GENEVA ¨C Unilever, which is trying to make a splash in the Asian cosmetics market, came to a surprising realization after it developed a new shower gel for China. The initials of the KJU Perfumed by Lux label matched those of North Korea¡¯s supreme leader.
The Anglo-Dutch company, which just snapped up cosmetics maker Carver Korea for $2.7 billion, created the KJU label with a Korean designer. But it insists that the name has nothing to do with Kim Jong Un.
¡°It was only after we trademarked it that I realized that it also stood for Kim Jong Un, but never mind,¡± Alan Jope, the company¡¯s head of personal care, said at a meeting with investors Thursday.
KJU is designed for urban millennials and is available in fragrances such as ¡°Romancy Rosy.¡± Unilever is introducing it in China six months after starting work on it, Jope said.
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