Understanding Asia and the ‘Flower Boy’ Effect

During Beauty Packaging’s educational seminar titled “Selling to a Global Market: How Cultural and Regional Relevance Effect Product and Package,” LPK Beauty’s creative director Alan Kastner shared his insights on the Asian beauty market, and the mindset needed for beauty companies to capitalize on the region’s growth.

Kastner, who spent extensive time in eight Asian countries over the course of six months, said, “If you want to understand the future, you need to understand Asia.” He specifically keyed in on the male beauty market. According to Kastner, the male skin care market in China is expected to grow more than 29% through 2014. In comparison, the same market in the U.S. is only expected to experience 5% growth over that time.

Kastner described a single type of Asian consumer that is having a profound impact on the market – the “Flower Boy.” This consumer – who has emerged as a result of the one child policy, he said – spends money on beauty products, and cares about what is fashionable. Kastner emphasized the importance of catering to this Asian consumer, and urged companies to synthesize their marketing programs to align with the consumer, as a opposed to a “trickle down” strategy.

“Asia is not a passive vessel of Western trends,” Kastner said.