HBA’s Spring Show Brings Fresh Ideas

Nearly 400 attend conference in New York City.

By Jamie Matusow, Editor

An international crowd of close to 400 people attended HBA’s spring conference at New York’s Jacob Javits Convention Center March 4-5 to gain insight into the latest trends in packaging and well-being in the beauty arena. Two tracks, “Achieving Well-Being: The New Paradigm” and “International Prestige Package & Design,” ran concurrently, each with its own keynote speakers. While the well-being side was intriguing, I spent most of my time on the packaging side of the aisle.
  
Ellen Sideri, of ESP Trendlab, NY, gave an engaging keynote presentation based on what she calls “The Prism Principle,” a “socio-cultural” concept based on reaching consumers on multifaceted levels. She provided a fascinating comparison of differences in the 20th and 21st centuries, and what it all means as far as appealing to today’s beauty and personal care consumers at a product packaging level.
  
With today’s generation more interested in multiculturalism, a global community, sustainability and being able to create a persona through Facebook pages, Sideri said they want packaging that speaks to the individual, creates an emotional response and shows insight and leadership. These consumers, said Sideri, are no longer looking for standard items; packages that have more of a homemade look might have more appeal. She says this group tends to look for less layers, progressive models and a little bit of heart and soul.
  
Luxury packaging and sustainability have not always gone hand in hand, but in this era, they are finding innovative ways to merge. John Delfausse, VP global package development and chief environmental officer, Estée Lauder corporate packaging, gave some creative examples of how his company is doing just that, particularly with Aveda. He stressed the importance of designing to take materials back at the end of their life. For example, aluminum and glass can be endlessly recycled. It’s important to change your paradigms, said Delfausse, who suggested that multifolding labels can take the place of traditional cartons to get information to consumers. “Designing for the environment is a journey,” said Delfausse, “truly a creative  experience.”
  
Hervé Bouix, also of Estée Lauder—he’s corporate vice president of packaging, new ventures and special projects—spoke about the necessity of innovation in today’s beauty packaging world. He
recommended that designers look at other industries, such as automotive and aviation, for techniques they may use for sanding, removing paint, etc. “Everything is available,” he stressed, “you just have to look around.”
  
“Make your Package a Super Model that Gets in Every Magazine” was a departure from usual conference sessions. A roundtable of creative and art directors from leading women’s magazines shared their criteria for selecting products for the printed page. Some of their tips: Most products are shot out of the box, so make sure the product looks good, too; all-white packaging may be passed over for something more colorful; use sans serif typefaces; and if at all possible, keep the expiration date and ingredients list off the front.
  
These were just a few of the sessions I attended, but I enjoyed them all. The next HBA event will be the 16th Annual HBA Global Expo and Educational Conference, September 9, 10, and 11th at Javits. For more information go to www.hbaexpo.com or call 212-600-3117.