According to Alliance Boots, the partnership will leverage the experience and capabilities of P&G’s sales force to market and distribute the Serum 7 anti-ageing skin care range to pharmacies in Italy.
The line is already available in pharmacies across France and Portugal, and plans to launch in Italy and Spain are expected to come to fruition over the next few months.
Expansion of brand
“Our objective is to expand Boots Laboratories and we are delighted to be working in partnership with P&G to make these award-winning products accessible to Italian customers,” said Ornella Barra, chief executive of the Alliance Boots pharmaceutical wholesale division.
Gianni Ciserani, president of P&G Western Europe was quoted in UK newspaper The Financial Times as saying the company was looking for a more exclusive brand with which to target the European market.
“On the continent, we needed a portfolio brand. It doesn’t work to sell mass market brands in pharmacies. We have capacity and know-how but what was missing was the brand,” he said.
Success in UK and US markets
The Boots Laboratories Serum 7 beauty serum is sold in the UK as No7 Protect and Perfect Intense Beauty Serum. It gained a cult following in the country after a BBC Horizon documentary screened in 2007 suggested the brand's anti-ageing serum was more effective than other anti-ageing products.
According to Boots, over 4 million product units were sold between March and October 2007, (an increase in sales of 2000 per cent) making it the number one skin care brand in the UK.
The brand was subsequently launched in the US as No7 Restore & Renew at CVS and Target, where it proved to be so popular retailers were unable to keep up with consumer demand.