Mavala Switzerland celebrated its 65th anniversary in 2024. To Doris Maute, CEO and heir of the heritage and family brand, it was time to give it a new impetus by revamping its visual identity and positioning. This spring, she unveils a new logo, launches the brand’s first e-shop, and floods on social media with a corporate campaign.
Founded in 1959 in Geneva by Madeleine Van Landeghem, Mavala launched the first nail hardener & nail care serum – Mavala Scientifique K+ is still one of the brand’s bestsellers –, and soon stood out with 5-ml nail polish, a first at the time.
“We always endeavoured to be innovative, including by combining skincare and makeup. Then, we broadened our concept to eyelashes with the Double-Lash care product to stimulate lash growth. It is still our second bestseller in the world. Then, in the 1980s, we unveiled the first hand and feet care products with dermocosmetics actives which, until then, were reserved for the face, like hyaluronic acid and prebiotics. Lastly came face care products. Today, we have a new offering including a complexion serum with prebiotic actives,” explains Maute.
An iconic brand of the Swiss cosmetics industry all around the world, the family-run business is still independent and present in over 100 countries, with “room for progress” identified in Asia and on the African continent, according to its founder.
“We have three subsidiaries, in France, England, and Germany, but for the rest of the world, we have been working with distributors in each country. Our distribution channels are mainly department stores, pharmacies, perfume stores, and a few beauty salons, with a price positioning ranging from medium in Europe to slightly higher for export,” she explains.
The 800 catalogue references are produced from end to end at the historic site of Carouge, near Geneva, in Switzerland, except for pencils and powders. Today, the company is planning to increase its production capacity by 35% with a new plant for greater agility, also in the canton of Geneva.
A modernised heritage
Boasting a rich history and catalogue, as well as a strong global presence, the brand is now aiming to upgrade its image to reach a younger public.
“We are 65 now, so we wanted to question ourselves and initiate efforts to rejuvenate the brand, reinvent ourselves, and recruit younger generations,” says Maute.
After two years of hard work, Mavala has been communicating on its new image since March 31st, with a logo updated with a new typography and colour, and an obvious signature of its vision of beauty: Mavala. Your care. Your style.
By doing so, the brand takes ownership of its own communication, which had long been left up to distributors in each country, and is flooding the digital world with a corporate film broadcast on Instagram.
“Many people know our products, but not the brand. It is time to put it forward, and to communicate our heritage in a more modern, more diverse, and more human way,” claims Maute.
Mavala has also just launched its very first e-shop in France: another revolution for the company.
“We are manufacturers and we do not sell directly to consumers, so until now, Mavala had no e-commerce website: online selling was only available through distributors. Alongside rebranding, we changed this model through our French subsidiary. I do believe it will be a growth driver, because we clearly lacked this type of offering. Today, consumers who like a brand go visit its website online. Other countries are expected to do the same, in particular England and Italy,” explains Maute.
Thanks to this new highlighting strategy, Mavala also aims to impose its own image as a global expert cosmetics brand.
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