Latest Launches
Built-In Convenience
Hawaiian Tropic continues to fulfill its mission to make sun care packaging more portable and convenient to use. The sun care brand’s 2007 launches include the Duo Pack, a unique two-in-one package that comprises a 3-oz tube and a 0.4-oz connectable jar, which can be carried separately or joined together.
There are three Duo Pack SKUs, each containing two products. The Oil-Free Sensitive Skin SPF 50+ sunscreen is housed in a tube that connects to a jar of Sensitive Skin Lip Balm SPF 45+. The Ozone Sport SPF 45+ sunscreen is paired with a jar of Zone Guard Spot Protection SPF 65+ sunscreen. Finally, the Instant Island Glow Daily Moisturizer with Bronzer is complemented by a jar of Tinted Lip Gloss SPF 15.
“During promotional events, many retailers expressed interest in attaching samples of other sun care items to full-sized products,” says Stephanie Mellenberndt, director of marketing for Hawaiian Tropic. “The bottom jar contains a product that complements the primary product and that is typically a secondary purchase.”
The jar is attached to the tube by a connecting fitment. The top of the jar screws into the connector, which also serves as the jar’s lid. The tube has its own screw-on lid, which fits into the top of the connector so that the tube sits above the jar. The package was codesigned and sourced by Empire/EMCO Inc. (Getzville, NY). CCL Tube (Wilkes-Barre, PA) supplied the tube; Portola Tech International (Woonsocket, RI), the jar; and Jerrico Tool Inc. (Alden, NY), the connector.
“The main challenge in creating the Duo Pack was making sure all of the parts worked together,” says Mellenberndt. “It took many trials to build a middle fitment that made the Duo Pack consumer friendly and appealing to retailers who were concerned with pilfering and package integrity.”
Mellenberndt continues, “The Duo Pack brings convenience to the next level by not only giving consumers a two-in-one product, but also by giving them the option to take only part of the product with them on the go.”
Teaching Teens about Skin Care
The Teen Everyday Skincare System (TESS) line launched recently at Sephora and Nordstrom. TESS was founded by Susan Shand, former marketing editor of Teen magazine. Shand wanted to create a line of high-end natural products that would teach teens how to take care of their skin while communicating positive self-esteem messages.
Branding agency The Kitchen Collaborative was charged with developing the TESS line. It steered the line’s brand strategy, brand identity, product naming, copywriting, package design, and production.
Aniko Hullner, founder of The Kitchen Collaborative, described TESS’s package design goals. “The overall goal was to create a brand that would speak to the savvy 13- to 17-year-old female audience in a tone that was sophisticated and yet age-appropriate, without speaking down to them. As a mother of a teenage daughter, the founder of TESS was passionate about teaching teens how to take care of their skin in a positive and honest way. The products’ clean, natural ingredients informed the packaging decisions.”
The packaging graphics for TESS are modern, with vibrant, fruity colors that convey the products’ bold scents. The line was divided into three color-coded categories: Almost Normal for combination skin (green), Skin with Attitude for problem skin (orange), and Mix and Match for all skin types (blue).
“The color system makes for faster recognition on the shelf. An easy step-by-step numbering system and supplementary product booklets help educate the consumer about product benefits and usage,” says Hullner.
The line’s primary components are stock. “As a new company, TESS wanted to launch with a small run to fit its budget and timing considerations,” says Hullner. “We chose Boston Rounds as the basis for most of the packaging, which communicated a clean yet feminine feeling. The components were available domestically in smaller quantities for the initial run and allowed for flexibility as the company grew.”
The Boston Round bottles and jars were supplied by O. Berk (Union, NJ). Bottles, in sizes of 4 and 10 ml, with doe-foot applicators, were supplied by Ispec (Edgewater, NJ). TESS also supplies its products in kits, for which it had waterproof plastic bags custom created by Alcan Packaging Beauty (Los Angeles).
The packaging labels were provided by Label Graphics Manufacturing (Little Falls, NJ). Hullner says that initially, the companies wanted to screen-print the 360° graphics directly onto the containers. However, due to the complexity of the design and budgetary concerns, a clear label was used instead.
To enforce TESS’s positive message, affirmations such as “Take charge,” “Never settle,” and “Dare to be different” are featured on the labels. “[These affirmations] remind teens to embrace their individuality and create an interactive experience as the product is used,” says Hullner.
A Star Debut
Cosmetic dentist Debra Glassman is making a splash in Victoria’s Secret stores with her new whitening toothpaste, Starbrite. Glassman tapped New York–based package design firm MoxieTM to design the packaging. MoxieTM devised a cosmetic look, rather than a clinical one, for the packaging.
“Dr. Glassman distinguishes herself as a cosmetic dentist, and she happens to have a large clientele based in the Hollywood area,” says Tammy Vaserstein, creative director for MoxieTM. “Whitening your teeth is more of a cosmetic procedure, so we approached this as more of a cosmetic brand and a cosmetic product.”
The packaging features hot-pink-and-white graphics. The 4.2-oz custom tube, supplied by Alcan Packaging Cebal (Norwalk, CT), has a hot-pink cap. It was silk-screened with Starbrite’s graphics, including a silver star icon. The outer carton, supplied by Boutwell, Owens & Co. (Fitchburg, MA), is hot pink. Its inside was printed with a pink-and-black leopard print design, a favorite of Glassman’s. Sheffield Laboratories (New London, CT) contract-manufactured the product and sourced the packaging turnkey.
The pink cosmetic-looking packages look at home in Victoria’s Secret’s pink-themed stores. “The packaging stands out among other whitening products that have a more medicinal—and almost cold and stark—look,” says Vaserstein.
MoxieTM also designed sample-sized packages for Starbrite. Future line extensions will include a matching pink mouthwash and dental floss.
Givenchy’s Four-Chamber Jar
Alcan Packaging Beauty (Plouhinec, France) created a unique square-shaped jar for Givenchy’s Prisme Libre loose powder. Thin walls divide the jar into four separate chambers, each of which holds one of the different-colored powders.
To show off the different powder colors, the jar was made with clear untreated PMMA. The jar’s ABS base was welded on through the use of ultrasound. The powder sifters were arranged in the shape of Givenchy’s “G” logo. Black graphics were hot-stamped on the jar.
The jar’s black polypropylene screw-on cap was bi-injection molded and has cutouts in the shape of the Givenchy logo that reveal a pink SAN part. A square mirror located between the top and bottom of the cap gives the logo more depth.
Awake’s Airtight Design
Last October, cosmetics brand Awake launched its Hydro-Manage makeup. To preserve the foundation’s water-based formula, the company fashioned a custom-tooled airtight compact.
The patented compact was designed by Kose Corp., owner of Awake, and is manufactured in Japan. The side of the compact features a rotating dial that seals the compact shut to block out air. The compact also features a mirror and a well to hold a sponge.
To ensure the product stays fresh until it is ready to be used by the consumer, the foundation is packaged separately from the compact in a separate, smaller, extremely airtight container. When customers are ready to use the product, they can twist open the small airtight container’s lid, lift out the product well containing the foundation, and insert the well into the larger compact.