SK-II Marriage Takeover: How a Japanese skin care brand cut through in China

This article analyses a campaign by SK-II, a premium Procter & Gamble-owned Japanese skincare brand, that aimed to destigmatise young unmarried Chinese women and inspire them to shape their destiny.

SK-II Marriage Takeover: How a Japanese skin care brand cut through in China

Lucy Aitken

Background

SK-II, a premium Procter & Gamble-owned Japanese skincare brand, wowed jurors at Cannes this year with its Marriage Market Takeover film that destigmatised young unmarried Chinese women. The Swedish agency behind it, Forsman & Bodenfors in Gothenburg, took home one Glass Lion, a Gold Lion for PR and a Bronze for Entertainment.

The film aimed to raise awareness about the fate and the complex feelings of the young, single Chinese woman. It depicts a handful of real late 20-something women who are dubbed 'leftover...

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