Geodeo’s new look.

TCCD International recently reformulated its natural deodorant brand, geodeo – and made over its packaging as well. In an effort to use modern digital technologies to better connect with its customer, the brand decided to incorporate a QR code in its new design.

Geodeo’s mission for its repackaging project was to show that its new formula doesn’t contain any chemically derived ingredients, which is highly unusual for a stick-shaped deodorant – even for some “natural” brands.

“Natural product consumers are educated about ingredients and want to know everything that’s in a product,” says Kristi Moe, director of marketing, GeoDeo.

Geodeo with Detox Complex was first launched in Canada in Spring 2012 and continues rolling out to Whole Foods and other retailers across the U.S. into 2013.
Moe says she has seen shoppers in natural product aisles spending so much time reading labels. She explains, “We knew that using a QR code made sense for our consumer, and that they would appreciate having the information so easily accessible.”

Using the QR Code

Scanning the QR code with a cell phone brings up specific information about each of the ingredients listed on the deodorant’s label. Moe says, “We created an info graphic to highlight the most important information about each ingredient. So if a consumer scans the code while shopping, they can quickly grasp all of the most important info that they might want to know before making a purchasing decision.”

The brand incorporated a QR in its redesign, printed on the back label. It allows consumers scan the package with their cell phone.

There’s a call-to-action phrase on the label – “Scan Me” – and the line “Discover the power of nature’s science” to further entice shoppers to scan the code, hinting at what they’ll find when they do.

“Our consumer is young, and tech-savvy,” says Moe. “So when they see the symbol, they know what to do.”

The Deodorant’s New Look

Geodeo’s new look is more modern, younger and more unisex, which was the brand’s intent. Switching from a dull off-white to bold brown certainly helps to differentiate it among other personal care products, especially those in natural product aisles.

“In our research, we found that many other deodorant brands use white, or even black. And if it’s a natural brand, it’s often green,” says Moe. “We still wanted to read as “natural,” but we chose to use bright colors and vivid imagery on our labels to contrast with our brown package, to really pop on store shelves. The look we were after was ‘fresh,’ ‘young’ and ‘different,'” she adds.

The natural brown shade Geodeo chose is a custom color, mixed to the brand’s specifications. The labels are printed using bright blue, pink, green, to color-code the deodorant’s three new fragrance options – Ocean, Island and Unscented. A new fragrance is expected to launch before Fall 2013.

Premium printing processes were used to decorate the stick package’s

Geodeo’s old packaging, before its new look shown above.

labels. The matte laminate labels are decorated with a shiny foil used to highlight the brand’s logo – plus, a special varnish was added for a raised tactile effect. A UV varnish was also used to add shine, which contrasts with the brown polypropylene’s matte finish.

A Digital Success

Soon after geodeo’s new packaging launched, the brand saw a huge uptick in the number of visitors to its website, as well as an increase in positive online comments about the product’s new formulation.

Right now, the exact number of consumers that have been scanning Geodeo’s QR code isn’t known. But instinctively, Moe says it has definitely been a success.

“It’s a learning curve. We are working with a new supplier, so now we will be able to learn more about the code’s users,” says Moe. GeoDeo plans to have more digital tracking technologies in place, in time for when its next batch of labels prints.

Geodeo’s mobile users now account for 39% of the brand’s website visits, in comparison to 19% for TCCD’s Naturally Fresh Deodorant, a brand that doesn’t use a QR code on its packaging. Moe adds, “The QR code has been a great way for us to engage consumers.”