JUNGSAEMMOOL Beauty sees 87% Prime Day sales surge via Amazon strategy

JUNGSAEMMOOL Beauty achieved an 86.8% increase in Amazon Prime Day sales compared to last year by utilizing a "full-funnel" marketing strategy. The brand expects total sales to reach the 200 billion won range this year, with overseas markets projected to account for approximately 45% of that revenue.

A brand that began at the fingertips of a makeup artist is now heading toward the heart of the North American market. Led by Jung Saem-mool, an iconic figure in K-beauty, JUNGSAEMMOOL Beauty is rapidly expanding its footprint in the United States through aggressive marketing on Amazon.

A video reported by EO Korea captures the process of how JUNGSAEMMOOL Beauty moved beyond simple product sales to leverage the media characteristics of Amazon to broaden touchpoints with global consumers and convert them into actual purchases. In particular, it shows how the artist's philosophy, which serves as the brand's root, has evolved into a global business strategy.

"Cosmetics are merely tools"... Product quality driven by artist philosophy

The starting point for JUNGSAEMMOOL Beauty was not cosmetics manufacturing, but a "beauty salon." Jung Saem-mool dreamed of being a painter, but due to family circumstances, she had to enter the workforce at the young age of 17 when she was unable to pay tuition fees during middle school. Later, she discovered her dream of being a painter—turning 2D into 3D—through the profession of makeup artist, building her career by opening a shop at age 27. Following a tenure as an advisor for LG Household & Health Care, she officially launched her brand 11 years ago.

Throughout the brand's operation, Jung has maintained a principle of not compromising on product perfection. Vice President Yoo Jae-yong explained, "Even when a product was ready, there were many cases where Jung would not give confirmation if she felt it was not perfect. We went through a process of fighting and pleading with researchers to create products." The products born from these trials and errors have become bestsellers loved worldwide. Jung emphasized her philosophy, stating, "Cosmetics are merely tools; my role is to make the unique colors possessed by people look like themselves."

JUNGSAEMMOOL Beauty covers the entirety of beauty through a "triangle structure" consisting of Academy Jung Saem Mool, beauty salons, and JUNGSAEMMOOL Beauty. In addition to the Jung Saem-mool brand, the company operates the heritage-based skincare brand Begins and a hair brand. This year, JUNGSAEMMOOL Beauty expects sales in the 200 billion won range, with approximately 45% of that estimated to come from overseas sales. Initially, the brand built a premium image through a flagship store in Garosu-gil and strengthened its brand power by expanding into department stores and duty-free shops.

Doubling new US customers with Amazon 'full-funnel' strategy

The key weapon for entering the US market was Amazon. JUNGSAEMMOOL Beauty defined Amazon not merely as an e-commerce platform, but as "media" that draws consumer awareness and delivers information. To this end, they employed a "full-funnel strategy" that systematically designed the entire process of awareness, consideration, and conversion.

First, they built the awareness stage by exposing the brand story through media such as Amazon Prime Video, and induced the consideration stage by showing product details through display advertisements and detail pages (Apple Plus content). Finally, they drove purchase conversion through promotions and benefits. Yoo Jae-yong stated, "The conversion rate of customers exposed during the awareness stage was approximately 17 times higher than that of general customers." This is interpreted as the achievement of the full-funnel strategy, which involved repeated exposure to targeted customers.

The results were proven by the numbers. During the recent Amazon Prime Day period, JUNGSAEMMOOL Beauty's sales surged by 86.8% compared to the previous year. In particular, the proportion of new customers reached approximately 74–75%, succeeding in attracting a large number of North American consumers who were previously unfamiliar with the brand. The PDRN Serum Skin Tint, introduced exclusively for Prime Day, achieved the feat of entering the Top 10 new products immediately after its launch.

The key to localization is 'Skin Tint'... Advice for global expansion

Behind the successful US entry was a thorough localization strategy. Jung identified that the Korean-style "cushion" products were unfamiliar in the United States. Western consumers showed differences in usage, such as finding the use of cushion puffs awkward or leaving marks on their faces while pressing with the puff. Accordingly, reflecting Amazon's suggestions and local trends, JUNGSAEMMOOL Beauty promoted "Skin Tint," which offers natural coverage, as its flagship item. Skin Tint is considered one of the hottest base items in the United States.

Meetings with local media professionals confirmed the brand's status. The sight of local media workers in places like New York waiting for Jung's makeup touch made the influence of K-beauty palpable. Jung continued to refine products and marketing by directly encountering the needs of local customers.

Jung offered practical advice to indie brands dreaming of overseas expansion. She warned, "It is dangerous to rely on large distributors or general agencies. If you leave everything to a distributor, you lose control of the brand; conversely, if you deal directly with companies that are too large, your negotiating power drops, making it a battle of David against Goliath." She emphasized, "It is important to build branding by directly confronting core e-commerce channels like Amazon with one or two differentiated products." Mentioning experiences in Thailand and Singapore, she cautioned against excessive expansion that could damage branding.

Source: EO Korea (YouTube)