Houstonian's skincare line acquired for $845 million
A beautiful acquisition
A skincare line with ties to Houston is joining the ranks of other popular beauty brands this week. International beauty giant Shiseido Company Ltd. has announced that it is acquiring Drunk Elephant in a reported $845 million deal.
Houstonian Tiffany Masterson, chief creative officer, founded the company in Houston in 2012. The quality of products and playful branding attracted a broad range of demographics as the company experienced exponential growth.
"I started this business as an industry outsider, and from the beginning I did things a little differently," Masterson says in a news release. "To join with a powerhouse beauty company such as Shiseido that leads the industry in innovation and global excellence is a dream come true for me and for Drunk Elephant. We share similar values, most importantly an unwavering commitment to the consumer. I chose a partner who will let the brand continue to be itself, with the same formulations and the same team."
According to the release, the acquisition will allow Drunk Elephant's products to expand more throughout America, and enter new markets in Asian and Europe. The new subsidiary will also have support from Shiseido's Global Innovation Center and Digital Center of Excellence.
"This transaction is squarely aligned with Shiseido's VISION 2020 goal of accelerating growth and creating value through strategic partnerships," says Masahiko Uotani, president and CEO of Shiseido, in a news release. "I am very pleased to welcome Tiffany and the Drunk Elephant team to the Shiseido Family and together, pursue our long-term mission of 'Beauty innovations for a better world.'"
Masterson will maintain her role as chief creative officer and add the title of president for the company. She will report to Marc Rey, CEO of Shiseido Americas and chief growth officer of Shiseido.
"Drunk Elephant is built on a strong brand foundation and a unique philosophy that fits perfectly with Shiseido's values and skincare heritage," Rey says in the release. "Our innovative and people-first cultures are well aligned, and we share an unwavering commitment to our consumers. I also believe the brand will contribute to the business performance of Shiseido Americas."
The beauty industry is having a bit of a moment right now as consumers — who have shelves and shelves of products to choose from — are drawn to specific products.
"While reasons for acquisitions in the beauty space vary, we are seeing that some of the big players are seeking to balance their portfolios by creating products and services that consumers find relevant," says Laura Gurski, Accenture's global lead for consumer goods and services, in a statement.
"It is crucial that brands completely reinvent the beauty experience, making it much more than a transactional event," she continues. "This is what startups and disruptors do best. They create a collaboration with each consumer, allowing them to participate and experience products, services and brands in new ways."
According to Accenture Strategy's research on M&A in consumer goods, companies acquiring new capabilities represents 47 percent of activity and new technologies represents 35 percent of activity. These figures are on par with more traditional reasons for M&A, like new industries (43 percent) and new geographic markets (37 percent).
"For the first time, beauty companies have the opportunity to achieve real differentiation by taking their relationships with consumers to a completely new level," Gurski says.