A full visual rebuild, two weeks before launch. 716% engagement ROI.
A 6-week integrated digital campaign for KOSÉ Malaysia's SEKKISEI UV and brightening range, designed to build brand trust and drive product consideration during a competitive festive season.
ROLE
Art Director
DURATION
6-Weeks Intergrated Campaign
PLATFORM
Digital-first with roadshow integration
REGION
MALAYSIA
PROCESS JOURNEY
THE CHALLENGE
KOSÉ had a trust problem in Malaysia. Consumers associated the brand with Chinese ownership, creating hesitation among halal-conscious Muslim audiences. The campaign needed to correct that narrative, reestablish KOSÉ's Japanese heritage as a mark of authenticity, and launch a new UV and brightening range into a crowded festive market. I was brought in as Art Director to translate that strategy into a visual language and execute it end-to-end, directing videography, aligning copy, production and talent teams, and managing creative QA across every channel and deliverable.
Clarify Brand & Build Trust
Reframe KOSÉ's Japanese heritage and ease concerns around halal safety among Muslim consumers.
Boost Awareness & Traffic
Launch the SEKKISEI UV and brightening range in a crowded market while driving roadshow footfall.
Engage Mobile Audiences
Awareness for 25 to 35 year olds, conversion for 35 and above, through one cohesive campaign.
![[INT] KOSÉ UV & Brightening Proposal.pptx.png](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/a969ed_5ca26566283b4ded89dba5b03809295e~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_490,h_276,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/a969ed_5ca26566283b4ded89dba5b03809295e~mv2.png)
STRATEGY
"KOSÉ Cozy Corner"
In the relentless pace of city life, KOSÉ becomes your gentle refuge, and a soft sanctuary in the rush.
The campaign needed to solve two problems at once: correct brand misconceptions and cut through festive clutter. Instead of defending halal credentials or shouting product claims, we repositioned the conversation around how KOSÉ makes you feel.
We use the narrative to highlight skincare as a quiet ritual, not a functional task. Using Japanese heritage expressed through warmth and craft, the visual language does the cultural work. And by anchoring the brand in emotional refuge, we shifted focus from "Is this halal?" to "This feels authentically Japanese".
We differentiate from our competitors who shout results through the whispers of warmth. In a loud category, quietness became our edge.
Visual Direction
My original concept was lo-fi 80s anime, focusing on visuals that are quiet, pastel, and intimate. Two weeks before launch, Makoto Shinkai's Suzume opened in cinemas and resonated strongly with the target audience. The client wanted to tap into that cultural moment. With the launch date locked, I pivoted the entire visual direction.
I studied Shinkai's use of light, atmospheric depth, and composition to capture the emotional warmth his work creates. The system that emerged anchored Japanese heritage in craft and atmosphere, shifting the narrative from product features to authenticity and trust. Skincare reframed as ritual, not routine.
THE EXPERIENCE
CAMPAIGN LANDING PAGE
The microsite was designed to slow users down. In a mobile-first market where scroll behaviour is fast and attention is short, the experience needed to earn time rather than demand it.
Homepage
A calming hero video introduced calming visuals and brand heritage.
Mobile-First Approach
Responsive design catered to Malaysia’s mobile-first behavior.
Interactive Quiz
Personalised skincare recommendations paired with education content
USER INTERFACE & MOTION
SOCIAL CONTENT AND PERFORMANCE MARKETING
Content was built to work across the full funnel, from awareness through to conversion. Social content and reels drove engagement and roadshow traffic. Performance ad creative was developed with A/B tested variants to optimise reach and cost efficiency across Meta and Google Display Network.
Content Strategy
Platform roles, posting schedule and content pillars mapped before production began.
Social Content
& Reels
In-feed and story content built for awareness, engagement and roadshow traffic.
Performance advertising
A/B tested ad creative optimised for reach and cost efficiency across Meta.
CAMPAIGN RESULTS
716%
ENGAGEMENT ROI
Huge surge in user engagement, signalling brand resonance.
145%
TRAFFIC ROI
Increased footfall to roadshows with interactive, educational content.
BRAND REPOSITIONING SUCCESS
Addressed misconceptions while boosting cultural affinity.
OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE
Delivered full creative development under a compressed 2-week pivot timeline.
REFLECTION
The pivot forced faster decisions with less certainty than I would have liked. The hardest part was knowing where the line sits between referencing a visual style and reproducing it, and making deliberate choices about where to stand. The 716% tells part of the story. Rebuilding an entire visual direction end-to-end in two weeks without losing the strategic intent tells the rest.
![Physiogel Microsite Mainpage Design-Desktop [Recovered]-03.png](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/a969ed_720ef930042f42029b57e67aee491f91~mv2.png/v1/crop/x_156,y_0,w_814,h_814/fill/w_160,h_160,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/Physiogel%20Microsite%20Mainpage%20Design-Desktop%20%5BRecovered%5D-03.png)