How do you position a timeless skincare brand in a category obsessed with newness?
Client: SK-II
Market: Japan
Launch: 2023
Problem
SK-II is an iconic brand in Japan — trusted, prestigious, and widely known.
But over time it had become perceived as a “mom brand,” losing relevance with younger audiences.
To attract Gen Z, SK-II partnered with rising star Mei Nagano.
The challenge was not to simply put her in ads, but to give real meaning to the collab.
At the same time, skincare for young people had become confusing.
Social media is full of trends, routines, hacks, and contradictory advice — making it hard for young Japanese consumers to know what to trust.
Insight
When everything feels new and overwhelming, the most reliable “new thing” is often what has stayed the same for decades.
For someone discovering skincare, the smartest choice isn’t the latest trend — it’s the brand that has proven itself over time.
Solution
Instead of chasing novelty, we made heritage feel relevant to a new generation. The strength of SK-II is that it has never changed.
We paired Mei Nagano with a previous iconic SK-II ambassador, symbolising continuity across generations.
The message was: the crystal-clear skin SK-II delivers has not changed — even as times have changed.
The campaign followed Mei Nagano on her journey of discovering SK-II for the first time, across multiple touchpoints — content, film, social, and brand experiences — positioning SK-II as timeless and meaningful for Gen Z.
