of customer complaints and feedback as a gift and values their voice. Indeed, the customer-first principle made Amorepacific the leader in the beauty industry.
2
The first Korean company
to export cosmetics
Korean cosmetics have become popular worldwide but it was not until Amorepacific made its first debut in the global beauty market. In 1964, Amorepacific brand Oscar exported 20 types of products for the first time in the history of Korean beauty industry. Named after the Oscar Award, the new glamorous and stylish brand Oscar was launched in 1962. Oscar brought about a crashing sensation in the Korean beauty industry with a good selection of cosmetics including cold cream, milk lotion, toner, perfume and makeup products and soon became the first brand of Amorepacific to go global.
Amorepacific continued to work to expand its global presence through exports and in 1984, it achieved a tangible result of winning the 'the USD 20million Export Tower Prize' from the Korean government. This was the first to achieve the record in the history of the cosmetics industry in Korea. In the 2000s, its global expansion kicked in to high gear with its brands including Sulwhasoo, LANEIGE, Mamonde, ETUDE and innisfree that are now widely loved in Asia, North America, Europe and all around the world. Currently, Amorepacific is running 23 global offices and making about 40% of its sales outside Korea. Beyond that, it keeps pushing itself to strengthen its global presence through the study of global customers and localization efforts.
3
The only beauty company in the world to have tended
its own green tea garden for over 40 years
In the 1970s, Amorepacific founder Jangwon Suh Sung-whan cultivated an area of wasteland on Jeju Island to restore the Korean tea culture, which had disappeared despite having a history of 1,000 years, and his efforts were rewarded with Dolsongi, Seogwang, and Hannam Tea Gardens, with the combined area of 3,305,785m2. The organic green tea grown in these gardens became one of the main heritage ingredients of Amorepacific today. There are also OSULLOC Tea Stone and Jeju OSULLOC Tea Museum where visitors can experience the Korean tea culture.
Amorepacific did not see green tea merely as beverage though. Instead, they looked into different applications of green tea. In 1989, Amorepacific introduced the world's first green tea based cosmetic product ‘Miro’, and in 2010, discovered a new green tea probiotic strain. Amorepacific researchers found that the probiotics in tea trees located near the sea are much stronger than other probiotics and thus embarked on further study, which resulted in the world's first probiotics being derived from green tea leaves. This is now available to customers through ‘VITALBEAUTIE Green tea probiotics’.
Amorepacific did not see green tea merely as beverage though. Instead, they looked into different applications of green tea. In 1989, Amorepacific introduced the world's first green tea based cosmetic product ‘Miro’, and in 2010, discovered a new green tea probiotic strain. Amorepacific researchers found that the probiotics in tea trees located near the sea are much stronger than other probiotics and thus embarked on further study, which resulted in the world's first probiotics being derived from green tea leaves. This is now available to customers through ‘VITALBEAUTIE Green tea probiotics’.
4
The birth of the cushion foundation, which marked
a milestone in the global history of beauty
"If we make a product in the form of a stamp, it could hold the moist formula and allow for easier application." This small idea led to the development of cushion foundation, which created a new makeup category in the global beauty market and became sensationally popular among the customers. Through more than 3,600 rounds of testing, Amorepacific developed the new Cell-TrapTM technology to hold the formula that doesn’t spill in the newly developed sponge, best known today as cushion, and a special puff to use with the cushion foundation, and with continued technology advancement, Amorepacific is now leading the global cushion foundation market.
Recently, IOPE unveiled its 5th generation Air Cushion. Using special technology to make smaller and more even-textured particles, it created a thinner layer for more elaborate makeup with its wonderfully breathable, lightweight formula that helps balance oil and moisture and keeps the skin feeling hydrated, not dry inside, or oily. Super Blending Film Former also ensures that the formula does not smear easily under a face mask. As the first cushion foundation to block blue light and give full coverage with just a single application to create a 24-hour lasting flawless look, LANEIGE NEO Cushion is now sweeping across the Korean and global markets. Recently, the Amorepacific cushion facial makeup product was also certified as a Present World Class Product of Korea by KOTRA (Korea Trade Investment Promotion Agency) in association with the Korean Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.
5
The 20-year history of the
Pink Ribbon Campaign
In 2000, Amorepacific established and funded the Korean Breast Cancer Foundation, the first non-profit organization for breast cancer in Korea and with the establishment, it started the Pink Ribbon Campaign to raise awareness of breast cancer and support Korean women to help them take better care of their breast health. The Pink Run, part of the nationwide Pink Ribbon Campaign hosted by Amorepacific and the Korean Breast Cancer Foundation has gathered over 370,000 participants by 2020. Since 2016, Amorepacific China has been hosting the inaugural 'Moli Pao' [茉莉跑, henceforth Jasmine Running] in Shanghai to raise awareness of breast and cervical cancer, the two most common cancers in Chinese women. Over 60,000 runners joined and shared the message.
It is not only this breast health awareness campaign. Amorepacific has a clear view as to how it should make a contribution to society. As a company that has grown with support from women, it believes that making women's lives better is the way to make 'A MORE beautiful world'. With this belief, Amorepacific declared its 20 by 20 Commitment in 2017. It is the company's promise to empower 200,000 women, support their health and well-being and thereby make their lives more beautiful by the year 2020. As of 2020, over 500,000 women, nearly double the intended goal have joined the program.
It is not only this breast health awareness campaign. Amorepacific has a clear view as to how it should make a contribution to society. As a company that has grown with support from women, it believes that making women's lives better is the way to make 'A MORE beautiful world'. With this belief, Amorepacific declared its 20 by 20 Commitment in 2017. It is the company's promise to empower 200,000 women, support their health and well-being and thereby make their lives more beautiful by the year 2020. As of 2020, over 500,000 women, nearly double the intended goal have joined the program.
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