NEW YORK — Following the acquisition of salon hair care brand KMS in 2002, Kao Corp., its Japan-based parent, took a hard look at the U.S. professional hair care market and saw an opportunity to alter the brand in order to meet current demographics.
While executives admit it took some time to learn about KMS, as well as the seismic shift in the quickly growing multiethnic population, waiting to launch a meaningful line was strategic, they said.
“There’s a need for hair care items for [multiethnic] people,” said Andrew Biazis, president and chief executive officer of the wholly-owned subsidiary, Kao Professional Salon Services, which has its North American headquarters in Baltimore.
“KMS originated in California, so it offers a great snapshot of diversity. So we married the two together.”
Kao, often described as the Procter & Gamble of Japan, recently purchased Kanebo Cosmetics in a deal valued at $3.5 billion. The company, which also owns the Goldwell salon hair brand, posted 2004 sales of $8.7 billion.
Now, as KMS turns 30, it has a new name, KMS California, along with new packaging and new formulas. KMS California launches in January and will be available in as many as 20,000 salons. Industry sources estimate the line could generate as much as $10 million in annual first-year sales.
Upscale positioning plans to bring KMS California into more “A” salons, superluxurious emporiums with more than 10 stylists. Its main competitors, according to Biazis, are Redken and Paul Mitchell, some of the biggest brands in the salon industry.
But not all of KMS has changed. The brand will maintain its subline structure, one that addresses particular hair needs in several stockkeeping units with dedicated technology to hair solutions. There are now nine sublines, which target hair problems from fine hair (Add Volume) to dry hair (Moist Repair) to frizzy hair (Flat Out.) The total portfolio has been trimmed to 51 sku’s.
Formulas are infused with technology called IOPS, which stands for inside out perfecting system, a nutrient delivery system designed to reconstruct and condition the hair for deep penetration.
As the brand’s name now suggests, each item contains ingredients from California. Color Vitality, a line for color-treated hair, for example, combines lilac and ginger to calm the scalp and protect hair from UV rays.
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Hair Play, a styling aid, uses lime and cilantro for hold and flexibility.
Flat Out, a line to combat frizz, uses figs and jojoba to achieve smoothness. Prices range in the $15 area.
To get its message out, KPSS created a campaign called “I am KMS California,” a contest that asks participants to submit essays on how they embody and reflect self-expression, and to submit a photo. Eighteen semifinalists will be flown to New York, and then narrowed down to six winners, who will ultimately serve as the new faces of the brand in upcoming ads scheduled to break in 2007. Initial KMS trade ads feature professional models, which break next month.