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Home > CANADA > Spotlight
ELISA GERA: INNOVATION AND TRADITION: THAT'S THE SECRET OF ACCA KAPPA
Rome (Ign) - "Ours is a quality niche market, where the charm of real tradition and the seriousness of a trademark which covers three centuries is strongly appreciated by a demanding public. I think that precisely the characteristic of the family-run business, with the owner in the company every day, available to offer opinions and solve everyday challenges, is a point of strength in a market made increasingly uniform by the competition of multinationals of the sector". This, according to Elisa Gera, is the secret of Acca Kappa, a company producing cosmetics and beauty accessories and makeup established in 1869. Founded by Hermann Krull, a Venetian merchant of Prussian origins, and great-grandfather of Elisa, who is today its chairman, the company is situated in Treviso, in premises dating back to the early 1900s, which retain their old-fashioned charm.
How much does your company focus on research and how much, instead, on maintaining traditional characteristics? And how much, in your opinion, does this choice affect consumers?
Innovation and tradition are two aspects which are always present in everything we do. Anyone who visits our production facility is struck by the many things recalling the past. At the same time there is clearly a high level of production technology, and our products are characterised by a continuous research into materials and design. Innovation is essential if you want to be able to present products which are always in step with the changing times, but risks becoming an end in itself if it is not backed up by a company with strong roots in its traditions. When purchasing a product, the modern consumer needs to feel reassured by the seriousness and experience of those who produced it. Our history is full of successes, large and small, built up day after day over all these years. And we realise how much this is appreciated by customers, both in Italy and abroad. In our communication you will often find a slogan: Acca Kappa - Renewed tradition. I think it brilliantly summarises the way we aim to combine innovation and tradition in our products.
The Internet site is part of the marketing of the future. Already today, some businesses use it to sell directly to the consumer, "bypassing " the distribution network. Do you have the same intention?
Our products are already on sale online in the United States, where this type of market has come of age. I am however convinced that this is a particular form of selling that may support but not replace traditional retail selling. The professionalism and preparation of a good saleswoman represents, particularly in the case of quality products like ours, a real plus in the sale and consultancy relationship with the final consumer.
Acca Kappa places a great deal of importance on foreign markets: in which new markets does your company excel?
The foreign market represents an increasingly important part of our distribution. The Acca Kappa trademark is distributed all over the world in the most selective boutiques and in our own-brand shops in Las Vegas, Seoul, Hong Kong, San Paolo and Manila. Our courtesy kits have been selected for the suites of the Four Seasons and for first-class passengers on Khatai Pacific airlines. We are present in all five continents, but Asia is definitely our main foreign market - countries where the mix of quality and innovation, following Veneto and Italian tradition, has proved to be a boost to new opportunities. Today, we are interested in Asia and China in particular: markets where mass production has not prevented the success of our Italian products. The future will clearly reserve for us increasingly difficult challenges in a world where the globalisation of markets will bring new threats, but also and above all exceptional new opportunities.
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