Japan’s Kao Corporation has launched ‘KABUKE: Break Convention,’ a new international campaign for its KATE makeup brand inspired by the aesthetics and philosophy of traditional Japanese Kabuki theatre.
Fronted by Kabuki actor Ukon Onoe, the campaign draws on the blue tones used in traditional kumadori makeup and uses the line “Slip a touch of blue into your shadows” to promote the brand’s “shadow enhancing makeup” approach across Asia.
The campaign centers on the message “KABUKE,” which the brand describes as the imperative form of the Japanese verb kabuku—meaning to act unconventionally—and encourages audiences to challenge conventional ideas of beauty.
Two films accompany the launch: KATE × Kabuki Concept Movie: Blue Shadow Enhancing Makeup, which explores the relationship between Kabuki and the brand’s makeup philosophy, and KABUKE: Break Convention, which examines parallels between the art form and the brand’s creative approach.
The campaign also coincides with the launch of two products tied to the initiative: Smooth Fit Pressed Powder and Real Shading Stick, both scheduled to launch in Japan on July 25 before expanding into Taiwan, Hong Kong, Thailand, Malaysia, and the Philippines.
