When it comes to the beauty industry, there’s no arguing that when it comes to experts - you can’t go past Mark Tucker. After working at L’Oréal for almost 20 years, including taking on the role of managing director, Tucker left the company - only to resurface five years later with the launch of his own brand .
Now, we’re here to find out everything about what he’s been up to, launching a brand from scratch, and what we can expect from his latest venture...
Can you tell me a bit about your career history?
I’ve spent the majority of my career in FMCG companies, with the main two being Pepsi and L’Oréal - so large companies that are driven by marketing. I started with L’Oréal Australia when it was a $15 million business and finished when it was nearly $500 million.
What made you decide to leave L'Oréal?
I left L’Oréal because I felt like I needed a refresh. After nearly 20 years of very long hours, lots of travel (I know going to Paris for work doesn’t get any sympathy!), I wanted to break the routine and start again and refresh the batteries. I’ve done a few different businesses of my own but I always seem to get drawn back to beauty. When I left L’Oréal, I thought doing things outside beauty would be interesting, but for me the reality is that beauty is a category I am passionate about and I think I always will be.
You took a five year break between L'Oréal and launching Handsome - what were you doing in this time?
In between L’Oréal and Handsome, I did a social media start up in Asia which was challenging but fascinating. Raising money from investors was a new experience that I learned a lot from. I created a skincare brand called Organique which was made in Australia for the Asian market as the Asian consumer is very attracted to the pure Australian environment and ingredients. That company is now based in Hong Kong. I’ve always done lots of consulting work, most frequently in the beauty market.
Did you always want to launch your own beauty brand?
Doing my own beauty brand was something I had dreamed of. The creation of a brand from nothing but a concept or idea appeals to me because it demonstrates the power that comes from truly understanding what consumers want or need, which I think is a special skill or talent. The Organique brand was the first one I did and it gave me the learnings that will help make Handsome a success.
Why did you decide to launch HANDSOME?
I always felt the men’s market was a big opportunity as most of the men’s brands are just extensions from the women’s and are not presented in a way that truly engages with men. If you take the L’Oréal brand for example - it has been a female brand since it began, and they entered the men’s market with a brand called 'L’Oréal Men Expert’. To me, this isn’t a brand name that would truly engage with men. Men Expert?! So I tried to find a brand that would appeal directly to men, without being too serious about itself. Handsome is the answer. It’s memorable, makes people smile when they hear it, and yet is still stylish and elegant. And the packaging design is in colours that appeal to men - it’s stylish and not too ‘laboratory’ or serious. Men are enjoying the look of the brand in their bathrooms or even when they take Handsome to the gym.
How does HANDSOME differ from other brands on the market?
The beauty business is a branded business and the category is littered with failures, often because the name or brand has no engagement with consumers. So in starting a new business, I knew it was essential to have a great brand name and it’s very difficult to achieve. So when the inspiration for HANDSOME arrived, I felt confident I had one key element in place. The second was the product development. It is critical that the products are effective in what they are designed to do and also enjoyable to use providing a positive sensory experience. And I wanted to include lots of natural and organic ingredients because I believe they are better for the user and the environment.
What were the major challenges for developing a brand?
The development process is slow and painstaking in making sure the products are beautiful and effective to use. I’m really happy with the products and we’re getting great feedback on them, but I also know already how I want to improve them as we move forward and what new products we will introduce into the range. We have two SPF products ready for this summer and a fragrance that is finished and about to be released.
How are you marketing the brand and ensuring people find out about it?
We are very fortunate that the branding and visual presentation have immediate impact with consumers. And as a result, we are getting good sales in retail stores very quickly. We are also building good social media following even at this early stage. Surprisingly, we have had a lot of international interest both online and enquiries to distribute in other countries. We will not rush the international distribution as it needs to be done with the best partners.
What are we likely to see from HANDSOME in the next five years?
The future for HANDSOME will be to remain totally relevant to its consumers - to become a trusted brand that men will re-purchase because they know it works and it makes them feel good about themselves. The product range will be larger but will still remain relatively small because it covers the big market segments well and doesn’t extend into niche products with small demand. This will work better for retail partners to ensure a good ROI for their investment in stock. The international market opportunity is significant and HANDSOME branding will resonate with consumers internationally. In 2016, we will move into two or three new markets, ensuring we have the best partners aligned for each market. We will also make online international shipping available for selected markets as a way to begin creating some awareness. We are planning our growth carefully to ensure the brand is launched in the best possible way in each market, because management of the brand creation is the most critical element of success.
And you, any more beauty brands in the works hiding up your sleeves?
The future for the HANDSOME Group has potential to expand beyond the Handsome brand. We have a vision that sees the potential of taking Australian brands with Australian ingredients to the rest of the world. The Australian environment is seen as one of the purest on the planet and we think there are opportunities to build on this base internationally. But for the moment, Handsome is our sole focus and only when it is fully established would we begin to work on our next developments.
