Keiko Nakagawa
Skin & Beauty Marketing, Active Supplement
Joined Protea Japan in March 2010
Why I joined Protea Japan
When I was an image consultant, I worked to make women beautiful through make-up and other means, and I realised that the impression given by the skin is important in bringing out true beauty.
I wanted to study skincare in earnest and decided to change jobs. I was attracted to the fact that Environ emphasises clinical evidence, and that its products deliver only what is necessary to the skin. And it produces noticeable results – I use it myself!
What I do
I am in charge of marketing in the dietary supplements team. I am responsible for planning and executing promotional activities and campaigns, developing product and service strategies and content creation to increase brand awareness and maximise sales.
Developing content based on market research findings and product features, customer profiles and branding is one of my favourite tasks. I believe this is an important asset to the company. The Active Supplement marketing team handles everything from product design to campaigns, so I feel a sense of responsibility for my work, and I also get a sense of achievement.
I gain new insights by comparing qualitative research conducted with a small target audience and quantitative research from a large sample. We learn about the customer’s opinions and preferences, and then we incorporate these insights into branding, ultimately creating benefits for the customer and making a profit for the company.
I like to watch science and animal-related programmes, and I like to pursue things I don’t understand by checking references and asking people who specialise in that field. This is exactly what Protea Japan’s scientific approach is all about. It’s a real thrill to be able to use what you love to learn in your job.
In the past, I worked around the sales frontline as part of the education department, so it’s important for me to keep that frontline feeling in mind. I am just starting out as a marketer, but as I grow as a person I want to continue to leave behind something that will inspire everyone to feel confident about becoming beautiful with this product.
I like working here because …
The culture is one where it is encouraged to think creatively, come up with ideas and work on your own initiative. I became a trainer one year after joining the company, and I have steadily improved my skills by learning basic skincare theory, the mechanisms of action of ingredients and sales talk, and taking part in training for distributors in South Africa, where I obtained my Facilitator Certificate.
I then moved to another department to launch a supplement product. This was a completely different area of marketing, where I was able to develop a wide range of skills, including product development and campaign planning.