Rain + GRNY = Ninja Assassin Plug

[Flickr/How and Nosm]

Rain, the Korean hottie-potattie pop star and archenemy of Stephen Colbert, did a rare autograph signing at the NY Giant Robot store last Friday to promote his new U.S. film, Ninja Assassin. I didn’t go (not that I’m even in NYC), but I did watch this YouTube video recap, so close enough. Needless to say, it reminded me of that time I stood in line for an hour to meet Hyde of L’arc en Ciel….though I am sure, Rain fans are a little more rabid.

If I did go (and I wasn’t giddy like a school girl with drool coming down my mouth), I’d like to ask Rain these questions:

• What in the world made you go with Ninja Assassin as your next U.S. film project? This movie looks like cheese with a side of green screen special effects.
• What makes you qualified to play a ninja? Last time I checked, you’re a dancer and a singer – not a fighter. (Yea, yea, I know they made it work for Drew Barrymore/Carmen Diaz/Lucy Liu for Charlie’s Angels, but fancy wire work and camera angles just aren’t as cool as the real deal).
• Will you also try to break into the U.S. music scene? I think you’d fare better in this arena and if you succeeded and became the Asian Shakira, you’d finally break down the Asian wall that your predecessors failed to do…ahem…Utada, BoA and Coco Lee.
• How does it feel to be pursued by Megan Fox? Congratulations, you are the envy of a LOT of men.

Filed under: Film, Marketing, Music, Asian, Film, Giant Robot, Korea, Marketing, Music, New York, Ninja Assassin, Rain

When M-A-C Met Hello Kitty

[Flickr/Vida Colorida]

Here’s an unlikely couple for ya….M-A-C Cosmetics has teamed up with Sanrio to help raise funds for the the Museum of FIT, a NY-based that’s dedicated to the art of fashion.

After creating a new color palate which consists of shades of pink, grey, white and black, the two companies have assembled the M-A-C Hello Kitty fashion designer team to create one of a kind pieces that to be sold on eBay with a starting bid of $200. Each piece is an answer to the burning question, “What would M-A-C Hello Kitty wear if she were a fashionista?”

This International team features designers from around the world. Representing the Asia-Pacific region is Japan’s Dress33, Korea’s General Idea: Bum Suk Choi and Sang Beg Ha, China’s Qiu Hao and Taiwan’s Shu-Chi Huang.

When I first read about this, I thought that this was an odd couple. When I think of M-A-C, I think of the club girl or extreme high fashion experiments. When I think of Hello Kitty, I think of the cute Japanese school or anime otaku. But on second thought, but brands have a strong following and I am sure there will be those who are obsessed enough to buy, buy, buy! So in that sense, this was a cool marketing endevor.

I should also mention that this partnership also includes a special makeup collection that includes eyeshadow, glosses, lipsticks and liners. Other Hello Kitty products are brushes, a brush case, jewelry, doll and cosmetics bag. Unlike the designer clothes, this collection will be made for mass consumption…for now.

Filed under: Beauty, Fashion, Marketing, Asian, Beauty, Bum Suk Choi, China, Designer, Dress33, Fashion, General Idea, Hello Kitty, Japan, Korea, M-A-C, Qiu Hao, Sang Beg Ha, Shu-Chi Huang, Taiwan

The Face Shop + Walgreens

shopping for masks at The Face Shop, originally uploaded by shoppingmum.

For Asians living in the U.S. who dearly miss their packaged facial masks, they no longer need to trek to Japantown/Koreatown/Chinatown to find imports. Hallejuia!

The Face Shop, the unbiqious South Korean beauty brand and retailer, has struck a deal with Walgreens as part of their on-going plot to make it in the U.S. Starting in August, Walgreens will be selling 10 different facial mask treatments in its 6,500 retail stores nation-wide. If all goes well (at the bottom line), Walgreens will move forward with its long-term plan to expand its product offerings from The Face Shop. Cross your fingers everyone!

According to WWD.com, this deal emerged after a successful six-month test, in which the Asian facial masks were sold at a few Walgreens stores in Washington and Oregon with high Asian/Asian American foot traffic. Just goes to show that “yes”, we want beauty brands that cater to their skin types. It’s interesting though that Walgreen’s largest demand for more for-Asian products was coming out of Oregon and Washington rather than California and New York. But I suppose that there’s enough imports into SF, LA and NYC that Asians don’t need to ask U.S. retailers to stock special products for them.

Either way, this is nonetheless a huge breakthrough for The Face Shop as its initial U.S. launch in 2005 failed to build much brand awareness among American shoppers. It’s first Manhattan store has since closed, but to-date it does have four branded boutiques in Queens (NY), Palisades Park (NJ), Chicago (IL), and Santa Clara (CA). Call me crazy, but these areas don’t exactly sound like high profile and high traffic markets….but apparently they are planning to open a couple more stores in the California before the end of the year…..hopefully, closer to me.

Filed under: Beauty, Retail, Beauty, Facial, Facial Masks, Korea, The Face Shop, Walgreens