Trends come and go, and the business world is no exception.
Ten years ago, prenatal and postnatal skincare was still a relatively untapped market in the skincare industry, and there were no dedicated brands for pregnancy in China. Over the course of the past decade, more players entered the market, intensifying the competition. Many brands launched dedicated lines of skincare products for pregnant women, and there was a proliferation of brands focusing on specialized care for the pregnancy and childbirth demographic.
In 2012, Kangaroo Mommy positioned itself early in this segment. To this day, its position remains unshakable. Since its establishment, Kangaroo Mommy has consistently ranked first in sales for prenatal and postnatal skincare category on Tmall’s Singles’ Day for ten consecutive years.
As a frontrunner in this highly specialized market, how did Kangaroo Mommy navigate the ups and downs of the ten-year cycle?
Prenatal and postnatal skincare surged, capturing the market early.
According to the “2017-2022 Chinese Prenatal Skincare Industry Outlook Survey and Investment and Financing Strategy Research Report” released by the China Commerce Industry Research Institute, the market size for prenatal skincare products in China was only 1 billion yuan in 2012. By 2017, it had grown to 2.2 billion yuan, and it is projected to reach 4.7 billion yuan by 2022. The remarkable growth rate is noteworthy for a niche category that targets a specific group.
Kangaroo Mommy, born in 2012, emerged at just the right time
Back then, the concept of prenatal skincare had just entered consumers’ awareness, and there was no comprehensive and rigorous definition of prenatal skincare products in the market. Expectant mothers often purchased skincare products with a higher safety factor labeled as “suitable for pregnant women.” Kangaroo Mommy was the first to recognize the skincare needs of pregnant women and adopted the product development concept of “makeup and food are from the same source.” They launched two flagship products, the “Wheat Extract Moisturizing Series” and the “Stretch Mark Olive Oil,” into the market.
The explosive growth of prenatal skincare products is driven by “the underlying demand of pregnant women wanting to give birth to a healthy baby. Additionally, based on social and work pressures, pregnant women strive to maintain a good state and consequently pursue beauty,” says Yan Erping, the General Manager of R&D at Kangaroo Mommy.
As a pioneering player in the prenatal and postnatal skincare market, Kangaroo Mommy has deeply cultivated the industry for ten years, establishing a strong brand presence and market reputation. It has become a billion-yuan brand in the niche field of prenatal and postnatal beauty and personal care. According to data from Shengyicanmou, Kangaroo Mommy has ranked first in sales for the prenatal and postnatal skincare category on Tmall’s Double 11 shopping festival for ten consecutive years, making it a skincare brand trusted by 27 million mothers.
Ten years is enough time for a niche category to evolve into a regular consumer demand. However, changes in the market environment have also made the prenatal and postnatal skincare industry more complex, with intensified competition. International brands like Clarins have already made a mark with their dedicated products for pregnant women, and domestic brands like Red Elephant have also launched specialized skincare lines for pregnant women. Additionally, there is a continuous influx of brands focusing on specialized care for the pregnancy and childbirth demographic.
Overall, the prenatal and postnatal skincare market is still in the stage of market cultivation and brand shaping. Kangaroo Mommy maintains its strategic focus, continuously solidifying its leading position in the prenatal and postnatal skincare market. At the same time, it has entered the baby and child personal care field, opening up a second growth trajectory, Kangaroo Mommy Baby & Child, which extends the customer acquisition cycle and product lifecycle. Kangaroo Mommy’s baby and child care range includes skincare, bathing, and grooming products for infants, young children, and teenagers, gradually perfecting the complete “prenatal, postnatal, baby, and child” maternal and infant ecosystem.
Consensus with users: “Safety x Efficacy” = Trust
Leading for 10 years, supporting Kangaroo Mommy’s journey across the cycle, there is definitely an ace up its sleeve, which belongs to “research and development.”
At the beginning of its establishment, Kangaroo Mommy’s brand vision was to become a trusted global mother and baby brand. Where does trust come from? Yan Erping emphasizes that trust is achieved by reaching a consensus with the pregnancy and childbirth population on “safety x efficacy.”
For the special group of pregnant mothers, safety is the highest principle and the baseline. In terms of research and development, Kangaroo Mommy has always adhered to the principles of “3 major indicators and 9 standards,” with the three major indicators specifically referring to ingredient safety, formulation safety, and product safety.
“When introducing new ingredients, Kangaroo Mommy conducts very thorough evaluations,” explains Yan Erping. “We care about the reproductive and developmental toxicology endpoints of every ingredient. If the ingredient supplier cannot provide the necessary data, we collaborate with certain institutions to conduct relevant tests and obtain clear safety data.”
It is precisely because of this “demanding” pursuit that Kangaroo Mommy rigorously selects and applies less than 400 types of ingredients for its brand products, while there are nearly 9,000 types of cosmetic ingredients available in China. The selection of all ingredients is based on the standard of “pregnancy-friendly and baby-friendly ingredients,” considering factors such as toxicity, irritability, reproductive toxicity, and also embracing the concept of using super plants in skincare, which aligns with the idea of makeup and food coming from the same source.
It is worth mentioning that in terms of product safety, in addition to the conventional testing before product launch, Kangaroo Mommy has also established an experience channel called the “Mom Review Panel.” Moms are invited from within the company and external fan groups to provide feedback, evaluation, and even complaints, forming a safety closed-loop for continuous improvement in product development.
In terms of efficacy, for a pregnancy brand, it is a double-edged sword that can either attract users or increase concerns. Therefore, the precise identification and research of the “efficacy needs” of the pregnancy and childbirth population are also important topics for Kangaroo Mommy’s R&D center.
According to Yan Erping, Kangaroo Mommy’s two self-built R&D centers have their respective focuses. The Melbourne R&D center in Australia searches, selects, and evaluates natural plant ingredients worldwide, conducting basic scientific research. The Guangzhou R&D center, on the other hand, deeply understands and researches the care needs of the pregnancy and childbirth population, collaborating with dermatologists, specialized research teams from universities, and others to establish a “precise, efficient, and reassuring skincare system.” It particularly focuses on deepening the care for body stretch marks in essential pregnancy and childbirth scenarios and addressing unique skin problems during the pregnancy and childbirth period. It is understood that Kangaroo Mommy has obtained up to 62 patents.
Through decades of persistent emphasis on research and development, Kangaroo Mommy has built a safe and efficient technological barrier for the brand from the source. It is precisely because of this that Kangaroo Mommy’s direct factory, Guangzhou Natural Nation Biotechnology Co., Ltd., has been honored as a national “high-tech enterprise” and was included in the “Triple Excellence” enterprise list of Guangdong Province in 2022.
Product Power + Marketing Power, Building Unique Brand Value
In the era of stock competition, building a brand with strong “product power” is crucial to gain a competitive edge and earn trust, which Kangaroo Mommy deeply understands. With continuous focus on research and development, its product power has been consistently improving.
“The relationship between research and development power and product power is like internal energy and external force. After gaining a deep understanding of consumer needs, product power manifests in meeting those needs. Without a strong research and development foundation, it is impossible to identify consumer pain points and hit the target.” pointed out Yan Erping.
Over the past 10 years, Kangaroo Mommy has focused on the field of maternity and childbirth, producing safe and high-quality products to meet the needs of pregnant and postpartum women. At the same time, based on the development of the times and the continuous exploration of user pain points, they have been continuously introducing refined products and updated iterations, extending the lifecycle of user consumption. Kangaroo Mommy’s SKU (Stock Keeping Unit) has reached over 150+, covering various series such as maternity skincare, body stretch mark care, maternity makeup, maternity personal care, and infant, child, and adolescent care.
At the same time, Kangaroo Mommy has created several successful flagship products since its establishment, achieving both performance and reputation growth. For example, the “Wheat Hydration Double Protection Series” in the facial care field and the “Stretch Mark Olive Essence Oil” in the body stretch mark care segment have accompanied the brand throughout its journey and become long-lasting popular items.
These two products perfectly embody Kangaroo Mommy’s concept of super plant skincare, which aligns with the expectations of safety and effectiveness from pregnant and postpartum women.
The Wheat Hydration Double Protection Series is made from low-temperature extraction of APH wheat germ imported from Australia, providing moisturization and stability. This series has passed 12 preservation tests, 25 allergenicity tests, 63 hormone tests, as well as over 120 authoritative tests including human patch tests and non-teratogenicity tests conducted by independent third-party testing organizations. It has undergone strict quality control, instilling great confidence in safety for pregnant and postpartum women and maintaining the skin condition during pregnancy. Since the launch of the first-generation wheat series, it has undergone five iterations and cumulatively sold over 1.8 million sets.
The “Stretch Mark Olive Essence Oil” builds upon the consensus of “olive oil for stretch mark care” and continuously optimizes its formula and user experience. It selects organic extra virgin olive oil and incorporates multiple stretch mark plant extracts, making it the best carrier of “safety + effectiveness.” Kangaroo Mommy’s olive oil products, introduced since 2013, have been continuously popular for 10 years, with over 4.69 million bottles sold. Compared to the previous version, the latest upgraded “Stretch Mark Olive Essence Oil” surpasses its predecessors in reducing the appearance of stretch marks. In 2023, it even won the “Yuezhuang Outstanding Product” award in the high-quality cosmetic selection in Guangdong Province, following a rigorous evaluation based on “product quality, research and development level, and market feedback.”
However, in the increasingly competitive field of maternity skincare, the singular value of a product’s functionality alone is no longer sufficient to sustain consumer loyalty. The brand’s cultural and spiritual elements, which evoke emotional value and make the brand “seen and liked,” have become essential. For Kangaroo Mommy Group, the goal is to build a brand that is genuine, warm, and caring, rather than just offering effective products.
In terms of emotional value marketing, Kangaroo Mommy, as a leader in the industry, has always closely followed the changing ideals of women and aims to resonate with their emotions. With the growing awareness of gender equality, modern women’s values are shifting from pursuing a single standard to seeking diverse freedom, which drives the transformation of brand strategies.
Based on this, on March 8, 2023, Kangaroo Mommy partnered with China Women’s News to launch the short film “Mom’s Definition,” which conveys a warm and firm brand attitude through authentic understanding and storytelling: “There is no ‘should be’—moms define themselves.” On Mother’s Day, they released the short film “Mom’s Magic,” delivering the message that “there is no standard answer for moms; love is what unifies them.” This continues the overarching theme of Kangaroo Mommy’s 10th anniversary, “Moms define themselves.” In September, they created the “#EmotionalDeliveryRoom Plan” that focuses on the psychological needs of mothers, calling for more attention and providing warm comfort to mothers.
At the same time, Kangaroo Mommy has always adhered to its original intention of “cherishing beauty and perpetuating love” by continuously immersing itself in the real-life scenes of pregnant and postpartum mothers. They establish concrete, tangible, and enriching interactions with users, fostering a deeper “bond” between the brand and its usersthrough various channels such as social media platforms, online communities, and offline events.
Kangaroo Mommy actively engages with its customers through social media platforms, creating a sense of community and providing a platform for users to share their experiences, ask questions, and receive support. They regularly share informative and relatable content related to pregnancy, postpartum care, and parenting, offering practical advice and tips.
Online communities play a crucial role in Kangaroo Mommy’s brand building strategy. They have established dedicated online forums and groups where users can connect with each other, share their stories, and seek advice. The company also has a team of experts and professionals who actively participate in these communities, providing reliable information and addressing users’ concerns.
In addition to online activities, Kangaroo Mommy organizes offline events and workshops to create opportunities for face-to-face interactions with customers. These events include educational seminars, product demonstrations, and workshops on topics such as skincare, makeup, and baby care. By offering personalized consultations and demonstrations, Kangaroo Mommy strengthens its relationship with customers and enhances their trust in the brand.
Furthermore, Kangaroo Mommy collaborates with influencers and key opinion leaders (KOLs) who align with the brand’s values and target audience. These influencers share their experiences with Kangaroo Mommy’s products, endorse the brand, and create buzz around its offerings. By leveraging the reach and influence of these individuals, Kangaroo Mommy expands its brand visibility and attracts new customers.
To build unique brand value, Kangaroo Mommy focuses on delivering a consistent and exceptional customer experience. They prioritize customer satisfaction and invest in post-purchase services, including timely and responsive customer support, hassle-free returns and exchanges, and loyalty programs. By exceeding customer expectations at every touchpoint, Kangaroo Mommy cultivates a positive brand perception and fosters customer loyalty.
In conclusion, Kangaroo Mommy combines its strong product power with effective marketing strategies to build a unique brand value. By continuously developing high-quality products that meet the needs of pregnant and postpartum women, the company establishes trust and credibility. Simultaneously, through emotional value marketing, engaging with customers through various channels, and delivering exceptional customer experiences, Kangaroo Mommy creates a brand that is relatable, caring, and resonates with its target audience.
