During a very insightful and welcoming visit to Joico Europe’s headquarters in Helmond, Netherlands, Estetica’s UK Editor-in-Chief, Gary Kelly took the opportunity to interview Eric Kater, General Manager JOICO EMEA.
As well as having the opportunity to interview Eric Kater, General Manager JOICO EMEA, it was the occasion meet and connect with the brand’s hugely talented JOICO EMEA Creative Team.
ERIC, PLEASE TELL US ABOUT YOUR OWN JOICO JOURNEY SO FAR.
“I’ve worked with JOICO for 28 years and in the early days I worked directly with the founder of JOICO and that was a very special time. Originally, I joined as Head of Operations and worked my way up to become General Manager. It’s been a tremendous journey, and still is, working in an international environment meeting new and exciting people in a creative environment. People make our business and the people I work with all share the same passion for JOICO, the product innovations that set us apart and drive the business, it’s extremely rewarding to see this. We are making people feel good about themselves, that’s the JOI of Healthy Hair and as a company we deliver this day in day out, from education to marketing and sales”.
WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IS THE MAIN BRAND IDENTITY YOU’RE CREATING FOR JOICO IN EUOPE AND THE UK?
“As a brand our focus in all markets has and always will be on hair health. Our strapline is the JOI of Healthy Hair and in all countries, it’s a statement of who we are. Products such as K-Pak, Defy Damage, Blonde Life, and our other care regimes all focus on hair not only looking good but feeling good after just one use. JOICO colour products also come with hair health in mind, our colour products add shine and luminosity to hair, and our lightening products such as Blonde Life Lighteners provide beautiful clean blondes. For us it’s all about maintaining the integrity of the hair and ensuring our customers and their clients notice a difference with Joico, in the salon or at home”.
IN WHAT WAY ARE THE JOICO AMBASSADORS INSTRUMENTAL IN DOING THIS?
“The JOICO European Creative Team have been instrumental in helping to create a strong visual image and brand identity which they share through the education we provide on a local, national, and global level. They are passionate about the brand, and this comes through in everything they do including content creation for digital channels where they are a source of inspiration and education for other professionals”.
WHY IS THE UK SO IMPORTANT TO JOICO EUROPE?
“The UK is an extremely important market to JOICO, the UK leads the way in creativity, and we know many countries look to the UK for inspiration, and it’s important for us to have a strong presence in the UK though activities, education, and our creative team – we know this inspires many people. We have many UK customers that have used JOICO since the introduction of K-Pak and are extremely loyal to the brand. JOICO was born in the USA and there are many similarities in both markets – consumers and professionals are very discerning and at JOICO we deliver the best”.
HOW IS YOUR SALES AND DISTRIBUTION NETWORK ORGANISED IN EUROPE?
“We have representation for JOICO in 40 countries across the EMEA region with a clear focus on Europe. The representation in almost all markets is via dedicated distributor teams that have been with the JOICO brand for many years”.
WHICH ARE YOUR MAIN EUROPEAN MARKETS AND WHICH NEW MARKETS ARE YOU HOPING TO TARGET IN THE FUTURE?
“Our main markets are UK, Ireland, Germany, Italy, Norway, Sweden, and Poland. We are not looking for expansion in any new markets, our goal is to further expand our presence in the markets we are in today”.
PEOPLE LOVE JOICO HAIR PRODUCTS WORLDWIDE, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO DAMAGE REPAIR AND MAINTAINING BEAUTIFULLY HEALTHY HAIR. WHICH IS YOUR OWN HERO JOICO PRODUCT?
“I do like to try all the care ranges and at the moment my favourite is JOICO YouthLock Shampoo and Conditioner, which we launched last year. Now my hair is getting a little brittle the antioxidants, vitamins and collagen all help!
NEXT YEAR, JOICO IS CELEBRATING ITS 50TH ANNIVERSARY, CAN YOU TELL US SOMETHING ABOUT THE BRAND’S PLANS TO CELEBRATE THIS?
“My lips are sealed! Our marketing and education teams have warned me to stay silent! We have some great plans that we are working on and some not to be missed moments. Having a 50th anniversary is an incredible milestone and one that we are all very proud of. The innovations and technology that we have introduced over the years have been ground-breaking and we are all very much looking forward to what comes next”.
