Riding The Masstige Momentum

Mass market beauty products are taking a cue from the prestige segment.

By Joanna Cosgrove

Covergirl’s LashExact mascara features an injection molded applicator brush. The primary packaging is designed to highlight the innovation.

Masstige: (mas-tEj) adj. An emerging marketplace phenomenon whereby mass market products incorporate elements from the prestige market segment.  

The masstige influence has officially arrived in the beauty aisles of mass market retailers everywhere, where affordably priced cosmetics are blended with a dash of prestige panache that’s often in the packaging details.

This nod to the lux market is also having a positive effect on U.S. demand for cosmetic and toiletry containers, which is projected to increase 2.6 percent per year to 24.7 billion units in 2009, according to The Freedonia Group Inc. In dollar terms, sales will climb 4.7 percent yearly to $3.8 billion. Value gains are set to outpace unit growth, largely due to the importance of packaging as a selling point, especially in the mass market retail environment, where many product lines continue to be upscaled and packaging serves to convey a premium image.

With most mass market pricing of cosmetics and toiletries at $10 or less, many non-essential products in this market are viewed as affordable luxuries, with their purchases typically not impacted by economic swings, according to The Freedonia Group’s research. At the same time, a trend toward upgraded products sold at higher price points in a number of mass market product categories such as skin care items has had a favorable impact on unit sales since many of these goods are seen as having a quality level approaching luxury brands, thus giving the mass market brand a greater perceived value.

The trend toward upgraded offerings of mass market skin care and cosmetics brands will boost demand for custom designed primary and secondary containers; as such items tend to use distinctive packaging in order to compete more closely with prestige counterparts.

Simply put, the mass market beauty category has undergone an evolution of prestige proportions and consumer preferences and product marketing practices have had an increased influence on the type of packaging used. “Trend setting,” says Caroline Defrance, marketing manager, Alcan Packaging Beauty, New York, NY, “is no longer reserved for higher end brands but also comes from the mass market; mass brands are as much interested in our [packaging] innovations as other brands.”

Target’s new beauty, bath and body offerings position the retailer as a beauty destination.

Packaging manufacturers are influenced by various trends, observations and technical achievements, and Defrance says the end result varies more according to image of the brand than on the final network of distribution of the product. “The difference between mass and exclusive markets,” she says, “will reside more on the finishes brought to a product than on its functionality.”

“From a customer’s vantage point, mass market stock packaging must meet the same criteria as for other market segments: its design must be distinctive in order to stand out,” adds Steve Granwehr, sales manager, Alcan Packaging Beauty. “From a packaging manufacturer’s vantage point, it cannot be too distinctive in order to remain a stock item that we can customize for other brands.”

He adds that large retailers such as Wal-Mart have had a major impact, forcing brands to shorten the supply chain and reduce overall costs. “This has further increased the demand for stock packaging, which does not involve the development costs and time of custom packaging,” he says.

Degrees of differentiation

Packaging design is the most accessible way for beauty manufacturers to differentiate themselves in a crowded marketplace.

“Some of the most exciting beauty packaging trends present in today’s mass market are the brands that keep pushing the lid of creativity and innovation,” comments Dinah Deif, director of marketing, Cosmetica Laboratories Inc., Toronto, ON, Canada. “L’Oréal and Physicians Formula are two great examples of brands that have consistently come out with new and unique packaging ideas. L’Oréal has a knack of reliably coming out with innovative new products or packaging — such as their recently launched Volume Shocking Mascara or their Illuminations mess-free shimmer powder for eyes.”

Deif boils down the most important attributes of mass beauty packaging to accessibility, durability, portability and functionality. “Women like packaging that they can throw into their makeup bag or purse and not worry that it may leak,” she says. “Innovation and clear packaging are important attributes for quick and affordable product choices [and] packaging should be somewhat bold to step apart from the crowd…packaging cohesiveness and consistency is important.”

In facial skincare, packaging has evolved to keep pace with the higher price products contained within the box. Features like window cartons and cellophane wrapping are used to distinguish products against a shelf of singular bottles, says Leigh Anne Rowinski, director of client solutions for Information Resources Inc., Norwalk, CT, citing products like L’Oréal Dermo Expertise Wrinkle Decrease Collagen Filler, Nivea Multiple Results Night Serum and the Olay Regenerist range as having many items presented in this way. “It also allows for more product information, user instructions. Smaller sizes for eye serum (Olay Regenerist) and smaller tubs or flat jars are consistent with brands such as Clinique or Clarins in the prestige market, keeping that apothecary inspired and clean look,” she says.

An eye-catching thread that unifies the Olay line, in particular, is the use of metallic accents — a packaging embellishment that’s being used tastefully in a variety of mass skin and beauty products. “Metallic colors are also becoming much more prevalent in the design of the graphic to gain shelf appeal and position the product as a higher end, upscale product,” says Tom Koslowsky, director, new business development, Topflight Corp., York, PA. “There are many metallic inks that can now give this look.”

Rowinski says products that incorporate functionality and convenience into their packaging via fun stylish elements are poised to generate a buzz. She points to Cover Girl’s Outlast Liquid Foundation as one such product. The product is comprised of an eye-catching two-chambered bottle which houses a primer that readies skin for the liquid foundation contained separately in the second chamber.

And the mascara segment, which had been seemingly homogenous in terms of packaging, has been revitalized by products touting new application innovations. Maybelline’s XXL Intense Mascara is a two-in-one approach that utilizes a convenient dual-ended lash primer and mascara package.

Covergirl’s LashExact mascara features a patent-pending Moldtrusion brush technology whereby the product’s injection molded brush gives the bristles extra support to deliver exact lash definition.

According to the company, during the wireless brush’s thermoplastic molding, support material is initially injected into an empty mold and then the core is removed, leaving a supportive tube-shaped casing. Next, the bristle material is injected into this hollow casing. The high pressure applied during this step causes the support casing to rupture at specific locations. The bristle material flows through these holes creating offset rows of dual-combing, flexible bristles that detangle and separate lashes during mascara application. An original secondary packaging highlights the brush in-store, encouraging consumers to recognize how new and different the product is.

“Our consumers are always looking for a great product, which can give them the perfect look they want, in a quick and easy way,” says P&G’s Ty Martin, section head, R&D, regarding the drivers behind the company’s unique beauty packaging. “Our package technologies are designed and developed to deliver that perfect look quickly and easily.”

A new and different product can also command attention if it’s packaged in an equally new and different container.

“We have created ‘market shapes’ where we have designed new shaped containers based on attributes that we believe marketers will be able to utilize to drive the consumption of their products,” says Ed Martin, vice president, sales and marketing, CCL Container, located in Norwalk, CT. “The intent in creating market shapes is to simulate creativity in the use of aluminum containers.”

An example of a custom, brand identity shaped container is TAG product line from Gillette (P&G). The containers are provided by CCL Container.

Tag’s custom-shaped bottle is a brand identifier.

“The TAG package is simple, masculine and highly impactful in the retail environment,” says Michelle Szynal, P&G Beauty’s director of external relations. “We opted for this package for the same reasons…it’s simple, masculine and gives us a unique visual identity with consumers and at shelf. In addition, the shape of the can and the actuator give the package an ergonomic feel and additional functionality in use.”

Szynal says retail consumer input has always been at the center of P&G’s marketing efforts on TAG. “From advertising to product to package design, consumer needs and feedback has shaped every element of the marketing mix,” she says.

Almay’s marketable makeover  

Almay has long been a mass beauty staple but the company felt the time had come to update both its beauty approach and its packaging design in favor of a more contemporary look and customized feel. According to Elizabeth Crystal, senior vice president, Almay marketing, the brand’s new look is designed to “simplify beauty purchases for today’s busy woman” with packaging that’s clean, simple and “personalized for each woman’s specific needs.”

Almay built upon the success of its 2005 Intense i-Color Collection by bringing the same customized product concept to more of its offerings, optimizing its color portfolio while entering new categories. “The simplicity of the new (Almay Beauty 1-2-3) packaging eliminates the guesswork that women can experience when choosing beauty products. Products are color coded based on specific skin type, and sub-brands are unified by color,” says Crystal. “Copy on the packaging is clear and concise and the new packaging introduces a new design element of a lower-case ‘a’ which delivers a fresh, modern and appealing aesthetic. Usage is also simplified for the consumer with products designed to work in tandem, delivering easy to follow navigation from category to category.”

The line’s overhaul not only brought new products, but also improved the formulas and packaging of existing products.

In-store innovations

The quest for innovation and design isn’t solely limited to product manufacturers. Retailers like Wal-Mart and Target are also seeking to set themselves apart from competitors by going the extra mile to create destination shopping experiences. Vogue readers were no doubt surprised to see an eight-page beauty/fashion advertisement from Wal-Mart last fall, underscoring its commitment to the category.

More recently, Target, which tabs itself as a “purveyor of premium merchandise without premium prices,” invigorated its bath and body department with a collection of 20 new brands.

The products incorporate a variety of global beauty rituals and ingredients. The assortment was carefully assembled to attract men, women and teens alike.

Each brand makes use of diverse packaging elements like aluminum bottles reminiscent of those used by French perfumers, transparent plastic containers and metalized makeup compacts designed to attract fashion-forward teens and tweens.

According to the company, the new brands are designed to look and feel like their department store counterparts, offering guests the ultimate pampering experience without the department store-like prices.

Deif lauds mass marketers that have sophisticatedly interpreted higher end beauty concepts into more affordable choices. “High end brands spend big bucks on packaging [and] set the trend for mass, so I think that reading about high end stuff and then seeing something similar in stores attracts the consumers, especially if they can’t or choose not to spend the money on the expensive stuff if they can get it at mass pricing,” she says.  

P&G’s Martin concurs, underscoring the overall importance of giving beauty consumers an easy and reassuring shopping experience. “Cosmetic products are an indulgence that should give the consumer a feeling that she is pampering herself,” he says. “Giving our consumers packages that look, feel and perform like prestige-level packages at mass market prices is an enduring goal we strive to achieve with all our new product launches.”