Testimonial

Hello everyone, I'm Nishino, the sales manager at Orinasal.

This time, we interviewed Mizutani (left), Masaki (center), and Kiuchi (right), who are in charge of marketing at CP Cosmetics, Inc., and who have been supporting us with Instagram account management, creative photography, and other customer acquisition strategies for the past three years.

CP Cosmetics is a salon-based business where word of mouth is key. We spoke frankly with them about the challenges they faced when they first launched Instagram, the results they have seen, and why they chose Orinas!

What Led to the Launch of Instagram?

A Small Team Is in Charge of Managing Social Media

Nishino: Mizutani-san, Kiuchi-san, and Masaki-san, thank you for joining us today! First of all, could you tell us a little bit about your company's business?

Mizutani: CP Cosmetics operates around 1,240 "CP Salons" nationwide, where we provide cosmetics to our customers. CP Salon staff provide counseling to customers who learn about CP Cosmetics through esthetic treatments. After counseling, we provide our customers with CP Cosmetics, which they can use not only in the salon but also at home as part of their daily skincare routine, providing them with total skin care.

CP Cosmetics Promotional Photo

Nishino: Thank you. I once tried your facial beauty treatment and cosmetics, and I was surprised at how much better my skin felt right afterwards. I also received advice on home care, so I thought it was a very attractive service! What is your company's greatest strength?

Mizutani: I think that with cosmetics that are generally available on the market, customers pick out and choose the products that they think will suit their skin. At CP Salons, the staff at each salon provide cosmetics that are suited to each customer, so I think the biggest difference is that customers can use cosmetics that truly suit their skin.

Nishino: I see. It's true that most people choose cosmetics on a whim, so it's great to be able to choose something that really suits you. Next, I'd like to ask about each of you. What are your team's roles and missions?

Kiuchi: Until last year, I was in charge of social media in a small team centered around the marketing and advertising departments. This year, we've added more young members, and I'm now able to work across multiple departments. I hope to provide more support than ever before to liven things up on the ground.

To Make the Brand Known to More People

Nishino: The first thing we worked on with your company was launching the official Instagram account.

Kiuchi: That's right. Around March 2018, we started thinking about how we wanted to increase awareness of the brand and get more people to know about it. We also wanted to have contact with customers who visit CP Salons outside of the salon.

I only go to the salon once or twice a month, so I wanted people to remember CP Cosmetics even when I'm not at the salon, which led to the project of launching an Instagram account.

CP Cosmetics Interview

Nishino: It's certainly nice to be able to come into contact with CP Cosmetics outside of the salon.

Kiuchi: Our sales route remains the same, only available at salons, but we are spreading the word about our products through word of mouth, so when someone says, "I use these cosmetics. Did you know?", it's important to provide an opportunity for them to say, "I've seen them before" or "I've heard of them before." However, in addition to providing that opportunity, we started this project with the desire to spread the word that we are a cosmetics manufacturer not only on the web but also on social media.

Reasons for Choosing Orinas

A "Female Perspective" and "Flexibility" in Ideas and Responses

Kiuchi: At the time, we were just beginners, so we wanted to get help from an external company and we spoke to several companies. Among them, Orinas is a company with many women, so we were able to understand the female perspective, and we also had the goal of actively spreading awareness among the younger generation, so Orinas gave us the impression of being very young and quick on their feet.

We were also very encouraged by their flexible thinking, responsiveness, and various suggestions, and we decided to ask them to help us.

Active Interaction Between Customers on Social Media

Nishino: Thank you! We have been supporting Instagram with its operations and analysis since its launch, and we still support you with the photography of your post creatives. Have you noticed any benefits since starting Instagram?

Kiuchi: One of our customers posted about the CP Salon on Instagram, and when her friend saw it, she commented, "Are you going to the CP Salon?" and we exchanged comments, "Yes, I am. Want to come with me next time?"

Until now, such interactions have only been possible in real life, but social media can now also be used to encourage such interactions and make them visible. There have been cases where customers have seen our social media posts and visited our stores, so I think the possibilities are wider than ever before.

I Want to Support the Field Through Instagram

Nishino: That's a wonderful response! Are there any other reactions or effects you've noticed?

Kiuchi: Among the images posted by Orinas, we try to imitate the visuals that evoke a "lifestyle with cosmetics" and visuals that are in line with our customers' lifestyles in our salon's store displays.

Also, salon staff, who previously said it was difficult to take their own photos, are now reposting and using posts from our official Instagram. We still have some issues with the response on Instagram, but when we release a new product, we get comments from our followers, and we're seeing more and more of this happening, so we hope this excitement will continue. Masaki, you were closest to the scene, what do you think?

CP Cosmetics Instagram

Masaki: The images you take are just so cute! Instagram has a worldview that feels familiar, and some of the images are very pop and cute, but they're also wonderful images that we couldn't have created ourselves, so we often hear salon owners, staff, and customers say how cute or lovely they are.

Nishino: So you received some feedback from salon owners and staff too.

Masaki: That's right. By showcasing our products from various angles, we hope to attract the interest of many people and provide some support to those in the sales field.

However, we are also communicating to our agencies through our sales team that we want them to use Instagram. If they just say something to the instructors, the number of people who follow them will increase dramatically, so I think the influence of the instructors is really important. In the future, I would like to promote Instagram at salons.

A Position Where You Can Easily Ask for Advice on Anything

Nishino: You mentioned launching your Instagram account, but last year you also entrusted us with planning and photographing store displays, so we've been working together in a variety of areas, not just on social media.

Kiuchi: You also helped us with the event at Nagoya Station before. Thank you for planning such a spectacular event.

Nishino: It was about a year ago. Your company was holding an event at Nagoya Station, so we proposed a photo spot.

Masaki: Those blue flowers?

Kiuchi: That's right.

Masaki: It was Orinas! It was wonderful.

CP Cosmetics Event

Nishino: Thank you! What was the reason that you contacted our company for the event at Nagoya Station?

Kiuchi: For the Nagoya Station event, we were wondering how to brighten up a station, a place that is often associated with drab office workers. Your company usually brings perspectives and ideas that only women can offer, and offers ideas that we wouldn't think of within the company, so we thought "Orinas could do it," and decided to ask them. They are quick on their feet and flexibly respond to our requests, so we find ourselves consulting them on various matters.

Nishino: Please feel free to contact us if you need anything in the future. CP is a company that has focused on real-world activities, but with an eye on the with-COVID and post-COVID era, it will be important to implement measures that combine real-world and online activities. I think that the importance of social media will increase even more in the future, so we will continue to do our best to support you!

Mizutani-san, Kiuchi-san, and Masaki-san, thank you very much for taking the time to meet with us today!

Finally

For CP Cosmetics, Instagram was a new challenge, as they had previously relied on brick-and-mortar stores and word-of-mouth. They realized that the account serves a variety of purposes, not just spreading information to end users but also following inner circle members.

As social media becomes more important in the future, we look forward to seeing CP Cosmetics, which has been able to build a base on Instagram over the past three years, develop even more initiatives.

That's all from Nishino.