Portraits in Leadership
Jane Tarallo
Jane Tarallo, global group creative director for Coty Beauty US, has been with the company for 16 years. Tarallo is in charge of new product development and directs Coty’s U.S. and global licensing initiatives. The brands she works on include Nautica, Celine Dion, Baby Phat, and Phat Farm. Tarallo has also created package design concepts for Esprit Bath & Home, The Healing Garden, Adidas Adrenaline, Adidas Moves for Him and Her, Vanilla Fields, Gravity, Longing, Rimmell, and Calgon Bath & Body.
A package has to work on several levels, according to Tarallo. “It has to be functional. It also has to work both aesthetically and graphically,” she explains. Tarallo believes that package design has a huge influence on a product’s success, especially in the fragrance industry. “Advertising and merchandising are key to a brand’s success, and the packaging must work synergistically with those elements,” she says.
Tarallo considers design to be directly linked to the consumer’s emotions and desires. “I often think about what motivates the consumer to purchase a product. Creating an emotional connection is inspiring,” she says.
Tarallo often encourages her team to clearly define each brand using visual references. “You have to be discriminating when choosing design elements. Brand images must be kept consistent.” She explains how sometimes a visual element could easily look right for more than one brand. Part of her responsibility is to make sure that doesn’t happen. “It can be a challenge, but each brand has to have its own presence,” she says. “Paying attention to detail is what helps you decide what each brand’s DNA is about. Its image must be clearly defined visually, through packaging,” she explains.
Tarallo’s first job in the beauty industry was unexpected. “I was working for a small advertising agency that suddenly announced it was closing in three months. I quickly answered a blind ad in the New York Times and was hired by L’Oréal’s Retail Fragrance Division. I began working on the Ralph Lauren Chaps and Vanderbilt fragrances,” she says. In 1988, Tarallo was named design director for Calvin Klein Cosmetics. In 1990, Tarallo joined Coty as senior art director.
Tarallo’s leadership style is “honest and direct,” according to a few of her team members. She feels it is important to be strong, yet understanding and compassionate. “It is also so important to lead by example. If I demonstrate creativity and passion, then I can expect it from my team,” she says.
Thinking back on the past 10 years, Tarallo says the biggest change is how fast-paced the industry has become. “It is so competitive now. New products are launched so much more quickly,” she says. This is especially true at Coty. The company has a reputaton for launching new products extremely quickly, which has set the bar higher for the entire industry.
In addition to the pressures of deadlines, Tarallo describes her daily challenges as balancing creativity and business objectives. “Innovative packaging must be designed, but costs must also be maintained. It can be an incredible challenge to coordinate both,” she says.
Tackling each new project is a group effort at Coty. “Having the support of strong creative and marketing teams, as well as our package development team, helps all of us to reach our objectives,” she says.
Tarallo is most proud of how Coty has become a leading player in the industry, especially in the area of fragrances. “I feel proud knowing that I have helped contribute to some of that success,” she says.