Page 54 - IAADFS World Summit 2025 Special Issue_Neat

INSIDER

Two of the Fenty Beauty Advisors from Avolta’s Bridgetown Duty Free stores in Barbados were on hand to help show products to Master Class
attendees. Guests at the gala VIP party in Barbados also had a chance to sample Fenty Beauty products and get mini-touch ups during the evening.

functional collaboration and robust genuinely represented their communities needing to travel for Fenty, to retailers
contingency planning. The Essence team and had established credibility with welcoming a new generation of shoppers,
established clear accountability frameworks our target audience,” added Lochet. and makeup artists feeling honored to
and maintained flexible backup strategies “These collaborations helped ensure our represent a brand born in the Caribbean.
to address potential challenges in each message was delivered authentically The launch was also a milestone
market, said Lochet. and respectfully within the local cultural celebration in Barbados, he noted.
“This approach allowed us to navigate context.” “Hosting an unforgettable launch event
the complexities of a simultaneous Despite the best of planning, some with our partners, where Rihanna and the
multi-territory launch while maintaining challenges -- such as hurricanes and a entire Fenty team had an incredible time,
brand standards and meeting stakeholder strike by dockworkers in the U.S. – delayed solidified our success,” he said.
expectations, all while delivering an the import of materials to Grenada and From a business standpoint, the Fenty
authentic Caribbean experience.” Trinidad, which ended up launching a little Beauty launch also presented Essence Corp
after the other seven islands. with new opportunities. “Fenty’s impact
Cultural sensitivity extended beyond the launch, helping us
Lochet tells TMI that it was also Highlights create opportunities across all our brands,
critical to be sensitive to cultural nuances But the nine-island launch did take including identifying a strong network
between the islands. place and was considered an immense of influencers now working with us to
“Our approach to cultural sensitivity success by everyone involved. showcase the beauty of the region,” he
was deeply rooted in celebrating authentic In all, the spectacular event went noted.
local experiences across the Caribbean far beyond a normal debut, including “Meanwhile, thanks to Fenty’s
territories. This was particularly evident special Master Classes with Rihanna’s constant innovation, demand for the brand
in Barbados, where we thoughtfully personal makeup artist Priscilla Ono and an continues to grow, and we’ve laid out a
incorporated iconic cultural elements into exclusive VIP party in Barbados where the strong plan for 2025. While 2024 was the
our launch activities,” she said. superstar made a surprise guest appearance. year of launch for our first nine islands, in
One such cultural element featured “We had very high expectations, and 2025 we’ll expand to even more islands,
a traditional snow cone cart at the Fenty Fenty did not disappoint. We surpassed and 2026 will bring further growth. This
events, recognizing its significance as our objectives, and all our partners did is just the beginning, and we’re incredibly
a beloved local delicacy in Barbadian an exceptional job. The level of detail grateful to have been chosen by Kendo. A
culture. and creativity was truly remarkable. We huge thank you to our partners and team for
“This seemingly simple touch managed to execute the best launch ever their outstanding efforts!” said Azibi.
resonated deeply with the local community in the Caribbean, and we’re now on track “Thanks to Fenty today, Essence Corp
and added an authentic dimension to the to making Fenty the #1 cosmetics brand is now one of the important players in
luxury brand experience,” said Lochet. in the region,” noted Adel Azibi, Division the make-up segment in the Caribbean,”
The final launch party was also Director at Essence Corp. concludes Bona. “Beyond market share and
carefully curated to honor Bajan cultural Several key highlights stand out, said revenue, our foremost goal as a distributor
elements, and create a meaningful Azibi. is to fulfill our mission: introducing the
connection between the global brand and “We were able to showcase the beauty Caribbean to the most coveted beauty
local heritage. of the Caribbean,” he said. “We made our brands of the moment.”
“We also prioritized partnerships partners feel special, from customers finally
with respected local influencers who finding their perfect shades and no longer

Summit of the Americas March 2025 54