WATSONS, Asia's leading health and beauty retailer, is looking for more sites for expansion in Davao City, with the growing market demand for health and lifestyle products in the city.
"We have our separate team looking for more sites and when they see the opportunity, we will definitely expand in the city," Kim Reyes, Watsons Group category manager, told reporters in an interview at the launch of Watsons' "Make Your Summer" campaign last Thursday, March 30 at the chain's SM Lanang Premier branch.
She said Watsons, at present, has 548 stores nationwide, eight of which are located in Davao City.
"Our stores in Davao City are all mall based and department store based," she added.
Reyes also said the chain has branches in almost all key cities in Mindanao.
Karen Fabres, Watsons Group marketing manager, for her part, expressed confidence on the potential of the market in the city, which she described as "reading-ready."
"We are really doing well in Davao City and the rest of Mindanao. Very fast ang growth, actually reading-ready ang market. Kami yata ang nahuli (The market is very ready. I think we are left behind), but we are really catching up," said Fabres.
Reyes and Fabres led the launch of Watson's summer campaign in the city, which aims to assist consumer's plan for summer and how to make it "sexy colorful and sunproof."
"The campaign started nine years ago to talk about summer. Previously, we just talk about the products but now we have more and bigger stories to tell. We want to help our consumers in their summer plans, in terms of preparing for summer and the actual summer season," Reyes said.
As part of the campaign, she said Watsons is promoting lifestyle products essentials to make your summer worry-free, like sunblock or sunscreens and other products for skin protection.
"There's no more need for hiding from the sun because at Watsons, we know that it’s important to get protected from harmful UVA and UVB rays. That’s why we have all the sun-proof tools you need for a safe and awesome summer," Reyes said.
Participating products in the campaign are Nivea, Vaseline, Banana Boat, Beach Hut, Solstice, Biore, Sunplay, Belo, Neutrogena, Cetaphil, Celeteque, Kojie San, Hawaiian Tropic, Dermplus, Ponds, and Olay.
"They have products that are exclusive to Watsons. But some products are also available in other retailers as well," Reyes said, referring to the participating brands.