There was a new show in town whose success underscored the need and hunger for a true beauty event in the region, especially one that catered to the Americas, including travel retail.
Cosmoprof North America Miami concluded its inaugural edition with resounding success, solidifying its position as a premier beauty launchpad. The event, held January 23-25 at the Miami Convention Center, welcomed an impressive 19,000 visits representing 113 countries, alongside a diverse array of over 700 exhibitors from 40 countries.
Exhibitors at Cosmoprof North America Miami (representing categories in skin care, makeup, fragrance, hair care, nails, and the beauty supply chain) had the opportunity to showcase new products and launches, contributing to the event’s overall success. The dynamic show floor was a bustling hub for innovation, highlighting the latest trends and groundbreaking beauty solutions.
“The success of the first edition of Cosmoprof North America Miami is really a positive signal for the development strategy of the Cosmoprof network,” declared Antonio Bruzzone, Chief Executive Officer of BolognaFiere Group. “As a global partner for business for all beauty stakeholders, our aim is to facilitate networking and commercial relationships; starting from today we can provide our global community two specific events dedicated to the U.S. market, enriching the global offer of our international platform.”
While few major fragrance brands attended this inaugural event – a traditional travel retail/duty free category—there were many really exciting skincare, makeup and nail care brands on display, all categories that are generating increased attention from retailers throughout the global travel retail industry. One fragrance launch did stand out however—the inaugural fragrance for football (soccer) super-star Lionel Messi, produced by Australian company Game On Product Group. I doubt that a single person attending the event did not stop at the centrally-located Messi stand, even though the Icon himself was not in attendance, as he was the Icon on the newly launched Icon of the Seas from Royal Caribbean.
Beauty tools were a huge draw—especially German brand Geske whose accessibly priced collection of high-tech, beautifully designed products were a center of attention. Geske has invested significantly in the Cosmoprof events since the brand launched two years ago, and it appears that the company is creating huge interest in the category (more on Geske in our next issue), while significantly raising its visibility throughout the world.
TMI’s Lois Pasternak saw quite a few travel retail operators at the event, especially some well-known names from Latin America. While key travel retail mega brands may not have been exhibiting at this inaugural event, representatives from key companies came to check it out and attend some of the “CosmoTalks” information sessions.
One of the distinctive features of the event was the presence of country pavilions, supported by foreign governments that recognized the pivotal role of creating exposure for their brands in the U.S. These pavilions, representing countries Brazil, China, Colombia, France, Germany, South Korea, Spain, and Turkey, added a global dimension to the event, fostering international collaboration and showcasing the beauty industry’s diversity.
HIGHLIGHTS
The Buyer Program and Collaboration with U.S.C.S.
The Buyer Program, an exclusive initiative by Cosmoprof facilitating impactful B2B networking between exhibitors and buyers, orchestrated a multitude of highly productive meetings. Notable participants in the Buyer Program comprised esteemed companies such as 1 Hotels, Blush-Bar, CVS Health, Icsitum, Nordstrom, Olivela, El Palacio de Hierro, Space NK, and Walmart Puerto Rico. Also, in collaboration with the U.S. Commercial Service, 175 delegates were registered from 17 countries, including Colombia, Ecuador, Ghana, Jamaica, and Mexico, fostering meaningful B2B engagements with exhibitors.
Education
CosmoTalks and Cosmopack Education sessions emerged as significant highlights of the show, with numerous sessions selling out before the event, underscoring the industry’s hunger for education. Topics ranging from “Beauty Business Start-Up: What You Must Know Before You Launch!” to “Revolutionizing Beauty: Unveiling the Secrets of New Product Innovation” and “The Lowdown on Environmentally Conscious Packaging” drew eager attendees seeking invaluable insights and expertise from speakers representing The Estée Lauder Companies, Shiseido, Ulta Beauty, Unilever, and more.
Rumor has it that there will be some travel retail sessions next year.
The Press Zone
Situated on the show floor, the Press Zone offered exhibitors an exclusive opportunity to establish one-on-one connections with influencers and prominent consumer and trade press figures from Allure, BeautyMatter, The Beauty Industry Report, CEW, Elle, Hola TV, NewBeauty, Real Simple, and Today.com.
Cosmoprof North America Miami proved to be a catalyst for industry professionals, providing a unique platform for networking, business expansion, and knowledge exchange. As the inaugural edition came to a close, the overwhelmingly positive response from both exhibitors and attendees affirmed the event’s success and marked the beginning of a new era for beauty innovation in Miami Beach.
Rebeca Durán, International Manager of Stanpa, was really satisfied with the first edition of the exhibition: “Cosmoprof Miami went quite well for Spanish companies, and we are pleased with the outcome. A significant number of visitors came from Latin America, but there were also visits from [the] US and Canada. We’ll be participating [in the] next edition with a bigger Spanish pavilion, in representation of Beauty from Spain.”
The 21st edition of Cosmoprof North America Las Vegas will take place at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center from July 23-25, 2024, with registration now open.
The second edition of Cosmoprof North America Miami is scheduled to take place in Miami Beach, Florida, from January 21-23, 2025.
To register for Cosmoprof North America Las Vegas, go to www.cosmoprofnorthamerica.com/las-vegas/ and take advantage of early bird pricing through May 17th.
“As we celebrate the triumph of Cosmoprof North America’s expansion to Miami, the launch’s success reverberates into Las Vegas, solidifying both shows as vital hubs in the ongoing robust growth of the beauty industry in the United States,” remarked Ed McNeill, Senior Vice President of USA Beauty. “With a shared objective, these events provide an unparalleled experience, nurturing innovation and fostering connections for all stakeholders.”
“With the success at Cosmoprof North America Miami, we look forward to the sustained momentum at Cosmoprof North America Las Vegas in July,” said the Professional Beauty Association’s Executive Director, Nina Daily. “These notable events underscore the power of collaboration and a collective vision dedicated to empowering beauty professionals, strategically shaping the future of the industry.”
