ELC Debuts New Sample Technology

By Leah Genuario

The headline story for the Dec. 5 issue of Us Weekly featured Angelina Jolie, but as far as Beauty Packaging is concerned, the most exciting news was on page 27. The Estée Lauder Pleasures ad, nestled within the pages of the popular consumer magazine, utilizes an innovative sampling technology that can be pulled off, expanded and sprayed.

“This is the first sampling device that delivers the actual product in a magazine and dispenses it in the same manor as the actual salable package,” explains George Kress, the vice president of package development for The Estée Lauder Companies.

Developed by Valois of America, the Imagin sampling system features a patented expandable design that can be presented flat for magazine inserts. The Estée Lauder Companies has secured a one-year deal to exclusively use the Imagin sampling system for magazine distribution.

Imagin’s sophisticated structure took four years to develop, according to Jean-Jacques Ligny, vice president of business sampling for Valois Perfumery and Cosmetics. “The technical principle is based on a biphasic system, mixing air and liquid fragrance throughout a porous material to [emit] the spray,” he says.

Ligny says the construction is comprised of two sub-assemblies. The first is a sachet containing the fragrance and spray device. The second is the cardboard with two functions: a system to open and expand the sample, and a surface to decorate. When expanded, the construction emits approximately six sprays.

For its Us Weekly debut, Estée Lauder chose to decorate the sampling system with a picture of the full-size bottle surrounded by petals, along with the words, “press to spray.” Gwyneth Paltrow’s headshot is printed on the ad page above the attached sample.

The decorated sample maintains the themes established throughout the marketing campaign, however functionality also played a role in the design. “Through consumer testing and other studies we determined the functional aspect of Imagin needed to be supported with some instructional copy statically located in the center of the front panel,” says Kress.

“That element greatly affects the type of graphics that will work best. Design felt the press copy along with wanting to tie the graphics to the actual product dictated the use of the bottle shot. The use of the petals and copy placement are in keeping with the national ad and general advertising guidelines of the Pleasures brand,” Kress adds.

Both companies are enthusiastic about consumer response thus far. “The consumers in our tests loved discovering Imagin in their magazines. They immediately wanted to test the fragrance,” says Eric Bauer, president of Valois of America.

“We saw universal appeal. The test group was from 18 to 54 years of age. They were users of prestige fragrance, purchased for themselves and were magazine readers. Our study revealed that Imagin was well regarded,” says Kress.

Ligny of Valois says the cost of Imagin falls between two popular sampling systems — Scent Strips and vials. Imagin can also be used for mailings, catalogs and other distribution.

Following the Pleasures insertion, The Estée Lauder Companies’ brands such as Tommy Hilfiger are expected to implement Imagin in the future. “We are planning to use this in other ways to enhance our sampling strategy within the corporation.After we have evaluated the Pleasures magazine application we will consider other magazine opportunities,” says Kress.