A Brave New World

The universal fear of getting old has undoubtedly made the cosmetics sector the multi-billion dollar industry that it is today.Getting old is inevitable and fear has always been a natural part of the human condition.Today, however, we are living in a more fearful climate than ever before and, as fear is propagated through all aspects of our lives, we need to be careful not to let irrational fear control us.

Maybe the time has come, for brand owner and consumer alike, to face fear head on and look at ways to harness it and use it as a positive force to motivate us and drive us forward.What are, or could, the cosmetics brands be doing to comfort the fearful consumer?Is it time for brands to start being more bullish and fearless with their marketing approach? Could we be entering a brave new world of cosmetics?

Fear, Risk and Retreat

The presiding climate of fear and our responding need for security has produced a somewhat contradictory consumer who indulges the fast and edgy, risk-taking side of their personality, which embraces the freedom the world has to offer, against the craving for security and certainty.We are displaying characteristics of both risk and retreat and are looking to brand owners to provide choices that satiate these needs.The cult of the spa, the retreat, is ever more prevalent.This trend has already developed a step further in the past six months or so and many brands, and even the spa ranges themselves, now offer line extensions including mini travel spa sets such as the Bliss Spa Mini 6 Pack.

Even more popular is the advent of the home spa ranges from brands such as Jaqua. Jaqua Spa Desserts is a set of beautifully presented scrubs and creams.Jaqua relies on the nostalgic and the whimsical and, with maroon and pink packaging and a 1940s — inspired script and heart motif, it is the visual embodiment of the low lit and luxurious boudoir.The products themselves use basic combinations of natural ingredients but the packaging design conveys the implicit home spa ethos of spoiling, luxury, time, indulgence and sanctuary.

Consumers seem to be embracing a more holistic way of living that embodies and fulfills all their contradictions on different levels and at different times. In an attempt to answer this need many brands are providing both risk and retreat products within their brand ranges. For example, Benefit’s Bad Gal mascara harnesses risk themes in its creativity and its Dr. Feelgood complexion balm utilizes old-fashioned imagery.

Other brands are looking at cross-category innovations as a way to meet these evolving needs in a 24/7 society. Bonne Bell has recently been targeting the tweens with its chocolate flavored lip gloss Lotta Luv Hershey’s Kisses and you cannot fail to have missed the media hype surrounding SkinCola.

From a consumer perspective, however, our prevailing reaction to the cosmetics sector does seem to be this overwhelming need for retreat and reassurance which could also explain the current slew of products hitting our shelves straight from the good doctor — Dr. Hauschka, Dr. Brandt, Dr. Sebagh. Doctors represent authority and knowledge, and we trust in and are sure of what doctors both tell us and give us. With the trend for cosmetic surgery growing and our fears for its efficacy also increasing, Dr. Brandt’s non-surgical, anti-aging products for the skin offer a new alternative.Dr. Brandt is a practicing dermatologist and products, such as the new Laser in a bottle and Crease Relief mimic the procedures that he is famous for.

Moving Toward Fearless Marketing and Design

Similarly, we surely cannot fail to believe in the credentials of Dr. Norman Leaf and nurse Rand Rusher, of Leaf and Rusher. We are seeing more and more brands using an old-fashioned approach to their packaging and labeling in an attempt to convince us that this has come from a traditional pharmacy.Leaf and Rusher use similar colors and structures to the earth friendly packaging used by Aveda and a similar typeface to Kiehls.Are they playing safe or being smart and brave by knowing what the consumer wants and not being afraid to get out and go for it?

We have dealt with how brands are directly responding to consumer fear, but what else are brands doing?Could fearless marketing become the next big thing?

Traditionally, it has been far easier for the brand giants to play it safe and not make any radical changes to a tried and tested formula but, in the current climate, some are undoubtedly having their hands forced or maybe they are scared of being found out and have decided it is time to come clean. Estée Lauder has made no secret of its ownership of Bobbi Brown and, more recently, in a step to improve sales and sell to ‘mass and class’ is selling un-branded products to Kohl’s.

Illuminating, enriching, smoothing — all adjectives which we have bought into when looking for the promise of ‘hope in a jar’. But, was this really just fearful and jumping on the bandwagon marketing? As we are looking for brands to be more honest and open, we are appreciating a bit of straight talking and straight talking does not necessarily need to be serious.

The Philosophy range took the beauty shelves by storm by not just promising us ‘hope in a jar’ but taking the brave step to actually call its product by this name. Did we actually care whether or not it worked? Probably not.We just liked the fact that they were playing the game with us: being bold and being brave.

Dermadoctor’s KP Double Duty makes no bones about what it is for.It is to help control Keratosis Pilaris or chicken skin.The lilac and black packaging and the 50s style, female cartoon character imbues the product with a sense of tongue-in-cheek fun.Similarly, the B. Kamins range by chemist Ben Kaminsky is designed for the condition rosacea.Rosacea and chicken skin, among others, are common skin problems many of us suffer from.We want solutions and we want to know that this is what they are designed for, not to illuminate or enrich our skin but to make our skin conditions better.The B. Kamins packaging looks like a luxury cosmetic treatment and not a pharmaceutical remedy that we do not want to display on our bathroom shelves. The cool and calming blue tones reflect the nature of the product without the need for lengthy product descriptions or blinding us with science.

We are seeing a new generation of fearless marketing and fearless marketers who don’t compromise on product or message or service, as opposed to the more exploitative shallow brands that stick stuff in bottles and whack a label on with no regard for what’s right or good for us.And this is where design can play a vital role.Fearless design can be more effective and successful than fearful marketing as design can maintain the balance between what’s good and what’s not and can use form, color, type and naming to promote the best message.

Facing future fears

With new legislation, such as the banning of all animal testing across Europe by 2009, further cross-category innovation and pressure from the media, celebrity and the consumer all conspiring to make life harder for the cosmetics brand owners, maybe it is time for them to rise to the challenges laid down and look at honest and creative ways to conquer them.

Brave ideas are often the most real and the most desirable.So are you painting on a brave face or are you ready to be more creative and truly fearless with your brand?