Secondary packaging is the decorative prelude to the product it contains, yet its role is inherently ironic. For although the intricate details of set boxes, bags and bows are typically the “it factors” that set one package apart from the next on-shelf, as well protect the product within from bumps and scuffs, these are the very same items that are usually thrown away once the customer takes the product home.

Estée Lauder packs its Color Cubes in a clear acrylic box from Lombardi that is just too pretty to throw away.

Improving the Retention Factor
Probably the most frustrating aspect of secondary packaging is the fact that it’s usually discarded after the consumer takes the product home. Some packaging manufacturers have taken this matter into consideration by creating innovative secondary packages designed for repeated use.

“One of the reasons for using injection molded boxes as opposed to a board box is so that the customer has something they can keep for a secondary use—even if it’s just to put screws in,” said Victor Caracappa, sales manager, Lombardi Design & Manufacturing, Freeport, NY. “Our customers usually put their logo on these secondary packages and the logo remains with the retail customer, acting as a subliminal trigger to go back to that brand.”

The gift boxes for Paco Rabanne Pour Homme, Eau, Ultraviolet and XS fragrances are reusable. The colorful boxes were supplied by Alcan Packaging Techpack.

Earlier this year, Lombardi created a technically innovative secondary compact for Estée Lauder that’s too pretty not to keep. The compact is a promotional piece for Lauder’s Pure Color collection and employs small, hinged, clear acrylic cubes which contain product such as lip and eye colors. The small cubes are housed inside a custom-designed, 4.5-inch square, clear acrylic box fitted with a vacuum-formed tray that unobtrusively holds the cubes.

Each of the product-containing inner cubes contains two “floating” half spheres of molded polypropylene that are color matched to the lip gloss they will contain, explained Caracappa. One half of the sphere is affixed to the top inside segment of the cube compact, while the other is affixed to the bottom. Only the lower half of the sphere holds the hot pour lip color. The spheres are held in place by clear acrylic plates inside the cubes, giving the illusion that the spheres are perfectly encapsulated within the cubes. When it’s closed it resembles a ball of color encased in an ice cube.

Lombardi proactively approached Lauder with the quad cube idea after seeing their salable product, according to Caracappa. “We tried to understand what their business is, what their look is and the direction they’d like to go, then we came up with concepts, built models and presented them to Lauder,” he said. “They gave us the feedback we needed to help the package evolve into something they wanted.”

For its Father’s Day 2004 promotion, Paco Rabanne tapped Alcan Packaging Techpack, Paris, France, to design a gift box for its Paco Rabanne Pour Homme, Eau, Ultraviolet and XS fragrances that could be reused as a vanity case.

The gift boxes are PVC injection-molded cases with a silicone-like texture that’s both flexible and rigid. The minimalist design recalls the metal rings that distinguish the designer’s lines for men. The boxes display no visible closing system, rather they are opened by simply pressing the thinnest area of the box top. After the fragrances are removed, the colorful boxes are ready to serve as durable and watertight vanity cases.

The Alcan Packaging Techpack product development team works in tandem with its fragrance and beauty partners to design a promotional vehicle that creates visual impact, according to Linda Borella, Alcan Packaging Techpack’s director of sales in New York. The packaging also provides added value and generates an “impulse purchase” from the consumers it is targeted to. “Promotional vehicles, which run the gamut from cosmetic bags, to travel bags, to luxurious gift boxes, are designed to coordinate with the seasonal fashion trends while also complementing and enhancing the product line it promotes,” Borella said.

“Our clients are more than ever attuned to the season’s fashion and home trends,” added Jeannine Scimeme, Alcan Packaging Techpack’s executive director, product development. “With our staff of designers, we translate these trends into exclusive promotional items that are timely and reflect the current fashions. This gives the cosmetic counters the cutting edge look that makes them so appealing.”

AGI/Klearfold’s new Evolution Box offers another choice for gift set boxes that is cost effective and fashion forward.

Advances in Carton Technology Add Value
Cost-effectiveness, quick turnaround and cutting edge manufacturing technologies are the drivers behind secondary packaging success, especially when it comes to the carton segment. “Competition is thriving among converters of folding cartons and has led to significant advancements in print technology, structural possibilities and decorative effects,” observed Matt Unger, section head, technology entrepreneur, Procter & Gamble, Cincinnati, OH. “With the focus on delivering value to the consumer, these innovations need to be affordable and packaging cost-effective.”

AGI/Klearfold’s new Evolution Box offers beauty marketers another option for gift sets, according to Pat McGee, marketing manager for the supplier of plastic, paperboard and mixed media consumer packaging.

“The choices now are a “set box,” which is rigid, sturdy and expensive, or a “simplex tray,” which is basically a folding carton that must be assembled and isn’t particularly sturdy,” McGee explained. “The Evolution Box is for companies that want to upgrade from a simplex to something that is less expensive than a set box.”

Evolution features a printed, finished solid bleached sulfate (SBS) paperboard blank instead of the lightweight paper wrap used in a typical rigid set box construction. The blank is then joined to a scored chipboard stiffener using AGI/Klearfold’s proprietary technology, and the resulting tray is glued on all four sides to create a durable carton structure. By using a paperboard blank as the facing stock, Evolution provides a number of aesthetic benefits. The board’s smooth printing surface delivers superior graphic reproduction and supports the demanding finishing techniques being used to differentiate today’s high-end packaging.

The more substantial SBS blanks also allow for deeper embossing for a more dramatic on-shelf effect. And, SBS blanks mask the rough surface of the chipboard stiffener that often shows through a paper wrap and spoils the look.

The Evolution is able to produce precise registration of printed text and graphics, even with borders on covers or narrow sidewalls. The Evolution boxes are produced on proprietary equipment at AGI’s Melrose Park, IL, facility. The company has a hand-fulfillment location nearby so, “We can make the box, do assembly, put in trays, add lids and ship to the customer,” McGee added. The boxes can be made in virtually any size and can be made with windows during the process. McGee stressed, “The boxes offer a significant cost savings because the new equipment is much faster and needs fewer employees.

“Secondary packaging is the first impression that consumers get from the packaging,” said Don Droppo Jr., director of marketing, Curtis Packaging, Sandy Hook, CT. “When consumers are about to choose between product A and product B, the graphics and other unique aspects of secondary packaging affect their comfort levels and do a lot to attract their attention.”

Curtis Packaging installed a new 51-inch, all-UV, KBA press at the end of 2003. The press features a unique 11-station configuration and processes 15,000 sheets per hour.

Curtis recently helped develop the secondary packaging for Perpetual Skin Therapy, a line of medical grade skin care products from Lucent Cosmetics Corporation, New York. There are four sub groups: Moisture-Soft, Even-Tone, Visible-Recovery and Clear-Essentials. Each product features a bright color code on the outer carton that varies according to its treatment family. “It (the line) was designed to be simple to use and is color coded by product so that if you are addressing specific areas, even without reading the labels, you will know what products are right for you,” commented Lucent Cosmetics’ Peter Aurigemma, president.

The cartons are also color coded. The overall design is purposefully simplistic. “It was key that we were able to UV print because they wanted high gloss,” said Droppo. “They also wanted a bright white stock, not a standard SBS. They wanted a specialty stock to give it that extra pop on the shelf.”

Aurigemma added that logo placement was strategically implemented over several areas so they could utilize white drop out, which minimized cost, but gave several impressions on the same package.

Seufert Transparente Verpackungen GmbH (STV) supplies transparent cartons that show off the product inside.

Playing Up the Visual Cues
A traditional paperboard carton might be fine for most secondary packaging design schemes, but some products beg to be seen through their outer encasements. This open package format plays a critical role in on-shelf product differentiation, especially when it comes to grabbing the attention and simplifying the shopping experience for time-crunched consumers.

“Not only does the package protect the products inside but accessory packaging both displays and creates a perception of added value by elevating the overall look and feel of the product,” said Lisa Palvino, director of marketing, Diamond Packaging, Rochester, NY.

Diamond created an enhanced holiday promotion for L’Oreal’s Matrix hair care division in 2003. Themed “Touchably Soft Styling,” the package display featured soft lines to complement the Touchably Soft products they promoted. “The unique shape of the base and backdrop header card provided L’Oreal’s customer an easy-to-set-up display, resulting in a truly unique accessory package,” remarked Diamond’s Palvino.

The header portion was made from .024 SBS paperboard card that was folded over to create strength, but was left unglued to prevent creasing while curving the header piece. The foam base was made of a combination of foam and paperboard that was laminated with printed .010pt SBS strips. The piece was assembled by Diamond’s Contract Manufacturing division.

A new secondary packaging concept from Custom Paper Tubes, Cleveland, OH, has literally taken open format packaging out of the box. The Reveal tube consists of a clear, extruded plastic sheath that’s held and reinforced by a paper top and bottom, offering valuable real estate for printing or labeling with either graphics or text.

The environmentally-sound Reveal tube idea was born when customers began asking for a paper tube with a window that allowed the product inside to been seen, according to Phil Van Duyn, Custom Paper Tubes’ sales and marketing manager. The company forged a partnership with Petro Packaging, a Cranford, NJ-based plastic extruder.

Custom Paper Tubes recently introduced the Reveal tube to Stila, which had been hunting for packaging to showcase a makeup kit cleverly merchandised in a paint can. The Stila tube is between three and four inches in diameter. Custom’s tubes can be manufactured in diameters ranging from 3/4-inch up to five inches.

Seufert Transparente Verpackungen GmbH (STV), Rodgau-Hainhausen, Germany, produces its secondary packaging based on the principle “The customer can clearly see what he’s buying.” Because of their placement within the transparent packaging in the form of “see-through folding boxes,” products are given the ideal and best possible presentation stage at the point of sale, according to Thomas Pfaff, marketing, making reference to the company’s Klarfaltbox and Duofaltbox clear box packages.

While STV crafts transparent, artfully-creased boxes using conventional PVC and polypropylene, its most common material used is environmentally friendly PET, which the company produces in-house. “Seufert believes the key to success lies in the development of a complete packaging solution—from the initial conception of the idea to the final stages of production—based on the concept of ‘art with plastics,’ in addition to the selection of materials, which ultimately guarantees the highest quality possible,” he said.

Gold Canyon Candle uses a seal from Stoffel to dress up its Comforts of Home candle line.

Icing on the Cake
Cartons and set boxes are excellent secondary packaging solutions, but for extra flair, some cosmetic and personal care product manufacturers turn to decorative embellishments such as ribbons and seals.

“The market has been actively pursuing ways to enhance and differentiate their product from competitors, especially in the candle, bath and body segments,” said David Feldman, division manager, Stoffel Seals, Nyack, NY. “Companies are looking at a variety of ways to add a touch of ‘eye appeal’ to standard bottles and jars. They are looking at a variety of materials, ranging from metallic charms, wax-like seals and even soft PVC. They are combining product elements such as a seal with cord or ribbon. We have had companies use ribbon with metal and soft PVC, as well.”

When Gold Canyon Candle, Mesa, AZ, set out to design the packaging for its Comforts of Home candle line, the company selected a silhouette jar with a flared lid to convey a simple, sophisticated aesthetic. They also sought the perfect finishing touch—a corded “wax” seal that would wrap around the neck of the jar and drape elegantly on the front face of the jar like a pendant.

On the surface, the idea of a black plastic seal seems uncomplicated, however Gold Canyon approached Stoffel Seals with some pretty tight requirements. “At first we wanted the seal to adhere to the jar, but it was important that the adhesive we used would not react to heat,” recollected Cathi Cenatiempo, new product specialist, Gold Canyon Candle.

In the end, the reverse side of the seal was engraved with channels and the cord is hand glued to secure it into the channels. “When all the components came together,” Cenatiempo said, “we found that the adhesive behind the seal was not necessary. We added a small amount of adhesive to the back rim of the jar to hold the cord in place, which left the seal hanging loosely.”

Ribbons are another popular form of embellishment packaging. “Even before a potential customer sees primary packaging like bottles or containers, they will see a box and ribbon,” said Alistair Ono, sales representative, Ribbon Connections Inc., San Leandro, CA. “In department stores, cosmetics are usually seen packaged together with other items from the same brand, so accessory packaging is a crucial point in developing the product’s image.

“In a recent visit to a major department chain, we learned that the company had downsized its promotional wrapping department, so that the individual cosmetics vendors were responsible for providing their own ribbons or decorative packaging,” he continued. “For those companies who didn’t, the cosmetics counter was forced to use what they could find and the result was a somewhat inconsistent looking display. It made the brands/distributors that provided their own ribbon look a level above.”

“Ribbons and bows, used for accessory packaging, have a proven application at the retail point of purchase,” concurred Joel Reycraft, chief executive, Brooklyn Accent, a division of FDC, Riviera Beach, FL. “The consumer appeal is unmistakable. The ribbon and bow ‘role’ is to accent and beautify products while not overshadowing them.”

In the end, secondary packaging may be expendable to the consumer, but to the brand, it’s an essential component for a sale. The role of package enhancements is to take advantage of the three to five seconds a product has to make a first impression, according to Stoffel Seals’ Feldman. “Except for color and treatment products, most products today have to sell themselves. There is usually no salesperson readily available to make suggestions and discuss product attributes,” he said. “So you better make sure that your packaging does.”