brand awareness
Thismonth GuildNews takes an in-depth look at the history of global nail brand Cuccio, fromits early origins right through to their future plans.
The story of Cuccio first begins in America. Due to a surge ofAsian nail salons opening throughout the States that specifically targeted the artificial nail business,many traditional US salons simply struggled to compete with the highly competitive pricing strategies now being offered by their new rivals.
As a result,Tony Cuccio, President and Owner of Star Nail International, also saw a decliningmarket for his traditional product mix and embarked on finding alternatives and newmarkets to exploit.
Armed with his vast wealth of nail industry know-how and experience,Tony believed that by developing new services for nail technicians and incorporating luxurious mani / pedi products, these brands would become an alternative income streamto those which the traditional artificial service salons had offered that were then in serious decline.
Cuccio Fact File
• The brand is currently shipped to 110 countries.
• Professionals can choose from approximately 340 products in the range.
•At present, the Cuccio Colour Polish is the brand’s bestselling product.
•Award-winning items fromthe range include theMilk&Honey Body Butter, voted NailsMagazine’s Readers Choice in 2007 and theVanilla Bean&Sugar Scrub and Butter Blend honouredwith the NailPro Readers Choice 2013 award for Best Scrub and BestHand and Body Lotion.
Fromthis original concept the Cuccio brand began to take shape, and in 2001Tony’s dreambecame a reality when the brand was launched at that year’s Cosmoprof LasVegas. Initially the first products to be offered consisted of the BellaManimanicure range which were sold to trade wholesalers and direct to professional salons as amid-range, small collection of natural based products.
With initial success secured and the brand now in high demand,Tony was ready to further expand Cuccio’s operations outside of the US. Six years ago he partnered with Stuart and Jane Dickinson by opening a European hub to operations in Nottingham.
Having been a long-time work colleague of Tony’s, Stuart was persuaded to return to his home country to head up Cuccio Europe. Stuart and Jane had worked together for 15 years prior to starting the UK venture (havingmet at Star Nail International) and relocated back fromthe USA to begin on this new challenge with openminds and a fresh vision. “We like to think that we bring amodern, down to earth, affordable, business orientated approach to the beauty industry,” reveals Jane. “We listen to what our customers want and work very closely with themwith regards to promotions, customer service etc. It is our aimtomake our customersmore successful so that they keep coming back to us formore, whilst becoming a successful entity in their own right.”
Currently, the brand is now available in 110 countries across the globe and is thriving thanks to the true dedication and hard work of the Cuccio team. “We have travelled extensively to give seminars to both nail techs and distributors alike, supporting them in each country at their exhibitions and trade fairs,” comments Jane. “Ourmajor advertising and sample campaigns have driven growth in all countries.”
2001 - The brand is launched at Cosmoprof Las Vegas.
First product offerings include the BellaMani manicure range.
2004 - Star Nail International opens its own 80,000 sq ft facility, specifically for the Cuccio brand.
a splash of colour
With somuch competition in the nail sector, it was essential for Cuccio to keep one-step ahead of theirmarket peers. ForTony, this hasmeantmaintaining the foresight firmly on the globalmarket to see how products are being developed in different countries and, in turn, how these items are then being received. “This helps us keep ahead of the competition by pitching our new products at the right time and to the right people, through the correct distribution channels,” comments Jane.
Through continued Research and Development, the Cuccio range has enjoyed vast expansion over the years offering professionals new products, treatments and colours to keep their servicemenu and retail lines exciting for their clients. Every new product introduced is formulated in the US and subsequently subjected to rigorous checks via field tests, educators and working salon technicians to ensure only the best products are brought tomarket.
2007 - Cuccio’s Europe Head Office opens, based in Nottingham, with Stuart and Jane Dickinson overseeing operations.
66 GUILD NEWS
Tony Cuccio
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