Bee & Flower appoint Wang Junkai: Key takeaways
- Bee & Flower’s appointment of Wang Junkai marks a shift from its famously frugal marketing image
- Celebrity collectables turn everyday haircare into a fan-economy purchase
- The brand must build desirability without sacrificing the affordability behind its popularity
Someone online once asked Bee & Flower (蜂花) why they don’t hire a brand ambassador. It was a fair question. The brand had long been without a celebrity face while its competitors signed star after star.
‘Wouldn’t it be better to spend less on celebrities and keep products affordable?’ The brand responded. Three years on, the heritage haircare brand has appointed Wang Junkai (王俊凯), one of China’s most marketable young stars, as its brand ambassador.
The appointment launched on 28 August with a product tie-in to a Peptide Hair-Core Bottle (多肽强芯瓶精华素), repair essence and an RMB198 (about US$30) limited set. The set combines Bee & Flower products with merchandise of magnets, tear-off cards and an NFC-enabled keyring.
The language around the campaign highlights longevity in brand and ambassador. Bee & Flower was founded in 1985. Wang has been working in music and film for 13 years. Both, the campaign argues, have earned public trust over time.
Wang has been working in music and film for 13 years. Both, the campaign argues, have earned public trust over time
Bee & Flower’s attempt at a refresh is also noticeable in its use of terms such as peptide, hair-core repair, and essence. They move the conversation beyond the basic conditioning for which the brand is known and bring it in line with the more treatment-led language of the current market. Wang’s job is to create attention around that product change and give consumers a reason to value it, and its new scientific branding, differently.
The Dao view: Can Bee & Flower modernise without becoming expensive?
Bee and Flower’s large bottles and bright packaging are already a mainstay of Chinese bathrooms. Nostalgia for such a heritage brand is also embedded deep in consumer’s collective memory.
What it lacks now is the desirability factor that newer brands have built with sophisticated products and entertainment-led marketing. Nostalgia and low prices generate recognition but do little to differentiate treatment ranges or drive new sales.
The Wang Junkai appointment, and the merch that’s gone with it, gives shoppers a reason to buy now, but Bee & Flower shouldn’t water down the affordability that made the brand heritage.
