Rom&nd is no stranger to the spotlight. As a K-beauty powerhouse, the brand has dominated prestigious beauty awards in Korea and Japan, and was also among the most talked-about beauty brands during major shopping events like Black Friday. From its origins in Korea to its global presence spanning Southeast Asia, Europe, and the United States, Rom&nd's rise has been nothing short of remarkable.
TL;DR
- Rom&nd built its global fan base by treating consumers aged 18-24 as co-creators, not customers.
- Six structured engagement channels (from Ko-deok parties to the BLACK LIP CREW) feed directly into R&D decisions.
- Expanding into each new market requires separate trademark registration; a Korean trademark does not transfer abroad.
- Rom&nd is now targeting the U.S. as its next major market after France, Japan, and China.
- MarqVision supported Rom&nd's global IP registration process and counterfeit protection across overseas markets.
What to Look for in This Interview
- Introduction to the Rom&nd Brand
- Rom&nd’s Keys to Customer Engagement: A Beauty Brand with a Loyal Fan Base
- Reasons Behind Rom&nd’s Global Success
- Rom&nd, the Beauty Brand That Grew Alongside MarqVision
- Rom&nd’s Challenges and Goals
Introduction to the Rom&nd Brand
Founded by iFamily SC, Rom&nd is a vibrant, color-centric cosmetics brand proudly known as "The Beauty Holic's Favorite." With a commitment to empowering individuals to express their unique identities, Rom&nd brings a wide range of colors and on-trend designs to its products and content, creating beauty experiences that enrich everyday life.
Staying true to its brand philosophy, Rom&nd first partnered with beauty creators who authentically embodied their personal styles. But the brand didn't stop there. It shifted its focus to engage directly with consumers, particularly young audiences aged 18 to 24, offering a diverse range of shades at accessible price points. By building a constant feedback loop with its fans, Rom&nd has built a deeply loyal community that sees itself as active collaborators in the brand's evolution, and more than mere customers.
Rom&nd’s Keys to Customer Engagement: A Beauty Brand with a Loyal Fan Base
Q: Rom&nd is well-known for having a very loyal fan base. What is the secret behind maintaining such a special relationship with your fans?
The key lies in listening and communicating with consumers. Since the early days, Rom&nd has made it a top priority to pay close attention to consumer feedback and reflect it in its products. What's unique is that Rom&nd consumers aren't merely customers; they actively share their opinions and feel a sense of ownership in the brand.
For example, Rom&nd frequently hosts consumer participation events, where customers can test new products and provide feedback, or we invite fans and customers to "Ko-deok (beauty enthusiast) parties" on a regular basis. While such pop-up events are now common in the beauty industry, Rom&nd was one of the first to actively welcome consumer input in this way.
After a new product launch, we also closely monitor responses on social media. Rom&nd's consumers are so passionate that they go beyond casual interest and offer in-depth feedback, sometimes sparking debate amongst themselves over product-related topics.
This is the result of Rom&nd's clear communication of our "consumer-centric" philosophy, wherein product development places the highest priority on consumer opinions. To preserve mutual trust, the Rom&nd team carefully monitors consumer voices and weaves them into product development and marketing strategies.
Q: Could you tell us more about Rom&nd’s growth and its consumer-centric philosophy?
What’s particularly striking about Rom&nd’s approach to consumer engagement is that it doesn’t end with one-off events. Instead, we focus on creating sustainable channels for ongoing communication.
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A prime example of this is the “Open Office.” The first floor of our headquarters is open to the public as a special space where consumers can test new products and leave feedback. Far from a traditional showroom or retail space, this area serves as a hub for building trust between the brand and our customers through real-time interaction.
Initially, the plan was to use this space as a store, but Rom&nd put our "consumer-created brand" philosophy first by focusing on genuine communication with our customers.
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Maximizing two-way communication between the brand and its audience, the open office allows visitors to freely share feedback on products. Instead of simply displaying items, Rom&nd designed the space with desk-like setups featuring merchandiser (MD), marketer, and brand manager (BM) stations, so that visitors can easily share thoughts in a more casual, interactive setting. Surveys are placed throughout the space to further encourage consumers to feel like true members of the brand.
Q: It seems that your consumer-centric brand philosophy is also evident in your product collaborations. What are your criteria when selecting collaboration partners?
Rom&nd’s collaborations go beyond merely licensing characters; the focus is on immersing ourselves into stories that consumers can connect with on a personal level.
A prime example is our brand's first collaboration, "Anne of Green Gables." Instead of limiting the partnership to design aspects, we devoted our efforts to create a sense of empathy and connection that both the brand and consumers could share. To do this, the team thoroughly analyzed the original animation and film series, pinpointing common ground between Rom&nd and the character.
For us, the character Anne represents resilience and self-acceptance, overcoming her insecurities, a message that deeply inspires us. Similarly, our brand name, Rom&nd (with the "&nd" portion), reflects our hope that consumers accept and love themselves just as they are. From this concept, we developed the core message "#It'sOkaytoHaveRedHair," weaving Anne's memorable quotes and imagery into our packaging to create a sense of connection and camaraderie with our consumers. This approach resonated strongly, and grounded in this consumer-centric philosophy, we continue to focus on product development and branding strategies that have made Rom&nd a beloved brand both at home and abroad.
Reasons Behind Rom&nd’s Global Success
Q: K-beauty has been hugely popular in the global market lately. What strategies has Rom&nd used to achieve successful global expansion?
In 2024, Rom&nd collaborated with the illustrator Inapsquare. Inspired by Inapsquare's signature black color, the brand introduced a "PH-reactive" lipstick that changes its color depending on one's PH level.
The global fans' reaction took us by surprise. Instead of being drawn to the PH-reactive feature, many expressed a desire for a truly "black" lip color. In response, we quickly formed a "BLACK LIP CREW" made up of these global fans to collaborate on developing a genuine black lip product, which is now in progress. This initiative reflects Rom&nd's firm commitment to understanding and delivering "what consumers really want," no matter where they are, reinforcing our principle that continues to shape how we connect with our global audience.
Q: You’ve been active in France, Japan, and China. Which country are you targeting next?
Currently, we're focusing on the United States. K-beauty has been receiving a positive response in the U.S., so we're determined to rise to the occasion. We hope to open a special space soon for Rom&nd's global fans, so stay tuned!
Q: There must have been various challenges as you entered each country. What were some difficulties, and how did you overcome them?
Rom&nd doesn't presume that the source of our success was one-sided. We think that our greatest strength is listening to consumers and acting on their feedback for R&D.
As Rom&nd continues to launch new lines, we’ve learned we need to register trademarks separately in each market we enter. Even if you own a trademark in Korea, you must verify whether it’s valid in other countries and secure the rights there.
Obtaining trademarks is key, particularly to prevent illegal distribution or unauthorized sales overseas. For any company considering global expansion, we highly recommend planning ahead to secure your trademarks.
Rom&nd, the Beauty Brand That Grew Alongside MarqVision
In any partnership, Rom&nd places the highest importance on people and trust. We believe successful collaborations happen when both parties respect and deeply understand each other’s direction and philosophy.
Through our longstanding partnership with MarqVision, we’ve been able to uphold our core values and protect what matters most. With Marq AI, we’ve safeguarded our brand and trusted products while shielding consumers from counterfeit or unverified items. This goes beyond brand protection; it’s about maintaining and strengthening consumer trust at every step.
Trademark Support for Global Expansion
In particular, Marq Folio provided thorough support as we entered overseas markets. It guided us through the complex trademark application process in a way that aligned with Rom&nd's strategy, making it easier for us to connect with global fans. MarqVision's prompt responses also helped us reach decisions swiftly and efficiently.
The first step in safeguarding brand trust and consumer well-being is trademark registration. Building on that foundation, Rom&nd continues to thrive in global markets, and our partnership with MarqVision has played a key role in strengthening our journey.
Rom&nd’s Ambitions and Goals
Rom&nd will always try to listen closely to customers, acting on their feedback to grow into a beloved brand. By communicating continuously with domestic and global consumers alike, we build trust and seek to maintain a relationship that goes beyond fleeting beauty trends. Our aim is to stay connected with our customers and create opportunities to deliver our brand values in authentic ways.
Thanks to our commitment to sincerity, Rom&nd has formed a dedicated fan base in Korea and around the world. We continue to listen to feedback from local customers and actively engage with international audiences to find new avenues of growth.
In the beauty industry, authenticity and trust is everything between a brand and its consumers. If you’re looking to protect and grow your brand and products as you enter new markets, MarqVision is here to help. Get in touch with us today to speak to experts who can help you craft a brand protection strategy that fits your brand.
FAQ
How does Rom&nd use consumer feedback to drive product development across its global markets?
Rom&nd runs six structured engagement channels: Ko-deok parties, the Open Office, post-launch social media monitoring, pre-launch consumer participation events, the BLACK LIP CREW, and story-driven brand collaborations, all feeding directly into R&D decisions. The BLACK LIP CREW is the clearest example: when global fans rejected a PH-reactive lipstick in favor of a genuinely black lip color, Rom&nd formed that consumer group expressly to co-develop the product they actually wanted. This feedback loop works across borders because the brand treats consumer input as a design input, not a marketing signal.
Does a Korean trademark registration protect Rom&nd's brand in the U.S., France, Japan, or China?
No. Trademark rights are territorial, so a Korean registration gives you no legal standing to demand takedowns, block unauthorized sellers, or stop infringers in any other country. Rom&nd learned this directly during global expansion: each new market required a separate trademark application before the brand could take enforcement action or prevent illegal distribution there. For any beauty brand entering new markets, registration in each target jurisdiction is the prerequisite for protection, not an optional follow-on step.
What is the best way to protect a K-beauty brand's IP as it expands into the U.S. market?
Start with trademark registration in the U.S. before launch, not after. Registration is the structural prerequisite for filing marketplace complaints, running paid ad enforcement on Meta and Google, and pursuing infringers through platforms like Amazon. Once registered, a system like Marq AI can scan across 1,500+ platforms to detect counterfeit listings and unauthorized sellers, while Marq Folio manages the trademark portfolio as new product lines and market entries follow. Beauty brands face a specific detection challenge: counterfeits often replicate packaging accurately while substituting formulations, so physical test purchase programs are a necessary layer on top of digital monitoring.
How did MarqVision support Rom&nd's international trademark registration and counterfeit protection?
MarqVision's Marq Folio guided Rom&nd through trademark applications in each overseas market, aligning the filing process with the brand's expansion strategy instead of applying a generic registration template. Marq AI then provided ongoing counterfeit detection across global marketplaces to protect consumers from fake or unverified products. Rom&nd's experience reflects a pattern common to fast-growing beauty brands: the IP foundation built before entering a market directly determines how quickly and successfully enforcement can begin once the brand lands.
When does a beauty brand's digital counterfeit monitoring need to be supplemented with physical test purchases?
Digital detection identifies packaging-level counterfeits and listing anomalies reliably, but it cannot assess ingredient substitution, formulation quality, texture, or scent. These are the attributes that define whether a beauty product is genuinely harmful. If your products are in categories where a counterfeit could pass a visual inspection of the listing image while containing an entirely different formulation, test purchases are not optional. Physical test buys generate the ingredient-level evidence that supports stronger takedown requests and any legal proceedings where digital evidence alone is insufficient.
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