On March 26-27, executives from a wide range of packaging disciplines—from computer software to bottled water to, of course, beauty—gathered in Chicago for the American Packaging Summit 2013. Created as a means to engage in a broad discussion and a cross-pollination of ideas, the conference was previously deemed a success in Europe prior to World Trade Group launching the U.S. version.

Outside of the beauty realm, two presentations I found particularly enjoyable and relatable were by Bruce Karas, VP environment and sustainability, The Coca-Cola Company and Jeffrey Loth, senior manager global packaging, Microsoft.

Karas addressed the many complications of developing a sustainable package, but said that, regardless of the challenges, it is a mandatory path. “We have to do things differently,” he said. “With the growth of natural resource consumption, we would need more than two Earths by 2020.” But recycling can make an impact: “Combining strong recycling with responsible renewables can change the trajectory,” he said.

But similar to what those in the beauty industry know: Above all, the package has to protect the product and connect with the consumers. It’s crucial to look at all of the parameters together for an analysis of environmental responsibility versus cost. One of Coca-Cola’s triumphs in the area of sustainable packaging has been its plant-based Dasani water bottle.

Microsoft’s Loth spoke about the importance of consistency in branding and carrying through with the design in all elements and on all products. He stressed the holistic design approach used at Microsoft, which created “one cohesive visual identity system.” The software manufacturer’s makeover branding transitioned from a wavy font and logo to one that is clear and direct—a tile-based image that’s well-suited for use with its device and services offerings. “There’s less clutter,” said Loth, “and that’s true and honest to the brand.” He added: “It gets the packaging aligned with the product.” In redesigning the packaging, Loth said the “key challenge was going from a rigid box to a paperboard construction.”

Beauty-full Packaging

It was my pleasure to introduce and moderate the two Beauty sessions that took place at the Summit.

Paul McLaughlin, VP creative, Elizabeth Arden, headlined the session entitled: “Ahead of the Curve Innovation: Modernizing the Look and Feel of Beauty Packaging.” The award-winning designer emphasized the importance of packaging to any beauty launch, saying: “If you don’t have a great package, you’re done from the start.”

He then captivated the audience with a look at some of the fabulous fragrance bottles he has worked to create at Arden, including those for Taylor Swift and John Varvatos.

Behind the Scenes in Beauty

The second beauty industry panel addressed “Cost Transformation and Innovation in Cosmetics and Personal Care.” I moderated a lively discussion on the topic, between Mark Polson, VP, creativity and business innovation global management strategies, Estée Lauder; Scott Widro, EVP, operations and supply chain, Laura Mercier (Gurwitch), formerly of Chanel; and Jing Zhu, VP, sourcing, production and quality control, Bare Escentuals.

All three of the speakers stressed the importance of collaboration between various groups in the organization in terms of making things happen—from innovation to cost management to marketing, creative and supply chain. Creativity, they said is essential at every level, in every corporate position. (Please see sidebars for my one-on-one discussions with these panelists.)

Mark Polson, VP, creativity and business innovation global management strategies, The Estée Lauder Companies     Mark Polson has what’s perhaps a unique position: He guides employees at Estée Lauder to develop their creativity—whether they think they have these inherent skills or not. “Everyone can be creative,” said Polson. He defines creativity as problem solving, and aims to debunk the mystery behind it. Creativity is a skill that can be enhanced in any position, he said, from finance to sales to marketing. Polson runs creativity workshops for the 28 or so brands in Lauder’s portfolio, which takes him around the world, as he incorporates local consumers’ needs and desires into regional offices, such as those in the Asia-Pacific region. In addition to defining and developing creativity as a collaborative approach, Polson also guides employees as to the conditions necessary to become a leader. To be creative, employees need freedom, said Polson. “It’s important to develop the right climate.” As far as packaging, Polson said the greatest challenges are time and “how to innovate while staying within the parameters.” Sustainability is also “top of mind,” he said. Most important, according to Polson: “You can’t have tunnel vision, instead you must develop a broad-based view.”

Scott Widro: EVP, operations and supply chain, Laura Mercier (Gurwitch), formerly of Chanel   Scott Widro said innovation emerges from each group’s total collaboration from marketing to creative to supply chain, while always being cognizant of costs. When it comes to getting first dibs on a supplier’s innovations, he conceded that it’s more difficult for a company on a smaller scale. “Strategic partnerships are critical,” said Widro. “Suppliers will share more of their innovations if they know they’re getting something in return.” Innovation equates to problem-solving, according to Widro. “It’s a lot more than the componentry,” he said. “You need a process, a procedure, people to help you through the marketing…” He summed it up: “Marketing and creative play key roles, but supply chain drives the costs.”

Jing Zhu, VP, sourcing, production & QC, Bare Escentuals   Zhu spoke about how to deliver innovation throughout the supply chain. She said that in order to deliver the best performance, innovative packaging must be engineered and manufactured correctly. Then, “Creative, packaging engineering and sourcing teams need to work together to pick the best packaging supplier to transform the idea and engineer the most efficient way to simplify the manufacturing process,” she noted. She said that this will not only reduce the cost of the packaging, but will also minimize quality issues. For instance, Zhu said, “We need to consider the filling process while engineering the package, so we can utilize the existing equipment with minimum adjustment and reduce the overall labor cost. If we create the innovative design internally, it gives us [the opportunity] to choose the best factory to engineer the design and have the best competitive cost.”