How to develop a Chinese luxury cosmetics brand in China? The case of BA YAN KA LA in the Chinese market.

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Supervisors: Schuiling, Isabelle
Faculty: Louvain School of Management
Degree label: Master [120] en sciences de gestion
Abstract: The recent economic slowdown in the People’s Republic of China does not appear to be a disincentive to entrepreneurship. An increasing number of Chinese nationals and foreigners continue to set up businesses in China, which target the rapidly growing luxury segment. Amongst these entrepreneurs is the French national Jean Zimmermann who founded a luxury cosmetics brand named BA YAN KA LA, which uses natural ingredients derived from Traditional Chinese Medicine. However, even though the opportunity for the brand to capture market share is compelling, the competition is fierce and China proves to be a highly complex market to serve due to the rapidly changing Chinese consumer behavior. This project master thesis aims to identify the key brand development strategies for a luxury cosmetics firm to implement in order to grow in the Chinese market. It empirically studies the case of BA YAN KA LA by analyzing qualitative data collected during a three-month internship within the firm. Findings show that BA YAN KA LA could enhance its brand positioning and further penetrate the Chinese market by refining its strategic marketing, operational marketing and corporate strategies.