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Sampling and Unit Dosing: Sample Sales

A Solid Plan

One of the most unique unit-dose products on the market is a perfumed ice cube by Kenzo's skincare brand, Kenzoki. Sold in liquid form, the product, called Perfumed Ice Cubes for the Body, must be frozen in a freezer. Once solid, the cube can be rubbed on a customer's body to simultaneously cool and scent.

Each retail carton contains twelve cubes that are individually packaged in thermoformed trays sealed with peelable lidding. "The cubes' individually wrapped containers let the user take out one cube at a time and leave the others in the freezer," says Audrey Caulonque, product manager, Kenzo Parfums (Paris).

Flexpaq's sister plant, Socoplan (Thouars, France), molded the trays to resemble the wells of an ice cube tray and filled them with product. Production was done with conventional form-fill-seal equipment, using standard materials. "What I love about this package is that even though it's a simple application of standard packaging, it's a very innovative approach," says Gabilanes.

Accommodations needed to be made in the package's design since the liquid grows in volume as it freezes. "The tray was designed with extra head space at the top to allow the liquid to expand when it is frozen," says Gabilanes.

Kenzo plans to launch Perfumed Ice Cubes for the Body, which have so far retailed in Europe and Asia, in the United States during 2004. "The ice cubes are a [unique], alternative product," says Caulonque. "They embody the Kenzoki approach, which is an alternative attitude to skincare, enhanced by a sensory dimension of pleasure. They also arouse curiosity about the brand."

Trying by Buying

Another concept gaining popularity is the sale of samples of a cosmetic's different shades. For mass-market cosmetic brands, this system is especially ideal
for foundation makeup. Since mass-market stores often don't have cosmetic counters where customers can test product shades on their skin, shoppers often have difficulty visually judging which shade best matches their skin. By selling small samples of a product's various shades, marketers let customers find the right match, in a way that's relatively cost-effective for both the customer and the brand. Also, since these samples often include coupons that are redeemable toward the retail size, there is more of an incentive for customers to buy them.

Revlon's Almay brand recently introduced to market trial-sized samples of its Nearly Naked Touch-Pad Liquid Makeup foundation. In order to closely mimic the experience that customers would have using the innovative retail package, great pains were taken to make sure that the sampler simulated the retail package.

The Nearly Naked retail package comprises a jar with a special applicator. The jar's mouth is covered with a sponge. Customers simply touch their fingers to the sponge, which is presoaked with the liquid foundation, and apply the product to their skin.

Sampling Dimensions LLC (Wayne, NJ) produced the Nearly Naked sample packages. The sample package is much like the retail package, including a sponge that is presoaked with product. But instead of being in a jar, the sponge sits in a blister sealed with peelable lidding. Like with the retail package, customers simply touch the sponge on the sampler to get the product onto their fingers.

The blister was created using a form-fill-seal machine with special tooling. The blister's material is a blend of polypropylene, PET, and polyethylene. To ensure that the sponge would not shift in the blister when the customer touched it, a ridge was molded around the top of the blister to keep the sponge in place.

To further ensure that the sampler closely matched the retail package, the same sponge material, supplied by Eluci International Inc. (Carlstadt, NJ), was used.
A representative from Almay says that if the brand had tried to use a different type of sample package without a sponge, "it wouldn't have been the same experience for the customer."

Following the sampler's first production run in June 2003, Revlon ordered another run in September. "According to Revlon, it was one of the best sell-throughs that they had for a single-use product," says Dominick Montano, vice president, sales and marketing, for Sampling Dimensions.

Another company selling sam-ples of its foundation is Procter & Gamble's Cover Girl. Samples of the brand's AquaSmooth Liquid Makeup have been on the market for two years and counting. Each sampler contains two similar shades of product, so that customers can simply choose the palette that best matches them and then pinpoint the perfect color by trying it.

Flexpaq created the sampler's thermoformed blister package, which is housed in an envelope with a tuck-style flap. "This gave the package a nice display presence, instead of a typical flat card that is usually folded around a thermoform," says Tom Schade, Flexpaq's Procter & Gamble account executive. In addition to compartments for the two product shades, the blister features a compartment for an applicator sponge that comes with the sampler.

Schade believes that selling samplers is a smart marketing idea. "Instead of making customers purchase a product that they aren't even sure will match their skin tone, this sampler lets them try it first for a small price," he says.

In November 2003, Neutrogena Corp. (Los Angeles) introduced salable samplers for its Healthy Skin, Skin-Clearing, and Visibly Firm lines. "We wanted to find an easy, low-risk, and inexpensive way for custom-ers to sample our foundations," says Stephanie Shoho, a customer marketing manager for Neutrogena.
Arcade Marketing (New York City) was the supplier for the project. First, the firm printed the sampler's gloss-coated paperboard card on both sides in four colors plus one metallic color. It then used its patented ShadeSeal system to apply two powders to a special carrier, which is attached to the upper-left-hand
corner of the card. Finally, three sachets, each filled with a different shade of foundation, were affixed to the card.

The trend for multiproduct samplers like Neutrogena's, as well as stand-alone samplers, will continue to grow, predicts Louis Zafonte, Arcade's senior vice president, marketing and business development. "Consumers today are very skeptical about manufacturers' promotional statements," he says. "Samplers are a great way for marketers to state, 'Don't just listen to us; please try the product for yourself.' "

Giving for Less

Companies are also finding that salable samples make great gifts. Some companies say that their customers are snapping up product samples to give as gifts and party favors.

Three years ago, nail-care brand One Minute Manicure started retailing some of its most popular hand, feet, and body treatment products in sample-sized packages. "People wanted to be able to sample the product first before committing themselves to purchasing the retail size," says Ann Brimberry, marketing and public relations director for Mykytyn (Houston), One Minute Manicure's parent company.

Since then, they have found that customers purchase the samples not just to try for themselves, but to give as gifts. "We've had a number of requests from customers who want to purchase them in bulk as favors, for example, for bridal parties," says Brimberry. "We've given the sample sizes away at charity events, too. Also, some salons and spas will give them out as promotional items."

The package that the company chose is a 15-ml Pill/Powder Pack from Xela Pack Inc. (Saline, MI). Since it is suited for very viscous liquids, it was a good choice for One Minute Manicure's thick ex-foliating products.

The Pill/Powder Pack also fit the bill because the 75%-paper construction includes a barrier. The barrier helps maintain the freshness of the products' ingredients, which include all-natural essential oils, and double-sifted Dead Sea salts. "Not all packaging is compatible with these ingredients," says Brimberry. "For instance, for our retail jar, we couldn't use a metal lid because the products would corrode it."

"As a standard, Xela Pack samples are constructed with a foil and poly barrier, which offers added protection for many types of products," says Anthony Gentile, director of art and marketing for Xela Pack. "On chemical compatibility charts, the linear low-density polyethylene is a great barrier for a wide array of chemicals."

Brimberry says that when One Minute Manicure's samples are given as gifts, they help create brand awareness for One Minute Manicure. "For us, sampling is key," she says. "We're not a household name yet like OPI or Creative Nail. Because we haven't been in the market for a long period of time, we need to stimulate brand awareness. Sampling definitely draws people."

Reinforcing brand identity is also important to Beiersdorf Inc., a company that has used Cebal Americas' (Norwalk, CT) sample tubes for many of its brands' products, including those for Eucerin and Aquaphor.

"The sampling program drives a significant portion of the Eucerin and Aquaphor businesses," says Kathleen Teehan, assistant manager, professional marketing, for Beiersdorf. "We rely on Cebal to ensure that the sample a patient receives in a physician's office mimics the trade size as closely as possible. That way, when consumers go to a retail shelf, the item they're looking for is instantly recognizable."

Portable Packages

Another reason that customers choose to purchase sample sizes is that these packages are convenient to use and to travel with.

Estée Lauder has sold many of its products in sachets for years. Among the company's products that retail in sachets are Go Tan self-tanning towelettes, nail polish remover, oil-relief and antibacterial wipes, eye-mask pads, and lip-plumping pads. Eluci International is one of Estée Lauder's sachet suppliers.

According to Paul Bergmann, Estée Lauder's (New York City) director of technical packaging, the company likes to use sachets because this type of container is flat and packs well for traveling. "They're convenient for someone who wants to travel with a small amount of product with them," he says. "Also, for hygienic purposes, it eliminates risk of bacteria. With sachets, each person gets his or her own product in individual packets."

Bergmann says that there is definitely a growing trend toward sample packages being used for retail purposes. "I see it as a growing trend, especially for skin-treatment items," he says. He adds that Estée Lauder is considering other ways to market products in sample packages. "We're looking at sample packages as a means of delivering different types of products." One idea he says the company is developing is using polypropylene sachets to house towelettes presoaked with fragrance.

Flexpaq's Gabilanes says that the firm has also packaged retail items in sachets for brands like Origins and H20 Plus.

Klocke of America (Ft. Myers, FL) has been producing retail versions of sample packaging for years, for companies such as L'Oréal. One project of note is a skin treatment kit for Prada. The kit's secondary packaging is a carton supplied by Cartondruck AG. Inside the carton is a range of sample packages, including sachets, thermoformed blisters, and vials.

"The unit-dose packages are not only hygienic, but they also keep the products' ingredients potent," says Don Hopta, vice president, sales and marketing, for Klocke. "When a product is in a jar, for instance, it can lose its freshness because it is exposed to air as the jar is opened repeatedly."

Unit-dose kits like Prada's are definitely great for traveling or are even just convenient to use in the bathroom. In fact, the Prada carton features a magnetic closure that makes the kit even easier to open and close.

Contract packager Marietta Corp. (Parsippany, NJ) recently helped baby-brand Gerber launch a Take-Along Travel Pack travel kit. "Travel kits make excellent gifts," says Susan Hain, marketing manager for Marietta. "The Gerber kit is great for expectant mothers."

In fact, travel kits for babies are all the rage. Playtex Baby Magic offers its own line of travel kits, as does Johnson & Johnson. "Many brands in the baby industry offer this type of travel pack because it's a great salable sample," says Hain.

Most travel kits, like Gerber's, are designed to tie in with the retail line. For the Gerber kit, which includes baby shampoo, wash, and lotion, the kit's 1-oz bottles with flip-top caps are mini-sized versions of the retail bottles, right down to the bottle and closure colors, as well as the labels. Another kit that Marietta recently created for Kiss My Face, called Cheap Kisses, features the brand's trademark green color.

Cute secondary packaging is also part of what adds gift appeal. Supplied by Caraustar Custom Packaging Group (St. Louis), the Gerber kit's carton features scalloped edges and cute graphics. Recently, the carton was redesigned as an autotuck carton.

Secondary Packaging

Well-designed secondary packaging plays an important role in unit-dose retail, especially if the product being sold is part of a regimen. Prior to purchase, it is often the secondary package that needs to advertise to customers exactly how the product should be used.

Hair-care company KMS (Redding, CA) found a way to effectively promote the weekly regimen concept of its Color Vitality Intensive Treatment product through secondary packaging.

Since the treatment regimen spans a six-week period, which is the KMS-recommended length of time between hair colorings, six ampules full of product are included in each retail package.

A secondary package was needed to clarify the regimen. Supplier AGI/Klearfold (New York City) came up with a solution. It thermoformed a PVC tray with cavities
to hold the ampules. The tray is inserted into a transparent PVC sleeve through which the individual ampules are visible. This lets customers see that the product should be used in six individual doses. Silk-screened on the sleeve are the graphics, "week 1" through "week 6", clearly outlining the six-week treatment. The sleeve was also offset printed in a blue-violet tint, KMS's signature color. Detailed instructions are printed on the back of the carton.

The ampules are supplied by Unicep Packaging Inc. (Sandpoint, ID). They are 10-ml medium-density polyethylene versions of Unicep's trademarked MicroDose Twist-Tip vial, which includes a twist-off tab for easy opening. The vial features a flat base, allowing it to stand upright like a bottle. When asked why KMS chose Unicep's ampule, Chris Tours, KMS's director of purchasing, says, "Most of our competitors that sell similar products use glass vials. We didn't want to use glass for safety reasons. We also liked the stand-up feature of the bottle." Unicep also ink-jet printed graphics on the vials and handled filling as well.

Steve Dilts, director of sales and marketing for Unicep, says that Unicep, like many other suppliers of sample packaging, can provide secondary packaging. "We can put vials in form-fill-seal pouches, bags, and cartons," he says.

"There are many ways to retail sample packages," says Flexpaq's Gabilanes. "For example, for visibility you could choose a clear folding carton or a regular SBS board-stock carton with a die-cut window that lets the customer see how many packets are left." Other options can be even more creative. For instance, Gabilanes suggests stringing several packets together, which Flexpaq did for a baby ointment product. "We strung several of our Stickpaq units together in a way that allowed them to be hung near or on a diaper-changing station."

Francesca Fazzolari, president of ampule supplier James Alexander Corp. (Blairstown, NJ), suggests not only printing directions on secondary packaging, but also directly printing on an ampule what week it should be used. "The great thing about unit-dose packaging is that it provides customers with the correct measurement of a product to use in one dose," says Fazzolari. "Manufacturers have a lot of additional options for making sure there's no mistake about how a regimen should be used."

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