Be it a business-to-business or business-to-consumer trade, the revenue of a company is deeply associated with the power of its brand.

Brand power refers to the influence the name holds over the spending behavior of consumers, which can also be used to predict future spending patterns.

The power of a brand can be measured in terms of statistics, and also in reference to consumer cognition. It can thus be detrimental for a business in its daily, monthly and yearly operations as well as in extraordinary events, such as when pursuing mergers and acquisitions.

With the rise of non-face-to-face transactions amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the pace of change in spending behavior is evolving even faster, and acquiring a strong brand power has become even more crucial for survival.

As the flow of news and information quickens via social media and individual content creators, sticking to safer and conventional methods is no longer effective.

Merely offering a good-quality product based on decades of expertise no longer entice the fickle consumers. This, on the other hand, also means there is more opportunity for lesser-known products with innovative marketing strategies to quickly advance into markets once dominated by conventional brands.

To challenge this, knowing one’s target and understanding what their customers have been lacking amid a sea of choices is crucial.

Since 1994, The Korea Herald has been releasing a list of the most-loved brands to acknowledge their market presence. By selecting brands that are representative of South Korea by category, this annual feature touts the companies that have excelled in their respective fields.


KIS continues to offer outstanding learning opportunities in virtual classrooms

INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL
KOREA INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL

In face of challenges to holding in-person classes amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Korea International School has been at the forefront of creating a virtual learning environment that fulfills the wishes of teachers, students and parents.

By thoroughly preparing the faculty since the last Monday of February and being attentive to the feedback of students and parents, the virtual KIS opened its doors to a new way of learning that offers authentic, relevant educational opportunities.

While the initiative proved challenging at first, KIS director Michelle Quirin believes the effort provided the school an opportunity to grow in new areas and offer better services to the community.

“The virtual experience served as a catalyst for areas where we’ve wanted to grow,” Quirin said. “We want students to see the continuum of learning, and to have a confident awareness of what they know, and an excitement at the possibility of what comes next.”

Since the virus outbreak reached Korea, KIS teachers were presented with new online tools and tasked with setting up their virtual classrooms. But administrators and teachers stayed committed to evaluating curriculum, developing service opportunities, and guiding students to apply their learning.

Many teachers found ways to reshape their educational offerings by taking advantage of the unique benefits of the virtual learning environment.

The elementary school music classes led by Lindsey Cayer and David Woods earned praise from students and parents. Students involved families in songs and dances, joined live Zoom sessions for a sense of community, and compiled a portfolio of their musical development. Biology teacher Kim Youngjee accepted the pandemic as a new way to assess her students’ understanding of viruses by encouraging them to ask questions.

Susan, a parent of a KIS high school student and an elementary student, said she was impressed by how the school quickly shifted to virtual platforms. She saw her high school student develop greater focus, participate more in discussions, and enjoy the coursework. Susan also appreciated a peek into her elementary student’s learning. Both of her children also practiced self-advocacy, a communication skill KIS encourages.


LocknLock caters to simpler home-cooked meal culture

KITCHEN UNTENSILS
LocknLock

Under the influence of COVID-19 this year, a new trend of having healthy home-cooked meals instead of eating out has spread further.

In response to the trend, global household goods company LocknLock, has introduced a glass container for rice, called “Barohanki,” to propose a way of enjoying simple but healthy meals at home.

The Barohanki container allows users to store rice in small amounts equivalent to a single portion.

Users can store it in their freezer and need to simply warm it up when needed.

The latest product has been carefully designed, considering user convenience and practicality. It has a neat design that can be used as a tableware instead of conventional rice bowls. They don’t need to re-place the rice into a bowl after heating it up in the microwave.

Barohanki containers for baby food have scale markings that help moms prepare proper amounts of food in accordance with how old their child is.

The Barohanki also has a safe cap handle that helps users hold the hot container after cooking without the risk of burning fingers. The lid and the handle are made of heat-resistant silicon that covers the glass part, which blocks the heat from being delivered to fingers.

Made of premium heat-resistant glass that can withstand temperatures from minus 20 to 400 degrees Celsius, the container can be sterilized and cooked in hot water, as well as microwaves, ovens and air fryers.

On the lid, there is a steam hole that regulates moisture. The steam generated inside is discharged through the hole, and the moisture of the food itself is protected. This helps keep the rice chewy and as moist as freshly cooked rice.


Coway water purifier changes kitchen culture

WATER PURIFIER
COWAY

Coway’s P-150N water purifier has steadily changed Korean kitchen culture since its launch in 2010, offering ease of use and high space-efficiency.

The flagship Coway built-in water purifier P-150N is designed to reflect the lifestyles of consumers who want spacious kitchens. It is easy to place even in a small space by applying a slim 15-centimeter-wide design.

The body is installed under a sink or an island table and only the faucet that water comes out of is exposed to the outside to maximize space utilization.

Users can drink purified water conveniently through a dedicated faucet on the sink. Clean water can be immediately used in the sink, so it can be used for washing vegetables, fruits and rice in addition to drinking.

The built-in water purifier has recently gained positive responses as more single-person households and smaller families are interested in interior design or prefer small rooms.

Last year, domestic sales of the product increased by about 25 percent and sales in the first half of this year also continued to rise by about 10 percent year-on-year.

Coway sold more than 250,000 water purifiers in 10 years worldwide. It has shipped to 10 countries, including China, Kazakhstan, Turkey, Thailand, Dominica, Iran, Taiwan and Germany. The US is the biggest market, with 25 percent of sales, followed by Spain.


Charmzone’s Gingko stands as No. 1 cleansing brand

COSMETICS
GINKGO (CHARMZONE)

Since it was launched in 1993, Ginkgo has been the flagship cleansing brand for cosmetics company Charmzone, recording the company’s highest sales for 22 consecutive years.

Charmzone recently released the renewed version of the Ginkgo All New Cleansing Tissue, which is a steady seller with accumulated sales of 1.25 billion sheets as of March this year.

The cleansing tissue received much attention even before its renewal, as Korean actress Jang Nara endorsed the product on TV.

According to Charmzone, the Ginkgo All New Cleansing Tissue is the fruit of 27 years of research at the company, and among its cleansing product line, it contains the highest amount of five elements extracted from ginkgo leaves.

The product boasts excellent quality and helps remove dead skin cells, sebum and blackheads, having had gone through 12 clinical trials before release, the company said.

Nowadays, the cleansing tissue is also gaining attention as a “skip-care” product, as it conveniently cuts out long cleansing procedures and allows users to simply wipe off sunscreen and waterproof makeup using a single sheet, the company said.

Ginkgo has gained popularity in seven countries -- the US, Cambodia, Czech Republic, Mongolia, South Africa, Slovakia and China.


Shinhan Card launches credit card tailored for contactless services

CREDIT CARD
SHINHAN CARD

From food ordering apps to streaming platforms, non-face-to-face services have become a new norm in the coronavirus era. Joining the contactless trend, Shinhan Card, a leading card issuer in South Korea, recently rolled out a credit card that offers services and benefits for consumers who prefer mobile services over face-to-face experiences at physical stores or restaurants amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The new credit card, YaY, can be issued via the card company’s mobile app and used within 30 minutes of submitting an application. It does not come with a physical plastic card.

The company said the card was a true digital product since every transaction, from applications to payments, is processed via smartphones.

“The YaY card is a product that caters to the needs of consumers who shop online and enjoy entertainment content at home because of the outbreak of the new coronavirus,” said an official from the card issuer. “Shinhan will try to continue to offer benefits to help customers to overcome the so-called ‘coronavirus blues,’ a newly coined Korean expression to describe frustration caused by the virus.”

Subscribers who use the YaY card for streaming services, including Netflix and YouTube, can receive up to 30 percent of their service fees in the form of membership rewards. They also get 15 percent of what they spend on food delivery platforms, including Baedal Minjok and CJ Cookit. Those who subscribe to both streaming and delivery services with the credit card can receive additional rewards.

Consumers can receive up to 2,500 membership points for every 50,000 won purchase at online shopping sites such as Lotte ON, SSG.com and Gmarket, as well as online fresh food delivery markets including Market Kurly and Oasis Market, the credit card company said.

They can also receive other benefits by using services and buying products from online platforms including LaundryGo, Wine&More and Today House.

“The mobile card designed with an animated GIF featuring Minions from the movie ‘Despicable Me’ will give a little fun for customers who may have been tired and frustrated by the lingering virus crisis,” the Shinhan Card official said.


Pampers appeals to parents with quality, consumer campaigns

CONSUMER GOODS
PAMPERS (P&G)

Consumer goods manufacturer Proctor & Gamble’s baby and toddler brand Pampers has been the most preferred diaper brand among mothers in 130 countries for decades.

Pampers first hit the market in 1961, after a P&G engineer Victor Mills looked into the practicality of making a better diaper for his newborn grandchild by changing the cloth diaper into a disposable one.

Since then, some 3 million diapers are tested at Pampers annually to offer customers the best quality product.

After launching the upgraded Baby Dry Pants in South Korea last year, Pampers introduced the brand’s first summer-season diaper pants in April, pulling up the brand’s market share in the local market dramatically in the first quarter this year, according to a marking research firm Kantar.

In the local market, Pampers products including Baby Dry Pants which offers extra absorbency, Swaddler that has blanket-like softness and Cruisers which features adjustable fit with three layers of protection, are available.

The practicality of Pampers products and the brand’s consumer campaign towards supporting sustainable society and environment have also captivated the hearts of South Korean consumers.

Amid the latest COVID-19 outbreak, Pampers conducted a campaign to support parents’ care for their babies at home. The brand has been also donating diapers to babies in single-parent households.

All Pampers products are manufactured at facilities where 100 percent renewable energy sources are used, targeting to produce zero waste during the production to reduce carbon emissions. All Pampers products are wrapped in recyclable materials.


Seoul Cyber University outshines rivals with diverse virtual classes

CYBER UNIVERSITY
SEOUL CYBER UNIVERSITY

Seoul Cyber University has pulled ahead of other high-level educational institutions in online education, which emerged as a major phenomenon in the aftermath of the outbreak of the novel coronavirus.

Established in 2000, the country’s first cyber university has been at the forefront of online education by adopting state-of-art technology to optimize the learning environment for students and professors.

It has been offering a mobile phone-based lecture recording system for the last 12 years, outsmarting other colleges and universities scurrying to run virtual classes only after the COVID-19 pandemic forced the closure of their campuses.

Seoul Cyber University provides 99.5 percent of all lectures through a mobile platform that allows students to engage in almost every learning activity expected to happen on campus.

For instance, students are able to participate in teamwork projects and hold discussion sessions through the online platform. The system aims to help students who are trying to balance work, family and other obligations with completing a degree or certification program.

It is leading the way both in terms of the number and variety of programs and new innovations to online learning.

Seoul Cyber University offers eight undergraduate programs and two graduate programs -- Human Service and Counseling Psychology. To meet a growing demand for a more diverse curriculum, it recently added three majors – in career coaching, online commerce and defense management – under Future Multidisciplinary Studies.

In order to assist students discover new career paths, the school runs a one-on-one career coaching system with consultation programs to find jobs to suit each candidate’s capabilities and aptitude and to give helpful tips on creating a resume and preparing for an interview.

The school also encourages students to obtain licenses and certificates before their graduation in order to help students to become a more desirable candidates for companies or get them promoted at work.

In addition to the virtual platform, Seoul Cyber University has eight campuses across the nation including a 16,000-square-meter campus in Seoul and others in Gwangju, Daegu, Daejeon and Busan.


Promising designer Ye Myung-ji inspired by Korean traditional ornaments, birth of universe

JEWELRY
YEMYUNGJI

Jewelry brand Yemyungji is coming to prominence on the global stage with unique design collections that reflect traditional Korean ornaments and the birth of the universe.

Founded by designer Ye Myung-ji in 1998, the jewelry brand has established its uniqueness, showcasing signature design collections such as “Line,” “Space,” “Mineral,” and “Tradition” inspired by the nature, tradition and universe.

Ye reinterpreted Korea’s traditional ornaments in a contemporary way for her tradition collection that includes “Soaring,” a hair ornament piece that resembles traditional Korean hairpin “binyeo” used for hairstyles of married women.

Inspired by the birth of the universe, Ye created mineral collection of jewelry, naming the pieces Big Bang, Galaxy, Great impact, Pangea and Ice Age. The collection reflects diverse movements found in nature such as water drop and wave crashing to the beach. Ye’s signature gold-knitted designs are part of the brand’s space collection that was inspired by the nature.

Yemyungji’s originality has been acknowledged globally through overseas exhibitions in 2019. The brand participated in jewelry shows around the world, including one held at the Korean Cultural Center in Brazil in November 2019 and shows in Venice, Italy, in October.

Yemyungji has collaborated with other brands, including MCM for a limited edition jewelry bag in 2009, Lotte from 2008 to 2011 and Polo Ralph Lauren in 2001.

“The core of luxury designs lies in humanism,” Ye said of her design philosophy. “I hope Yemyungji brand will lead K-luxury and provide vitality to the people around the world.”

In 2019, the jewelry brand was listed on the “100 important jewelry brands” by Solitaire Magazine, a major jewelry magazine in Asia, as the lone Korean brand.

Ye is also a professor at Hanyang University Design College. Her jewelry design philosophy came from her father who was a mine operator and her mother who is a historian and traditional Korean jewelry designer.


Nara Bio facilitates green agriculture with organic farming material ‘Modoossak’

FARMING MATERIALS
NARA BIO

Nara Bio started business with a slogan “a world safe from pesticides.” To act on its word, the company has developed the organic farming material “Modoossak” which can act as a pesticide but with much less toxicity.

Typical pesticides are toxic to humans because they contain sulfur, which is toxic in its nature. To manufacture Modoossak, Nara Bio uses mineral sulfur, a byproduct from petroleum refining. However, to reduce toxicity, the company ferments the mineral sulfur with microorganisms. Then, it grinds the fermented mineral sulfur into micro particles. As an industrial byproduct, mineral sulfur is cheaper than methylsulfonylmethane, a form of sulfur found in living things.

Another reason why pesticides are toxic is because they use extra chemicals such as potassium hydroxide to dissolve the sulfur, which doesn’t easily dissolve in water. However, Nara Bio’s sulfur inside Modoossak, which is already ground into in fine particles, can be mixed with water and be sprayed to products without the help of potentially harmful chemicals.

Nara Bio’s journey to green farming continues. Currently, research is underway at Nara Bio to help plants absorb micro sulfur particles, which can spur their growth. Though the micro particles are still too big to be absorbed by cells, Nara Bio has found a way after five years of research to dissolve them without using potassium hydroxide.


Samdo Environment’s plasma-generating tech keeps livestock farm clean

ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY
SAMDO ENVIRONMENT

Samdo Environment is a South Korean company that has developed plasma-generating machines designed to get rid of stenches at livestock farms and the risk of exposing animals to potential viral, bacterial and parasitic infections.

The company’s machine utilizes a technology that creates plasma by applying a strong electrical field. This creates ozone that reacts with harmful gases and dissipates in the air.

Samdo Envrionment‘s technology is eco-friendly and does not require any sort of chemical feedstock to operate.

According to the company, its machines are capable of eliminating 95 percent of odor-making substances like ammonia, hydrogen sulfide and acetic acid. It can sanitize 99.9 percent of viruses, harmful bacteria and molds inside of livestock farms.

The company said the machines also come with a feature that automatically removes ammonium nitrate -- residue that quickly builds up and causes mechanical failures.

The plasma technology was developed in 2017 and patented by the company and Korea Environment Corporation. Samdo Environment tested the technology at a government-led livestock research institute in South Chungcheong Province before launching related products.

Samdo Environment’s technology later received a certification from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety for developing the plasma-generating technology.


Mirae Asset expands global market entry, backed by strong ETFs

ASSET MANAGEMENT
MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL INVESTMENTS

Under its goal of becoming a global financial company, Mirae Asset Global Investments has been expanding its presence overseas by operating over 1,700 financial products in 36 countries around the world.

The asset management unit of Mirae Asset Financial Group is in its 17th year of global operation since it launched its first overseas unit in Hong Kong in 2003 and has ceaselessly made inroads across the globe including financial markets in the US, UK, Brazil and India.

As of the end of April, the company’s operating assets marked over 74 trillion won ($61.05 billion), accounting for some 47 percent of its total assets.

Starting with Mirae Asset Asia-Pacific Star Fund in 2005, the company introduced the nation’s first overseas fund to local investors. It also rolled out SICAV, an open-ended mutual fund in Luxembourg for offshore investors three years after.

The exchange-traded fund business is another forte of the asset manager. The total amount of 368 global ETF products reached about 40 trillion won as of the end of April -- jumping about six times from 2011, the firm said.

This accomplishment has led it to list among the top 10 asset management firms with the most ETFs’ net assets around the world. The company listed its ETF on the Hong Kong stock trade exchange in 2011 as the first Korean asset manager to do so and acquired Horizon ETFs, a Canadian ETF manager, the same year, marking its entry to North American market with its ETF products.

Mirae‘s strength in ETFs is expected to lead into a fast growing market of ETF managed portfolios, where more than 50 percent of portfolio assets are invested in ETFs, the company said.

Responding to the era of low growth, low inflation and low interest rates, officials said the Korean asset manager would provide effective investment solutions by exporting financial products.

According to the Financial Supervisory Service, only 27 out of 300 asset management companies have made inroads into global market as of Dec. last year. In number of Korean asset management offices launched overseas, Mirae Asset Global Investment accounts for 24 percent of the total.


Hyundai E&C‘s brand marketing of Hillstate apartment, keeps it stay afloat

CONSTRUCTION
HILLSTATE (HYUNDAI E&C)

Hyundai Engineering & Construction, the construction company of South Korea‘s top apartment brand Hillstate, steps ahead to take the residential experience and brand image to the next level.

Hillstate is an award-winning apartment brand with high public awareness for its design, landscaping and convenience facilities that it offers its residents.

The apartment brand is widely known for its smart features designed to ensure a secure, convenient and safe residential experience. Among them is Hillstate’s fine dust solution, which gets rid of harmful fine dust, germs, viruses and volatile organic compounds. The housing units also support diverse internet of things-based features that allow residents of remote monitoring and control of appliances and systems with their mobile gadgets.

To exercise sufficient quality control, Hyundai E&C has created a manual that provides detailed guides to follow when launching new housing units.

The manual, which even elaborates on colors and the sizes of bathroom tiles, makes sure the quality of its buildings throughout the entire building process, from construction to follow-up management.

The company also annually invites external experts and has them check that the manual has been strictly followed.

Meanwhile, Hyundai E&C is starting sales of the new residential complex Hillstate Dajeon The Sky in this month. The complex comprises of three multipurpose buildings that contain 358 housing units and commercial areas.


SPEP excels global business, language training

EDUCATION
SPEP

Global education firm SPEP has been at the center of business education, providing training and consulting programs to increase the foreign language proficiency of professionals at local and overseas institutions and enterprises.

Under the brand philosophy of “value beyond language fluency,” the business English education provider, which has been working with global clients for more than 23 years, offers comprehensive educational programs for global business success. The programs go beyond mere language training to offer courses on cultural understanding, communications and business etiquette and skills.

The company credits much of its specialized consulting ability in its own R&D center, which has helped SPEP provide end-to-end solutions for its clients’ varying needs. With the research capability, SPEP can collect and analyze clients’ needs, come up with solution ideas and complete projects altogether.

Customer satisfaction especially improved last year from SPEP’s additional investment in R&D. SPEP specified its curriculums to be more practical by dividing education plans by occupation and industry while upgrading the content to be able to service more technical fields as well.

SPEP clients are provided lessons from professionals while given a smart learning package through a mobile app. Its “flipped learning” system, made from SPEP’s active communications and exchanges with foreign educational institutions and researchers, is up to the global standard in what it provides to clients.

Especially in the midst of COVID-19 pandemic, SPEP ensured its education service continued through a fast transition into video chat-based teaching. The firm maintained the quality of its educational service by having instructors communicate with clients live and share details on digital blackboards. Clients could also record the video and replay the recorded lessons for further studies.

“We are happy to provide business ability proficiency solutions through SPEP business English research center,” a SPEP official said. “We will work with a mission and relentlessly support customers so that more of them strategically strengthen their global capabilities.”


Kimnamju Bio combines oriental and western medicine

HEALTH FUNCTIONAL FOOD
KIMNAMJU BIO

Kimnamju Bio is a functional health food maker whose roots are in both Asian herbs and modernized Western medicine.

With “scientification of Oriental herbs” as the company’s motto, KNJ Bio blends natural substances with traditional medicinal ingredients for its health functional products.

So far, the company’s main products are A-Zyme, Panax Tong, Chunglacto and Wonsamchil, whose intended effects range from strengthening of the liver, purification of the blood, boosting of bowel health and blood circulation. Variably, the products also help to enhance memory, alleviate menstrual pain and remove acne, according to the company.

A-Zyme is a mix of milk thistle, folic acid, zinc, vitamins B1, B2, B6, bilberry, marigold, spirulina, lingzhi mushroom and PNX-A. It helps with metabolism, liver health and blood regeneration and works as an antioxidant and immune system booster.

Panax Tong is a mix of ginkgo leaf, red wine extract, garlic, dried yeast, red yeast rice and PNX-C. It enhances blood circulation and memory span.

Chunglacto contains lactobacillus, chicory, thistle, crop yeast powder, spirulina and PNX-B. It aids bowel health and balances the instestinal microbiome.

Wonsamchil’s main ingredient is the notoginseng, which has clinically demonstrated to stop internal bleeding and strengthen blood circulation. KNJ Bio says it can also improve erectile function, ease mentrual cramps and take away pimples.

Approved by Korea’s Drug Ministry and the US’ Food and Drug Administration, this novel attempt to marry historied Oriental medicine with modernized Western medicine yields a new concept of health supplement products.

KNJ Bio in its nacent stage had been Panax Pharmacy, which was established in 1978 by Kim Nam-ju, certified doctor of pharmacy in Korea and doctor of Oriental medicine in China and the US.

Through Kim’s 40-years drive to study natural herbs, KNJ Bio continues to research and develop novel remedies based on over 33,000 clients’ long-term health care database.

Kim’s vision is to find ways to relieve people from the side effects and illnesses stemming from old age, chemicals and pollution.


Geumsan Black Ginseng Specialty goes global

HEALTH FOOD
GEUMSAN BLACK GINSENG SPECIALTY

When Geumsan Black Ginseng Specialty started out in 2012, it only had two employees. However, despite its humble beginnings, the headcount now stands at 27, with its revenue spiking to 4.3 billion won ($3.5 million) last year from 150 million won in 2015 thanks to its flagship product “Geumheuk.”

Geumheuk Korean black ginseng tonic is manufactured by a unique process that steams and dries Korean ginseng nine times. Its juice is extracted for 48 hours or more at low temperatures. Compared to red ginseng, which undergoes the process two or three times, black ginseng contains a higher amount of ginsenoside Rg3, a substance known for its anti-cancer and anti-cholesterol effects, according to the company.

To ensure quality, Geumsan analyzes heavy metal concentrations and pesticide residues in the soil before planting ginseng seedlings, and checks about 280 types of pesticide residues in raw ginseng prior to harvest. For its efforts, its ginseng received a Good Agricultural Practice certificate from the International Ginseng and Herb Research Institute only given to ginseng from which any pesticide residues were not detected.

Based on strong domestic sales, Geumsan now aims global expansion. Currently, Geumsan runs six stores in Vietnam and one in New York. Now, it is exporting products including those with halal and kosher certifications to countries such as France, Canada, Kazakhstan, Sri Lanka and China. It exported $70,000 worth of products last year.


Skin rejuvenating mask tows SNP's overseas business

SKIN CARE
SNP (SD BIO TECHNOLOGIES)

Skin rejuvenating facial masks are the secret behind SNP’s global success, according to the firm. SNP, a skin care beauty brand under the company SD Technologies, touts the Bird’s Nest Aqua Ampoule Mask as its bestselling product.

Using nourishing natural ingredients form swiftlet nests, the famed SNP bird’s nest masks are rich in protein and vitamins.

The swiftlet’s nest has 200 times the sialic acid than royal jelly, providing effective care to epidermal barrier and skin regeneration, SNP said. The mask also has pennywort extract, betaine, witch hazel peels that have moisturizing qualities.

The mask sheet is made of natural cellulose that covers the face without causing irritation, according to the company.

Since launching in July 2014, SNP has sold over 300 million masks.

SNP’s rising line is its three different Sleeping Packs, named Bird’s Nest Water Sleeping Pack, Gold Collagen Sleeping Pack and Diamond Water Sleeping Pack.

Unlike the conventional sleeping packs, these are single-use mask packs that come in a stick-type pouch. It has topped the sleeping pack category in China‘s biggest online shopping mall Taobao and Tmall.

Another SNP steady seller is its hydrogel eye patch that doubles as a patch for nasolabial smile lines. Choices range from Ruby Nutrition Eye Patch to Black Pearl Renew Eye Patch, Gold Collagen Eye Patch and Bird’s Nest Aqua Eye Patch.

SNP said its mission is to give people what its acronym brand name stands for: “shining,” “nature” and “purity.” It is the main brand under SD Technologies, and was also the first.

SD Technologies was established in September 2008 focusing on skin and health care.

Other than SNP, SD Technologies has colored makeup cosmetics brand Celebeau; urban pollution-tackling dermatologic cosmetic brand hddn=lab; professional barber grooming brand for men M’Solic; organic cotton-covered female sanitary pads brand Daywith; and woman’s fitness and health supplement brand v:habit.

 (khnews@heraldcorp.com)