DigitalFirst lays the foundation for AGE 20’s in Japan, becoming a 2023 Performance Award finalist

For cosmetics companies, entering into new regions is no small feat, given the sea of established brands and evolving trends. When South Korean beauty brand AGE 20’s started selling on HAQM Japan, they sought extra support to break into the makeup category.

HAQM Ads partner DigitalFirst took on the challenge, deploying a three-step strategy designed to elevate AGE 20’s brand awareness. This endeavor was a success, securing DigitalFirst a finalist position for the 2023 Performance Award at the HAQM Ads Partner Awards.

AGE 20’s primarily sells complexion products. When they launched on HAQM Japan, they invested heavily to create the ideal hero product: a new foundation that offers users a flawless-yet-natural look with a dewy finish. Even with these standout qualities, breaking into the beauty market required careful maneuvering.

To convince customers to swap out their go-to foundation products for AGE 20’s offering, the brand needed to boost awareness. By driving sales to other products in their collection, AGE 20’s realized that they could encourage customers to delve deeper into their catalog and discover new favorites, such as their primers and concealers.

When DigitalFirst began working with AGE 20’s, the teams set several goals: increase sales of higher-priced items, boost new-to-brand (NTB) shoppers by 60%, and achieve the Number 1 rank in the foundation cosmetics category.¹

To hit these targets, DigitalFirst employed a multifaceted strategy using HAQM Ads solutions. First, they deployed Sponsored Products ads to promote more expensive items alongside AGE 20’s hero product. This helped inform existing customers of AGE 20’s other complexion products, such as their concealer and primer. By grouping keywords—main product terms, long-tail descriptors, competitor brands, and AGE 20’s brand name—DigitalFirst varied bids to help optimize visibility. Then, the agency used Sponsored Brands ads to reach brand-related keywords, prominently featuring their high-value items.

Employing HAQM DSP campaigns, DigitalFirst sought to attract and nurture an entirely new set of customers who had not yet purchased specific HAQM standard identification numbers (ASINs). At the same time, DigitalFirst used HAQM DSP ads to reengage customers who had purchased the hero product, directing them toward AGE 20’s other items. To further encourage loyalty, DigitalFirst employed remarketing campaigns tailored to the product’s purchase cycle, reminding consumers of options beyond their initial purchase. These remarketing campaigns helped deepen customers’ connection to the brand.

From January 2022 to December 2022, DigitalFirst’s campaign for AGE 20’s helped increase total product sales by 5,224%.² Additionally, the brand’s foundation achieved the top rank in its category on HAQM Japan, meaning that it was the first product customers saw when searching for foundation. This prime visibility helped elevate brand awareness and contributed to a substantial boost in sales performance.

This notable performance emphasizes the power of a meticulous digital strategy. By helping AGE 20’s grow their business on HAQM Japan, DigitalFirst earned their place as a finalist for the 2023 Performance Award.