Luxury Subscriptions, a unique fragrance exploration platform that redefines the concept of “Try Before You Buy,” began with the recognition that there had been no significant innovation in fragrance marketing since 1979 with the invention of magazine scent strips.  In arriving at the ultimate alternative with Luxury Subscriptions’ co-founder, beauty industry veteran Jean Hoehn Zimmerman, we agreed that the solution was in offering extended trials of new fragrances.

Our intention was to skip over traditional, expensive and time-consuming marketing and advertising and go straight to trial; elevate the visual presentation of fragrance trials; give consumers a more in-depth discovery experience with new fragrances (in the privacy of their homes rather than a competitive retail environment); and provide a more convenient path to purchase. The right distribution vehicle was key.

We selected leading fashion magazines as they reach fashion- and beauty-savvy readers who are engaged with fragrance as a unique expression of personal style. The challenge was to design a delivery method that would meet the demanding aesthetics of fragrance brands while maintaining the integrity of the product during delivery to the subscriber’s home. 

Upon presenting the concept of putting fragrance samples on the outside of magazines, brands and publishers said it couldn’t be done because the product was liquid, flammable and hazardous, and prohibited by the USPS. The solution: the Luxury Subscriptions Onsert. Beautifully packaged 2.5mL deluxe fragrance trials go into a protective PETG tube that slides into a cylinder that is part of the ad card, made of premium coated cardstock (Invercote Creato 16.3 pt) that fits along the spine of the magazine. The magazine with the onsert is wrapped with a custom, metallized film branded with the colors and graphics of the participating fragrance brand.

To showcase the integrity of the final design, we produced a video showing a car running over the onsert several times, with no breakage or leakage. USPS then agreed to test the design, requesting several thousand wrapped magazines with fragrance onserts. About 45 days later, we had the first and only USPS approval for delivering sample products on the outside of magazines and 10 months later we had a patent on the entire process. We now have several additional patents pending on various iterations of the process.

Consumers subscribing to Luxury Subscriptions receive a full-year of Harper’s Bazaar, our first-to-market print partner; 6 issues will arrive with up to three deluxe fragrance samples. We have also partnered with some of the top innovators in manufacturing and printing. Dan Lewis of LDP, Inc in CT and Michael Salemi of The Packaging Company in Long Beach, CA, helped to develop our custom Beauty Mist deluxe samples with top quality components selected to meet and exceed the stringent compatibility testing of the various brand formulations as well as the rigorous requirements of the USPS.

The external packaging wrapper was developed and printed by Tenka Flexible Packaging in Chino, CA. The PETG tubes are from Visipak. Our filling and assembly partner is CPFPI in NJ. The custom printing for the sample sleeves and ad cards are printed by Cultech in NJ, part of the global Autajon Group. The custom wrapping of the magazine and onsert are by Services Plus in Green Bay, WI.

The final result: Instead of asking the consumer to go to the fragrance counter, Luxury Subscriptions brings the fragrance counter to them.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mark Husmann is co-founder, Luxury Subscriptions.