Page 46 - Travel Markets Insider October 2021 Final

INSIDER

company that has been in business for 25
years can walk into a store and recognize Tairo President & Director of Operations
Beauty Advisors that were there when we Bryan Hollander meeting with the
started 25 years ago. And that happens a lot team recently in the company’s Florida
for us.” headquarters.
“These Beauty Advisors have been
such a big part of our success,” adds really helped make it a reference brand
Robert. “They are loyal to us, we are loyal in the Caribbean, not only with the travel
to them. It is a symbiotic relationship. It is retail customers but also with a really
amazing. Tania and I will walk into stores large local following. It is really amazing
today and the BAs say – I remember this how that fragrance is still doing well with
launch or that launch! This has really made the local market consumers,” commented
our business a success.” Bassan.
Highlight launches And their favorite island is…
Reminiscing on specific launches, While the Bassans would not indicate
the Bassans give a special shout out to a favorite island in the Caribbean, they did
the Ferrari fragrances, which they began admit that Nassau holds a special place in
distributing in 1999. their hearts.
“The Ferrari fragrance really put us on “Nassau was the first island that
the map. Because the number of activations we opened up, getting a listing with The
that we did in the region, it really opened Perfume Shop from Tim Lightbourne. That
the eyes of potential suppliers, to see what was when we were first starting. Tania and to take pre-orders so the engraver can start
we were doing,” said Bassan. I would fly in for the day and we would the process days before we actually start
“When we first started with Procter & literally walk down Bay Street (which at in the store to accommodate the demand,”
Gamble, which was eventually purchased that time had dozens of perfume shops, one she said.
by Coty, the Boss Bottled launches for on every corner) and work every single one
Hugo Boss was a standout. Also Lacoste of those stores,” said Bassan. Somar
Touch of Pink was a huge activation for Even now, the Tairo area managers In 2013, Tairo expanded, using its
us throughout the region. With Coty, Cool spend time with the Beauty Advisors at the experience as a fragrance and cosmetics
Water Deep was a massive launch, as was point of sale. distributor in Caribbean Travel Retail to
all of the Marc Jacobs launches, such as “The DNA that we created 25 years create a sister company dedicated to the
Daisy,” said Tania Bassan. ago is still alive and carried out by the team distribution of consumer products for the
Tairo also revamped the Yves Saint members who are there day in and day out, Caribbean local markets, called Somar.
Laurent brand in the region; and the with the exception of course of this last Somar represents such brands as OPI,
YSL Libre fragrance was an especially year and a half,” said Tania. Moroccanoil, Wella Hair care, Cover Girl,
memorable launch. Max Factor, and Energizer batteries, among
“The beautiful thing about Yves Saint Mexico Duty Free others.
Laurent is that over the years we have Tairo also has a special relationship “While Somar has not been around as
with the Mexican duty free market, long, it helped us diversify our business,”
Tania and Robert Bassan in their first where its main clients include Sears and says Robert Bassan. “It really catered
Tairo office. UltraFemme, and Pama in Cozumel. to the changing consumer behavior. We
“Mexico provided us with the ability see consumers migrating to two poles of
to showcase and do things instore on a the beauty spectrum. We have high end
grand scale that really weren’t being done customers looking for expensive, luxury
at that time. It solidified for us the ability and niche brands, and then we have other
to do large scale events. And we were able consumers who are more value conscious,
to use that as a blueprint for stores in the looking for semi-mass and masstige
rest of the region in the Caribbean. It was a products.
great opportunity for us to help our brands “So whereas Tairo supplies travel
shine instore,” explained Tania. retail stores with more select brands, Somar
Added Robert: “We dressed buses is more geared to the drug store and super
and installed billboards, going beyond just markets market and local consumers.”
a window display. The Mexican market Whichever end of the beauty spectrum
gave us the ability to do real 360 degree the Tairo companies supply, the Bassans
launches. And we still do this today.” say their same theme and philosophy
Tania Bassan also highlights special applies: “Our business continues to focus
activations they did, like instore engraving on our three pillars-- our customers, our
events and parties with DJs. suppliers, and the team members who have
“Engraving events are particularly been with us for as long as they have. They
successful, to such an extent that we need spell our success.”

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