Showcase: Sample Packages Get Real
Photo courtesy of Xela Pack. Trial-sized packages are looking and working more like the full-sized, finished product.
By Ursula Jones There's no doubt that samples are a great marketing tool for cosmetic and personal care companies. They not only get product into the hands of consumers, but also serve as a vehicle for distributing coupons and other incentives. And they're a great way to increase brand awareness—something so important in today's competitive beauty market.
"Sampling is critical to familiarizing consumers with your product," says Gail Cohen, assistant vice president of marketing, hair care group, for Matrix Essentials (New York City). "They're great vehicles because they can give the consumer one or several uses, and they allow us to incorporate graphics that are very eye-catching and appealing."
But developing the right sample program takes work. There are more packaging and delivery options today than ever before, and new systems are being developed all the time. Some companies are even producing sample-sized packages as part of their product lines. With so many different ways to package and distribute samples, there is a lot to consider.
Samples That Look and Work Like the Real Thing
Many companies are turning to sample packages that not only resemble, but also function like the full-sized package. For instance, when Gap Inc. (San Francisco) was developing a trial size for its So Pink eau de toilette (EDT) fragrance, the company wanted a sample that would look and perform like the full-sized package. "When this project came up, we wanted the sampler to emulate the large package, which is a tall cylinder," says Ted Wang, director of package development for Gap. "Second, we wanted the convenience of having the customer apply the fragrance as they would a normal EDT."
To accomplish this, Gap selected the MiniMist sampler spray from Risdon-AMS (Watertown, CT). "There are a lot of advantages to offering the consumer something that she can actually apply in the same way that she's accustomed to applying it," says Bill Perry, West Coast vice president of sales and marketing for Risdon-AMS. "That's why customers like Donna Karan, Bijan, and Gap prefer this as a means of sampling."
The MiniMist sprayers come without caps so they need to be housed in a protective external package, usually a small carton. Because the lack of a cap makes the sprayers relatively inexpensive, fragrance companies can spend the savings on decorating the carton as a marketing vehicle, to further mirror the full-sized package. "We designed the [So Pink] sample to be a scaled-down version of the large box," says Wang. "So when customers have the small square box in their hands, they automatically associate it with the large 100-ml EDT."
Gap also specified the MiniMist sprayer for its Classic Banana Republic fragrance sampler, but this time with an all-metal spray head. "It's a metal version of the MiniMist, so it's pricier and tends to be more of a gift than a giveaway," says Perry. "But it's quite upscale looking and quite an attractive presentation." The sampler has a three-tier foldout design so the package is visible through the carton, but it's not enclosed.
Even more challenging is finding a sample package for products like lip gloss and mascara that look and work like the finished full-size package. Sampling Dimensions (Wayne, NJ) has come up with a new system that can do just that. "People were asking us for packaging that resembles their retail packages for lip gloss and especially mascara," says Dominick Montano, vice president of sales and marketing for Sampling Dimensions. The company's Sampling Stix product comprises a small container and interchangeable application heads. Options include a doe-foot applicator that could be used for applying lip gloss, a spatula for scooping out foundation, and a mascara tip. "Mascara seems to work very well with this package because it duplicates the fit of the brush and the wiper system, which is very important to the application of the mascara," Montano says.
Both Bobbi Brown Cosmetics and Calvin Klein (Unilever Cosmetics) are using the Sampling Stix for their latest sample projects. Bobbi Brown has in-store sales associates apply the sample mascara to customers during makeovers. Afterward, the customer can take the rest of the sample home, allowing them to use it once or twice more.
The primary benefit of designing a sample package that closely resembles the actual packaging is that you're establishing brand recognition with the consumer. "If customers remember trying the product, they will feel comfortable going to the store and picking it up. It's going to look almost identical to what they've tried," Montano says.
Standout Designs
Photo courtesy of James Alexander Corp. While packettes and miniature plastic bottles are great vehicles for product samples, some companies are looking for innovative package designs to jazz up their image. When Los Angeles–based Dermalogica wanted to design a sample program for its Treatment Foundation product, the company looked for something out of the ordinary. What it found was a form-fill-seal blister package from Sampling Dimensions.
"It's a card with a little bubble in it," says Jackie Bronfenbrenner, marketing manager for Dermalogica. "The consumer just peels off the back of the bubble, and it's one application for them to take home and try." Bronfenbrenner says that the package appealed to her because it is reminiscent of pharmaceutical packages. "We have a very clinical and serious image, so we were looking for something that would depict that," she explains.
Sampling Dimensions has sold the package primarily for use with fragrances, but it can also be used for just about any other product. The 5/16-in.-diam bubble holds about 0.35 ml of product and is made of Barex, which has great stability properties for fragrance. "We did the launch of Pink for Victoria's Secret. We did a launch for the new Fubu fragrances, and we're working on several others right now," says Montano.
James Alexander Corp. (Blairstown, NJ) recently developed an all-plastic ampule that can be used as a sample package for almost any type of product. It comes in both 2- and 5-ml sizes and can be equipped with either a dropper tip or a swab tip. "You just squeeze the package to rupture the inner membrane and dispense the product," says Francesca Fazzolari, president of James Alexander. "You don't have to use scissors or twist or anything."
Cosmetic and personal care companies are finding that even complicated products can be packaged in a sample size. "In the past, a lot of sampling was primarily for shampoos, lotions, and that type of thing, but now we're seeing a lot of two-part products," says Anthony Gentile, advertising manager for Xela Pack (Saline, MI).
One of the company's customers, Mykytyn (Houston), makes a One-Minute Manicure that Xela Pack was able to package for them. The product is a salt and oil scrub that had to be filled using a special two-part filling process. "Not only did they like our package a lot, but we were one of the few companies that could even fill samples of that product in anything other than glass bottles," Gentile says. The One-Minute Manicure samples were packaged in 15-ml pill/powder Xela Packs with a larger orifice for proper dispensing of the oil and salt.
Innovative Delivery Methods
Cosmetic and personal care companies are concerned with more than the look and function of their samples. Increasingly, companies are seeking new, innovative ways to distribute those samples to the consumer.
One way to deliver samples is by attaching them to an advertisement in a magazine. Arcade Marketing (New York City) specializes in this type of sampling system. The company's BeautiSeal, PowdaTouch, and LipSeal systems use "on-page" technology. This means that they adhere directly to a magazine insert or bind-in card.
Because the sample is actually part of the advertisement itself (as opposed to a packette-type sample, which is bound in), they are approved by the Postal Service for subscription magazine periodical rates. This saves companies tremendous amounts of money in postal up-charges, says Wendy D'Amico, vice president of marketing and creative for Arcade. The sampling systems can be used on direct mailers, brochures, and handout cards as well.
"BeautiSeal is available in many different sizes and can be either single- or dual-chambered, so a customer would have the opportunity to sample two shades on a single carrier," says D'Amico. "And because they're single-use, they're hygienic."
Neutrogena (Los Angeles) recently produced an advertisement that sampled both the BeautiSeal system and the PowdaTouch system on the same page. The ad combined a sample of the company's Healthy Defense Sheer Makeup in true beige and a sample of its Protective Powder in medium. "Arcade's process ensures the vehicle can still be inserted into the magazine, which is really nice because you can have a liquid product and a powder product all on one card," says John Schueller, business development manager for Neutrogena.
Neutrogena has also used the BeautiSeal system to sample its Norwegian Formula Hand Cream. Because the product is so concentrated, users only need a tiny amount to get a full application. "With the low-dose sample, they can use it once and get a good feel for the product. That was an excellent sample program," Schueller says.
Schueller also likes the fact that, because the sampling systems are laminated against a card, the company has the opportunity to give the consumer a little more information about the product as well as include a coupon, a cross-promotion, or even another sample. "We try to provide as much information to the customer as we can. With some other samples like packettes, you're limited by that amount of space," he says.
Overwraps are another way to enhance sample delivery while at the same time expanding the amount of space on the package that can be used for printing additional information. Flexpaq Corp. (South Plainfield, NJ) offers what the company calls Flowpacks, which are similar to an overwrap package that could contain a vial, a bottle, or even a novelty item.
"People ask us for innovative new packages and new ways of delivering the sample," says Jim Gabilanes, vice president of sales for Flexpaq. "This package allows it to be handed out at the counter. It can be included as part of a gift with purchase or a gift box. It can also be used in cross-sampling or as part of a catalog merchandise delivery."
Orlandi Inc. (Farmingdale, NY) also provides custom overwrapping. "It's something that's great for smaller items or dimensional items," says Gina Shaughnessy, marketing manager for Orlandi. "There was a time when overwraps were used only for flat items, but we're using them for little pots of facial cream and lipsticks and things like that." She says that another benefit of overwraps is that they create a tamperproof package.
More Than Just Samples
Photo courtesy of Orlandi Inc. Sample-sized packages are being produced not only as part of a sampling program, but also for sale on the shelf. For example, Matrix Essentials produced sample sizes of its Biolage Fortified line of hair-care products, which they boxed together in a kit and sold for $10. "We did a sampler kit that was basically 10 days' worth of product," says Gail Cohen. "It had a 4-oz bottle of shampoo, a 3-oz bottle of conditioner, and a 2-oz leave-in treatment." These kits do more than serve as traditional sampling vehicles. They also generate revenue for the company and for the salons that sell them.
Jeff Funk, sales manager for Klocke of America (Fort Myers, FL), says he's seen an increasing interest in the idea of retail unit doses. "One of our clients sells individual doses in a box, and the consumer knows to use one per day," says Funk. These unit doses are usually packaged in either foil packettes or blisters. "The customer gets the proper dosage, and a sterile one at that," Funk says. "With a jar, people will dip their fingers in and may contaminate the contents. With unit dose, you don't have that. And the third advantage is that it's convenient for traveling."
Whether they're sold individually or distributed as part of a traditional sampling program, today's sample packages have come a long way. From new and unique package designs to innovative delivery systems, cosmetic and personal care companies have a variety of ways to create the perfect product sample.