02.07.12
Beauty Company of the Year-Excellence in Packaging: Elizabeth Arden
Packaging Megabrands for Global Success
With a focus on global markets and multiple channels, modernizing the packaging for the Arden brand and maximizing the looks of key licensed fragrances are the company’s top priorities. Here, Paul McLaughlin, vice president of creative at Elizabeth Arden, talks with Beauty Packaging about some of the company’s standout packages in 2011 and why they likely led to Beauty Packaging’s 25,000+ online readers naming Arden Beauty Company of the Year: Excellence in Packaging.
Remaining true to the brand while tempting the consumer with a new experience, and making an impact in a global economy with multiple channels, drove new beauty and fragrance launches at Elizabeth Arden in 2011. The challenge of packaging the products for prestige and mass retailers, duty-free, travel and worldwide markets inspired design and engineering teams to develop bottles, caps, cartons and tubes that would draw enthusiastic consumers in all arenas.
Paul McLaughlin, vice president of creative at Elizabeth Arden, is responsible for taking products from concept through launch, a role he describes as trying to “make everyone happy, meaning consumers in every beauty channel across the globe—from retail to travel, U.S. to Asia, in addition to, of course, corporate executives. He says packaging has to look great at launch, on counter when the consumer is just walking by, in duty-free shops and on your dresser. It’s an ambitious plan that needs a carefully planned approach.
“If you look at the industry,” he says, “we’re one of the more aggressive companies launching. We’re pushing the business, launching in mass as well as prestige.”
In many cases, he says, packaging holds the key to “making everyone happy.” And while it’s evident from speaking with McLaughlin that this goal is not always easy to achieve, it seems he’s determined to stick to his principles and forge through the trials and tribulations it takes to produce outstanding packaging that satisfies the company and its customers.
After all, McLaughlin tells Beauty Packaging, “Packaging holds up the whole business. At launch, packaging is 70% of it. If your packaging doesn’t work, you’re in trouble.”
A Look Back
Being voted Beauty Company of the Year: Excellence in Packaging by Beauty Packaging’s readers in our annual competition proved to be a timely tribute to Elizabeth Arden, Inc., which celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2011. Often credited with establishing the American cosmetics industry, Elizabeth Arden built her business to great heights by the 1920s, along the way expanding her Red Door Salons (the iconic crimson door remains the logo for Elizabeth Arden, Inc. today), as well as her cosmetics, fragrance and skin care empire. Following her death, the company went through a succession of owners including Eli Lilly and Unilever. Elizabeth Arden, Inc. is headed by E. Scott Beattie, chairman, president and CEO.
Favorable Results
Despite a weakened economy, fiscal 2011 proved to be a strong year for the company, with record sales and earnings performance. Net sales grew by 6.5% to a record $1.17 billion for the fiscal year ended June 30. Sales in the U.S. accounted for about $702 million, while foreign sales reined in $474 million.
By category, fragrance was the overwhelming performer at $900 million, followed by skin care at $207 million and cosmetics at $68 million.
A Clear Strategy
With the widely loved namesake brand and the license to a number of blockbuster fragrances, the company strategy is clear as it moves forward: focus on key megabrands to conquer multiple channels in a global market, with an eye on Europe. In Arden’s 2011 annual report, Beattie stated that the two largest fragrance markets are Western Europe, with annual retail sales of $13 billion (more than twice as large as the fragrance market in North America), and Latin America, with annual retail sales of $10 billion. “We have mapped our brand portfolio across geographies and channels and are focusing our resources behind the highest potential brands and markets,” said Beattie. “Our initial priority is Europe given its size and developed retail infrastructure. We have strengthened our commercial sales capability and are focusing our resources and investments against key brands, including the Elizabeth Arden fragrance brands of Red Door, Elizabeth Arden 5th Avenue and Elizabeth Arden Green Tea, Britney Spears’ Fantasy and Juicy Couture’s Viva La Juicy, that have become relevant to the European consumer.”
No matter what or where the launch, most important in creating successful packaging, emphasizes McLaughlin, is staying true to the brand and maintaining the brand image, while also bringing something new and exciting to the customer experience. He also repeatedly expresses how critical it is to “look at the whole global picture.”
Following, McLaughlin talks with Beauty Packaging about the packaging that launched many of Elizabeth Arden’s most successful products in 2011.
Throwing a Curve
Arden started off 2011 with a winning launch in mass market outlets with its Curve line, designed for a new generation of users—but development of the successful packaging was not without challenges. McLaughlin describes Curve as “a big mass brand with lots of flankers.” Curve launched 15 years ago and has proven highly successful as a top 10 fragrance for the past 10 years. In 2011, he explains, they developed a new brand within the line, called Curve Appeal. The challenge, according to McLaughlin: “How do we keep the DNA current?”In the end, Arden launched both men’s and women’s fragrances in packaging based on the original bottle—but literally put a slant on it, skewing the glass of the flacon. “How do you make something new but keep the continuity?” asks McLaughlin rhetorically. Major challenges were to create the slanted bottle and also to achieve the gradated color on the glass for the men’s product. “Complications arose with decorating,” admits McLaughlin. “We had to figure out how to spray with the slant, then how to package the slanted bottle. We decided to package the bottle in a tin, like they did 15 years ago, when a tin was a first for fragrance.” Unlike its original linear secondary packaging, it was put in a circular tin for its 2012 reveal.
The resulting fragrance package is a new, sleek spin on the brand’s signature aesthetic. The modernized bottle is inspired by “the fast-paced energy and forward motion of a new Curve generation” and features the classic Curve pump lock.
It was a clever move that shook up the category.
Victoria Gustafson, leader of the SymphonyIRI Beauty Vertical, notes that while “the fragrance category has been struggling for a long time, and 2011 was no different, with the category down by 5% in food, drug and mass outlets, excluding Walmart (FDMx), the category was far from stagnant in 2011 and had some successes, such as Elizabeth Arden fragrances.” She said Curve, Arden’s sole brand in men’s Top 10, became the No. 1 men’s fragrance in 2011, deposing a long-standing top fragrance, Stetson (Coty). “One of the main keys to success is keeping the category fresh and the product exciting.Arden’s restage of Curve last year certainly contributed to it outperforming the category,” comments Gustafson.
Focus on Prestige Fragrance
In the second half of 2011, Arden released three innovative prestige fragrance packages that broke more rules—and records.
A Juicy Launch
In July 2011, Arden satiated collectors’ appetites with the irresistible limited edition launch of Juicy Couture’s Viva La Juicy, one of the top 10 prestige fragrances in the U.S.
McLaughlin says Juicy girls “are collectors in the most aggressive way,” so Arden wanted to do something spectacular for a limited edition that would live up to their expectations. The innovative packaging of both the brand’s first-ever parfum and a necklace containing solid perfume showcase the fun, flirty, side of Juicy Couture while presenting two unique fragrance packages. The Juicy insignia plaque pops on the front of the bottle atop the crackled finish.
Again, as with Curve Appeal, the packaging for Viva La Juicy presented big challenges. “Doing the gold leafing on the glass was amazingly difficult to execute, as was keeping it financially possible,” says McLaughlin. So were the satin bow and the charms that make the limited edition irresistible.
Making it particularly tough to produce, says McLaughlin, was the gold crackle on the outside of the bottle paired with silver on the inside, which was necessary to give the juice an appealing color.
Three quarters of the bottle wears a crackled, antique-gold look, executed by Providence Metallizing’s three-step proprietary metallization process, used for the first time on fragrance bottles, and serves as the perfect foundation for the fuchsia bow and diamond-gem heart-shaped charm that adorns the flacon. The bottle’s charm is highlighted by the Viva La Juicy Solid Perfume Necklace (produced by Jackel) in a diamond-gem heart-shape with a gold chain. Packaged in a bright pink case to evoke the feel of a jewelry box, the necklace becomes a special keepsake charm once the solid perfume has been used up.
The bottle is topped with a prismatic Surlyn cap with a weighty antique glass stopper look “borrowed” from the existing cap used for the brand.
“We used the existing bottle as well, but made it into a collector’s edition,” explains McLaughlin. The “Juicys” are all flankers of sorts.
While production proved difficult, the final product had what it takes to wow consumers at counter. “Viva La Juicy adds a jolt of both glam and fun with its limited edition ‘gold’ bottle, giant bow in girl-power pink, and topped off with a sparkly jewelry charm,” says Karen Grant, vice president of beauty/senior global analyst, The NPD Group—and a member of Beauty Packaging’s Board of Advisors.
Viva La Juicy will no doubt propel the Juicy Couture fragrance franchise to new heights. In fiscal 2011, net sales grew by 19% due to healthy performance in both North America and international markets. Strong packaging and marketing initiatives are in line to boost the brand’s international growth.
SymphonyIRI’s Gustafson notes: Viva La Juicy is well positioned to overtake Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue for a No. 3 spot in women’s fragrance.
Capping It Off with Varvatos
One year into Elizabeth Arden’s licensing agreement for John Varvatos fragrances, and already the packaging for the brand is on par with previous designs that have won it worldwide accolades—including a 2010 FiFi for John Varvatos Artisan, which won Best Packaging-Men’s Prestige, while still under Beauté Prestige International. Since assuming the licensing relationship in May of 2010, Arden developed and launched a 10th anniversary limited edition fragrance, and in September 2011, premiered a fragrance aligned with Varvatos’s Star USA apparel label.
The bottle is made of smoky glass (produced by SGD) and silver metal, drawing inspiration from19th century vials and industrial materials, while the spring system of the cap is reminiscent of antique beer bottles.
McLaughlin says designer John Varvatos was very involved in creating the package. He came to Arden (his licensor) with the idea of a lager-like cap that would be the focus of the whole piece.
Topping the embossed, simple bottle, “the cap is so intricate,” explains McLaughlin. “Not only was it challenging to engineer, but also getting it to function to spray.” But Arden succeeded, McLaughlin notes, with the package definitely remaining true to the brand, identifiable to the designer’s collection. Getting that cap, says McLaughlin, required “too many production meetings—as did getting it assembled, and getting it to work.”
The cap is comprised of “at least four separate pieces,” he says, “with not just a silver finish, but a slight antiquing process.” The Arden team also had to ensure that the Zamac, “big cap construction” was not top-heavy. McLaughlin credits Metal Dynamics for working on the cap, and says the supplier was a big partner in getting it to function.
But the delighted consumer may take all the development work for granted as he pops the spring-like sprocket and the cap lifts up and back, remaining on the bottle for one-handed easy closure when you snap it back into locked position—and the sound and feel of a satisfying click.
NPD’s Grant notes why the fragrance has been a huge hit at counter. “Innovative and beautiful, John Varvatos packaging stands out in a sea of fragrances,” she says“The newest brand in the franchise, Star USA, is cool and sleek and at the same time nostalgic. ”
Inspired by a Songstress
During fiscal 2011, Arden executed one of its biggest coups: an exclusive global licensing agreement with Grammy-winning recording artist, Taylor Swift, to develop and market her own line of fragrance products. Arden’s first year—and first launch—with pop star Taylor Swift has amounted to an unprecedented success.
Grant says celebrity scents tend to appeal most to consumers who want to feel closer to their favorite celebrity.Leveraging that insight, Taylor Swift’s Wonderstruck fragrance incorporates charms on the bottle that have personal significance to Taylor and her fans.
Arden partnered with Swift because of her incredible appeal and huge numbers of fans throughout the world. As they worked to create her first fragrance package, capturing her genuine personality was number one for the fragrance launch that climbed to the top of prestige sales charts in October 2011.
The name “Wonderstruck” was inspired by lyrics from the song “Enchanted” from Taylor’s best-selling album “Speak Now,” which is available in 48 countries, and achieved Gold, Platinum or Multi-Platinum status in over a third of those nations.
In creating the bottle and carton, McLaughlin says he spent time visiting Swift in her loft-like apartment in Nashville. Her eclectic style and personal mementoes, many with a whimsical or vintage note, played a large role in the design of the bottle and the carton. They chose the name of the fragrance first, then set out to create a fantastical bottle.
McLaughlin points out “the interesting finish” they selected for the bottle. “It’s a unique, challenging holographic-like speckle which doesn’t sparkle until the light hits it,” he explains. It is a finish he discovered at SGD.
“When I saw that finish, which had never been done before, I wanted to pursue that technique… the magical quality,” says McLaughlin.
Sheherazade Chamlou, vice president of sales and marketing, SGD, explains the technique: “The shimmer effect on the bottle is a technical innovation because it is a special material which is new to fragrance bottle decoration.SGD worked in close collaboration through various samplings to achieve the aesthetic balance between the dosages of purple tint and shimmer effect.In fact, the bottle takes on different dynamic looks depending on surrounding lighting and colors in the room.”
McLaughlin says the whole concept of the finish played on the name Wonderstruck and gave it a unique, mystical finish. But while they were thrilled with the rainbow effect it also presented problems with photography and effects from in-store lighting, which had to be remedied.
He adds that while Wonderstruck was the first fragrance package to feature the effect, “now that other vendors have seen it, material vendors will probably shop it around.”
The bottle’s other appealing charms (literally)—the antiqued gold trinkets that adorn the bottle—were handpicked by Taylor and are reminiscent of her unique style. The Moravian star, dove and birdcage charms are signature decorative elements that evoke Taylor’s whimsical flair.The charms appear once again within the intricate detail of the embossed cap, capturing Taylor’s love of hidden messages. The finishing touch to the package is a gold embossed 13, which fans will recognize as Taylor’s lucky number. Jackel produced the cap and charms.
The carton (achieved by Cultech) is a modern day patchwork, which recalls the many fabrics Taylor has collected on her travels.Its colorful design was also influenced by Swift’s personal décor, including sweeping curtain panels hanging on oversized windows in her loft apartment, and a fabric collection amassed during her extensive travels. The frame is reminiscent of a design element that appears on her album covers.
McLaughlin says this project proved to be “a lot of fun.” He says Swift wanted to be involved in everything, and that, “She is exactly as she appears—very genuine, a class act.”
With such a great success story, I asked McLaughlin if there might be a flanker in the works. He wouldn’t commit, but said it is a possibility.
Counting Down the Hours
What is next for sure—and keyed for success—is this month’s re-launch—in new packaging—of a skin care product first introduced by Elizabeth Arden herself in 1930. Eight Hour Cream, known as the “all-in-one beauty tool,” earned its name from its effect on skin that healed eight hours after the formula had been applied. This apricot-colored balm is also credited with helping to relieve chapped, cracked dry skin, soothing redness and minor scrapes and, when it comes to beauty, serving as a multi-tasking must-have for everything from grooming brows to glossing lips.
While Eight Hour Cream has been available over the years, the latest edition of the tube features modernized, upscale packaging, with attractive graphics, a soft touch and a double cap highlighted with red. Both old and new renditions showcase the Elizabeth Arden name and the globally recognizable Red Door logo.
McLaughlin faced the multiple dilemmas of “how do we upgrade a product created by Elizabeth Arden herself? How do we coordinate with new development? How do we upgrade and not alienate the consumer? And in all markets?
McLaughlin said it is a more important SKU in some markets than others, and while I guessed Asia, McLaughlin surprised me by answering England and Europe. In fact, he says that Eight Hour Cream was the No.1, most mentioned, skin care product in England in 2011.
With this product, too, McLaughlin had to focus on “how to satisfy everyone” and how the updated packaging would work for duty-free, travel and worldwide markets. Again, he notes the importance of “looking at the whole business and all outlets and regions.”
He says they “made a lighter fresher package” with 8 Hour as a graphic. They added an attractive push cap with an embossed red cap inserted into the push cap, which “proved challenging,” he said.
The red inner cap shows through. The flat surface of the cap is punctuated with (4) 8s in various sizes highlighting the pattern of 8s subtly covering the soft touch tube punctuated by the iconic Red Door logo. Arkay Packaging produced the complementary carton.
It was ambitious to create a cost-effective package as a tube, notes McLaughlin, because any custom cap requires custom engineering. The result was a soft touch tube with a semi-satin finish. Other SKUs will take on a similar look and feel as the brand takes priority in the coming years. “What we’re creating,” he adds, “is a cohesive brand in which all sub brands will strengthen each other.”
McLaughlin emphasizes the importance of integrating the carton and tube or bottle from a merchandising point of view—for travel retail as well as for Sephora, for instance. As always, the Arden focus is on how it will look at the launch as well as how it will be perceived weeks later on counter at a retail store.
It’s all apparently paying off. According to Beattie in the 2011 Annual Report: “We are very pleased with the momentum of the iconic Elizabeth Arden brand. Sales of Elizabeth Arden branded products increased by 8% in fiscal 2011, and we expect continued growth of the Elizabeth Arden brand in fiscal 2012. This fiscal year, we are launching an exciting and comprehensive global repositioning of the Elizabeth Arden brand intended to modernize the brand and make it more relevant to consumers globally. Research we conducted in Europe, Asia and the U.S. indicates that the brand enjoys high awareness and a unique association with the Red Door Spa, and that these perceptions are consistent across markets.
“All aspects of the Elizabeth Arden brand repositioning are well underway for a global introduction into the market beginning in fiscal 2012. This involves bringing a unified look and feel to market, including contemporary packaging, a streamlined product line-up that should result in a more productive SKU assortment, digital communications, updated retail store counters, a revamped brand logo and several exciting product innovations. As we roll out the Elizabeth Arden brand repositioning in 2012 and into 2013, we expect it to be a major driver of organic growth of the brand for fiscals 2013, 2014 and beyond… .We also expect the Elizabeth Arden brand repositioning to contribute significantly to the expansion of our skin care business in Asia.”
Packaging Megabrands for Global Success
With a focus on global markets and multiple channels, modernizing the packaging for the Arden brand and maximizing the looks of key licensed fragrances are the company’s top priorities. Here, Paul McLaughlin, vice president of creative at Elizabeth Arden, talks with Beauty Packaging about some of the company’s standout packages in 2011 and why they likely led to Beauty Packaging’s 25,000+ online readers naming Arden Beauty Company of the Year: Excellence in Packaging.
Remaining true to the brand while tempting the consumer with a new experience, and making an impact in a global economy with multiple channels, drove new beauty and fragrance launches at Elizabeth Arden in 2011. The challenge of packaging the products for prestige and mass retailers, duty-free, travel and worldwide markets inspired design and engineering teams to develop bottles, caps, cartons and tubes that would draw enthusiastic consumers in all arenas.
Paul McLaughlin, vice president of creative at Elizabeth Arden, is responsible for taking products from concept through launch, a role he describes as trying to “make everyone happy, meaning consumers in every beauty channel across the globe—from retail to travel, U.S. to Asia, in addition to, of course, corporate executives. He says packaging has to look great at launch, on counter when the consumer is just walking by, in duty-free shops and on your dresser. It’s an ambitious plan that needs a carefully planned approach.
“If you look at the industry,” he says, “we’re one of the more aggressive companies launching. We’re pushing the business, launching in mass as well as prestige.”
In many cases, he says, packaging holds the key to “making everyone happy.” And while it’s evident from speaking with McLaughlin that this goal is not always easy to achieve, it seems he’s determined to stick to his principles and forge through the trials and tribulations it takes to produce outstanding packaging that satisfies the company and its customers.
After all, McLaughlin tells Beauty Packaging, “Packaging holds up the whole business. At launch, packaging is 70% of it. If your packaging doesn’t work, you’re in trouble.”
Elizabeth Arden is often credited with establishing the U.S. beauty industry. |
Being voted Beauty Company of the Year: Excellence in Packaging by Beauty Packaging’s readers in our annual competition proved to be a timely tribute to Elizabeth Arden, Inc., which celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2011. Often credited with establishing the American cosmetics industry, Elizabeth Arden built her business to great heights by the 1920s, along the way expanding her Red Door Salons (the iconic crimson door remains the logo for Elizabeth Arden, Inc. today), as well as her cosmetics, fragrance and skin care empire. Following her death, the company went through a succession of owners including Eli Lilly and Unilever. Elizabeth Arden, Inc. is headed by E. Scott Beattie, chairman, president and CEO.
Favorable Results
Despite a weakened economy, fiscal 2011 proved to be a strong year for the company, with record sales and earnings performance. Net sales grew by 6.5% to a record $1.17 billion for the fiscal year ended June 30. Sales in the U.S. accounted for about $702 million, while foreign sales reined in $474 million.
By category, fragrance was the overwhelming performer at $900 million, followed by skin care at $207 million and cosmetics at $68 million.
E. Scott Beattie, chairman, president and CEO, Elizabeth Arden, Inc. |
With the widely loved namesake brand and the license to a number of blockbuster fragrances, the company strategy is clear as it moves forward: focus on key megabrands to conquer multiple channels in a global market, with an eye on Europe. In Arden’s 2011 annual report, Beattie stated that the two largest fragrance markets are Western Europe, with annual retail sales of $13 billion (more than twice as large as the fragrance market in North America), and Latin America, with annual retail sales of $10 billion. “We have mapped our brand portfolio across geographies and channels and are focusing our resources behind the highest potential brands and markets,” said Beattie. “Our initial priority is Europe given its size and developed retail infrastructure. We have strengthened our commercial sales capability and are focusing our resources and investments against key brands, including the Elizabeth Arden fragrance brands of Red Door, Elizabeth Arden 5th Avenue and Elizabeth Arden Green Tea, Britney Spears’ Fantasy and Juicy Couture’s Viva La Juicy, that have become relevant to the European consumer.”
No matter what or where the launch, most important in creating successful packaging, emphasizes McLaughlin, is staying true to the brand and maintaining the brand image, while also bringing something new and exciting to the customer experience. He also repeatedly expresses how critical it is to “look at the whole global picture.”
Following, McLaughlin talks with Beauty Packaging about the packaging that launched many of Elizabeth Arden’s most successful products in 2011.
The fragrance package for Curve Appeal is a new, sleek spin on the brand’s signature aesthetic. |
Arden started off 2011 with a winning launch in mass market outlets with its Curve line, designed for a new generation of users—but development of the successful packaging was not without challenges. McLaughlin describes Curve as “a big mass brand with lots of flankers.” Curve launched 15 years ago and has proven highly successful as a top 10 fragrance for the past 10 years. In 2011, he explains, they developed a new brand within the line, called Curve Appeal. The challenge, according to McLaughlin: “How do we keep the DNA current?”In the end, Arden launched both men’s and women’s fragrances in packaging based on the original bottle—but literally put a slant on it, skewing the glass of the flacon. “How do you make something new but keep the continuity?” asks McLaughlin rhetorically. Major challenges were to create the slanted bottle and also to achieve the gradated color on the glass for the men’s product. “Complications arose with decorating,” admits McLaughlin. “We had to figure out how to spray with the slant, then how to package the slanted bottle. We decided to package the bottle in a tin, like they did 15 years ago, when a tin was a first for fragrance.” Unlike its original linear secondary packaging, it was put in a circular tin for its 2012 reveal.
The resulting fragrance package is a new, sleek spin on the brand’s signature aesthetic. The modernized bottle is inspired by “the fast-paced energy and forward motion of a new Curve generation” and features the classic Curve pump lock.
It was a clever move that shook up the category.
Victoria Gustafson, leader of the SymphonyIRI Beauty Vertical, notes that while “the fragrance category has been struggling for a long time, and 2011 was no different, with the category down by 5% in food, drug and mass outlets, excluding Walmart (FDMx), the category was far from stagnant in 2011 and had some successes, such as Elizabeth Arden fragrances.” She said Curve, Arden’s sole brand in men’s Top 10, became the No. 1 men’s fragrance in 2011, deposing a long-standing top fragrance, Stetson (Coty). “One of the main keys to success is keeping the category fresh and the product exciting.Arden’s restage of Curve last year certainly contributed to it outperforming the category,” comments Gustafson.
Focus on Prestige Fragrance
In the second half of 2011, Arden released three innovative prestige fragrance packages that broke more rules—and records.
Beauty Company of the Year-Excellence in Packaging: Elizabeth Arden Regarded as a global prestige beauty products company, Elizabeth Arden, Inc. boasts an extensive portfolio of both mass and prestige fragrance, skin care and cosmetics brands, under the Elizabeth Arden name as well as through numerous licenses, which are marketed domestically and globally. Elizabeth Arden branded products include the Elizabeth Arden fragrances Red Door, Elizabeth Arden 5th Avenue, Elizabeth Arden Green Tea, and Pretty Elizabeth Arden; the Elizabeth Arden skin care brands Ceramide, Eight Hour Cream, and Prevage; and the Elizabeth Arden branded lipstick, foundation and other color cosmetics products. The corporate prestige fragrance portfolio includes celebrity, lifestyle and designer fragrances. Celebrity fragrance brands include Britney Spears, Elizabeth Taylor, Mariah Carey, Taylor Swift and Usher. Lifestyle fragrance brands feature Curve, Giorgio Beverly Hills, PS Fine Cologne and White Shoulders. Designer fragrance encompasses Juicy Couture, Kate Spade New York, John Varvatos, Rocawear, Alberta Ferretti, Halston, Geoffrey Beene, Alfred Sung, Bob Mackie, and Lucky. |
In July 2011, Arden satiated collectors’ appetites with the irresistible limited edition launch of Juicy Couture’s Viva La Juicy, one of the top 10 prestige fragrances in the U.S.
McLaughlin says Juicy girls “are collectors in the most aggressive way,” so Arden wanted to do something spectacular for a limited edition that would live up to their expectations. The innovative packaging of both the brand’s first-ever parfum and a necklace containing solid perfume showcase the fun, flirty, side of Juicy Couture while presenting two unique fragrance packages. The Juicy insignia plaque pops on the front of the bottle atop the crackled finish.
Again, as with Curve Appeal, the packaging for Viva La Juicy presented big challenges. “Doing the gold leafing on the glass was amazingly difficult to execute, as was keeping it financially possible,” says McLaughlin. So were the satin bow and the charms that make the limited edition irresistible.
Making it particularly tough to produce, says McLaughlin, was the gold crackle on the outside of the bottle paired with silver on the inside, which was necessary to give the juice an appealing color.
Viva La Juicy’s perfume solid is a charming complement to the eau de parfum. |
The bottle is topped with a prismatic Surlyn cap with a weighty antique glass stopper look “borrowed” from the existing cap used for the brand.
“We used the existing bottle as well, but made it into a collector’s edition,” explains McLaughlin. The “Juicys” are all flankers of sorts.
While production proved difficult, the final product had what it takes to wow consumers at counter. “Viva La Juicy adds a jolt of both glam and fun with its limited edition ‘gold’ bottle, giant bow in girl-power pink, and topped off with a sparkly jewelry charm,” says Karen Grant, vice president of beauty/senior global analyst, The NPD Group—and a member of Beauty Packaging’s Board of Advisors.
Viva La Juicy, is one of the top 10 prestige fragrances in the U.S. Three quarters of the bottle has a crackled, antique-gold look, thanks to a three-step proprietary metallization process, used for the first time on fragrance bottles. |
SymphonyIRI’s Gustafson notes: Viva La Juicy is well positioned to overtake Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue for a No. 3 spot in women’s fragrance.
Capping It Off with Varvatos
One year into Elizabeth Arden’s licensing agreement for John Varvatos fragrances, and already the packaging for the brand is on par with previous designs that have won it worldwide accolades—including a 2010 FiFi for John Varvatos Artisan, which won Best Packaging-Men’s Prestige, while still under Beauté Prestige International. Since assuming the licensing relationship in May of 2010, Arden developed and launched a 10th anniversary limited edition fragrance, and in September 2011, premiered a fragrance aligned with Varvatos’s Star USA apparel label.
The bottle is made of smoky glass (produced by SGD) and silver metal, drawing inspiration from19th century vials and industrial materials, while the spring system of the cap is reminiscent of antique beer bottles.
McLaughlin says designer John Varvatos was very involved in creating the package. He came to Arden (his licensor) with the idea of a lager-like cap that would be the focus of the whole piece.
The lager-like cap takes top billing on John Varvatos U.S.A. The carton (produced by AGI Shorewood) makes the package complete. |
The cap is comprised of “at least four separate pieces,” he says, “with not just a silver finish, but a slight antiquing process.” The Arden team also had to ensure that the Zamac, “big cap construction” was not top-heavy. McLaughlin credits Metal Dynamics for working on the cap, and says the supplier was a big partner in getting it to function.
But the delighted consumer may take all the development work for granted as he pops the spring-like sprocket and the cap lifts up and back, remaining on the bottle for one-handed easy closure when you snap it back into locked position—and the sound and feel of a satisfying click.
NPD’s Grant notes why the fragrance has been a huge hit at counter. “Innovative and beautiful, John Varvatos packaging stands out in a sea of fragrances,” she says“The newest brand in the franchise, Star USA, is cool and sleek and at the same time nostalgic. ”
Inspired by a Songstress
Taylor Swift drew huge crowds at Macy’s for the launch of Wonderstruck, her first fragrance. |
Grant says celebrity scents tend to appeal most to consumers who want to feel closer to their favorite celebrity.Leveraging that insight, Taylor Swift’s Wonderstruck fragrance incorporates charms on the bottle that have personal significance to Taylor and her fans.
Arden partnered with Swift because of her incredible appeal and huge numbers of fans throughout the world. As they worked to create her first fragrance package, capturing her genuine personality was number one for the fragrance launch that climbed to the top of prestige sales charts in October 2011.
The name “Wonderstruck” was inspired by lyrics from the song “Enchanted” from Taylor’s best-selling album “Speak Now,” which is available in 48 countries, and achieved Gold, Platinum or Multi-Platinum status in over a third of those nations.
In creating the bottle and carton, McLaughlin says he spent time visiting Swift in her loft-like apartment in Nashville. Her eclectic style and personal mementoes, many with a whimsical or vintage note, played a large role in the design of the bottle and the carton. They chose the name of the fragrance first, then set out to create a fantastical bottle.
White Diamonds Fragrance Turns 20 In March 2011, Elizabeth Taylor, one of Arden’s most prominent trademark licensees, passed away at the age of 79. The two-time Oscar-winning actress was also notable in the celebrity fragrance business for her many perfumes, including Passion (launched in 1987), and White Diamonds (launched in 1991), which remains the most successful celebrity fragrance to date and continues to be a bestseller. In 2011, White Diamonds celebrated its 20th anniversary. In women’s [fragrance], says Victoria Gustafson, leader of the SymphonyIRI Beauty Vertical, “Elizabeth Taylor White Diamonds remains a runaway No. 1 seller and managed a moderate dollar growth in a declining category—not an easy feat.” She adds: “Continuous advertising support keeps Elizabeth Taylor White Diamonds relevant for fragrance consumers and is what it takes to succeed in this challenging category.” |
“When I saw that finish, which had never been done before, I wanted to pursue that technique… the magical quality,” says McLaughlin.
Sheherazade Chamlou, vice president of sales and marketing, SGD, explains the technique: “The shimmer effect on the bottle is a technical innovation because it is a special material which is new to fragrance bottle decoration.SGD worked in close collaboration through various samplings to achieve the aesthetic balance between the dosages of purple tint and shimmer effect.In fact, the bottle takes on different dynamic looks depending on surrounding lighting and colors in the room.”
McLaughlin says the whole concept of the finish played on the name Wonderstruck and gave it a unique, mystical finish. But while they were thrilled with the rainbow effect it also presented problems with photography and effects from in-store lighting, which had to be remedied.
He adds that while Wonderstruck was the first fragrance package to feature the effect, “now that other vendors have seen it, material vendors will probably shop it around.”
Swift’s eclectic collections played a starring role in the design of the bottle and carton for Wonderstruck. |
The carton (achieved by Cultech) is a modern day patchwork, which recalls the many fabrics Taylor has collected on her travels.Its colorful design was also influenced by Swift’s personal décor, including sweeping curtain panels hanging on oversized windows in her loft apartment, and a fabric collection amassed during her extensive travels. The frame is reminiscent of a design element that appears on her album covers.
McLaughlin says this project proved to be “a lot of fun.” He says Swift wanted to be involved in everything, and that, “She is exactly as she appears—very genuine, a class act.”
With such a great success story, I asked McLaughlin if there might be a flanker in the works. He wouldn’t commit, but said it is a possibility.
Counting Down the Hours
What is next for sure—and keyed for success—is this month’s re-launch—in new packaging—of a skin care product first introduced by Elizabeth Arden herself in 1930. Eight Hour Cream, known as the “all-in-one beauty tool,” earned its name from its effect on skin that healed eight hours after the formula had been applied. This apricot-colored balm is also credited with helping to relieve chapped, cracked dry skin, soothing redness and minor scrapes and, when it comes to beauty, serving as a multi-tasking must-have for everything from grooming brows to glossing lips.
Old (L) and new renditions of Eight Hour Cream showcase the Elizabeth Arden name and the globally recognizable Red Door logo, but the latest launch packs more punch. |
McLaughlin faced the multiple dilemmas of “how do we upgrade a product created by Elizabeth Arden herself? How do we coordinate with new development? How do we upgrade and not alienate the consumer? And in all markets?
McLaughlin said it is a more important SKU in some markets than others, and while I guessed Asia, McLaughlin surprised me by answering England and Europe. In fact, he says that Eight Hour Cream was the No.1, most mentioned, skin care product in England in 2011.
With this product, too, McLaughlin had to focus on “how to satisfy everyone” and how the updated packaging would work for duty-free, travel and worldwide markets. Again, he notes the importance of “looking at the whole business and all outlets and regions.”
He says they “made a lighter fresher package” with 8 Hour as a graphic. They added an attractive push cap with an embossed red cap inserted into the push cap, which “proved challenging,” he said.
The red inner cap shows through. The flat surface of the cap is punctuated with (4) 8s in various sizes highlighting the pattern of 8s subtly covering the soft touch tube punctuated by the iconic Red Door logo. Arkay Packaging produced the complementary carton.
It was ambitious to create a cost-effective package as a tube, notes McLaughlin, because any custom cap requires custom engineering. The result was a soft touch tube with a semi-satin finish. Other SKUs will take on a similar look and feel as the brand takes priority in the coming years. “What we’re creating,” he adds, “is a cohesive brand in which all sub brands will strengthen each other.”
Red Door Update Marks 100 Years |
It’s all apparently paying off. According to Beattie in the 2011 Annual Report: “We are very pleased with the momentum of the iconic Elizabeth Arden brand. Sales of Elizabeth Arden branded products increased by 8% in fiscal 2011, and we expect continued growth of the Elizabeth Arden brand in fiscal 2012. This fiscal year, we are launching an exciting and comprehensive global repositioning of the Elizabeth Arden brand intended to modernize the brand and make it more relevant to consumers globally. Research we conducted in Europe, Asia and the U.S. indicates that the brand enjoys high awareness and a unique association with the Red Door Spa, and that these perceptions are consistent across markets.
“All aspects of the Elizabeth Arden brand repositioning are well underway for a global introduction into the market beginning in fiscal 2012. This involves bringing a unified look and feel to market, including contemporary packaging, a streamlined product line-up that should result in a more productive SKU assortment, digital communications, updated retail store counters, a revamped brand logo and several exciting product innovations. As we roll out the Elizabeth Arden brand repositioning in 2012 and into 2013, we expect it to be a major driver of organic growth of the brand for fiscals 2013, 2014 and beyond… .We also expect the Elizabeth Arden brand repositioning to contribute significantly to the expansion of our skin care business in Asia.”