Finding the Right Balance

Brands need to find new ways to provide the essence of a country without pigeonholing, but must also be careful not to lose the essence by following strict codes in terms of color or design.

By Jonathan Ford, Pearlfisher

W ith new countries—and their brands—entering the beauty arena on what seems to be a near daily basis, the beauty consumer is faced with phenomenal choices. Traditionally we have looked to certain countries for distinct values based on their language, people and landscape. The spirit has been captured in a somewhat prescribed and generic way, but we have been willing to buy into this. Now we have both a more discerning and culture-hungry consumer and a more fiercely competitive marketplace. Added to this, we have a category governed by codes and conventions. So, how do beauty brands now reflect the authenticity of a place in a way that is different enough from their neighbor, but not so abstract that the consumer does not understand what their product is and where it is from? How coded do you have to be? And, as the boundaries continue to be pushed, is there the opportunity to actually break the country code and offer a truly original beauty experience and new beauty aesthetic?

Pacifica’s packaging is floral and colorful.

Patriotic by Design

Until about 10 years ago, the beauty market was dominated by the UK, the U.S. and France. We knew the origins of our cosmetic giants—Maybelline (U.S.), Chanel (France)—and were perhaps more governed by brand than by country. But, as global travel and technology developed, so, too, did our hunger for “other-ness” and country/place of origin started to become a key marketing tool for beauty brands.

As people, we are recognized and defined (initially) by our accents and our dress, so it makes sense that naming and graphic design be used to convey nationality in a beauty brand. However, this patriotic design has—until now, steadfastly followed a traditionally historical although somewhat predictable and prescriptive route. We stereotypically view British-ness as tailored with an upper class edge and with a certain quirky or bespoke quality—think Burberry London in its tailored tweed jacket as the epitome of British class. Italy is traditionally associated with pleasure, luxury and maybe a touch of the exotic as packaged by brands such as Gucci by Gucci or Aqua di Parma, while French brands, like their women, are portrayed as chic, stylish and sensual as summed up by Chanel’s Coco Mademoiselle.

Quixotic & Exotic

Now we have brands arriving on our shelves from every corner of the world and, while we may be getting many more products, it is interesting to see that new blood does not necessarily mean that the market is giving us very different offers or a new aesthetic. Two recent newcomers are Pacifica and Amore Pacific. Very similar names but unbelievably different looking brands with an assumed Pacific Rim heritage. Pacifica is inspired by a surfer lifestyle and has great eco credentials. The packaging is floral and colorful, but stereotypically selling a sunny, sandy, surfy, lifestyle and could quite realistically and easily, be interchanged with any tropical-looking sun care brand. Amore Pacific, in contrast, lists its tropical and botanical ingredients such as bamboo and green tea, but the packaging is sleek and silver with no visual reference to its origin. While undeniably premium looking, it does not reflect the natural product within and, in fact, looks more like a high-tech filler or anti-aging serum. While one has given us a very stereotypical look and country/place code, the other has probably strayed too far from the country of origin to safely follow category codes and cues.

New Hampton Sun Privet Bloom uses a subtle, understated approach.

It’s difficult to hit the right balance. Brands need to find new and exciting ways to give us the essence or experience of a country without being generic and pigeonholing, but must also be careful not to lose this essence or experience by rigidly following category codes in terms of color or design cues.

New Hampton Sun Privet Bloom is very specific in terms of what it is offering. The name is precise and immediately conjures up empty, restful beaches and the unspoiled coastal flora and fauna of the Hamptons. But the product manages to be highly specific without being overtly visually prescriptive. Rather, it uses subtle tones and an understated privet motif to evoke a mood, a natural scent, a moment in time rather than ramming privet down our throats as Pacifica drowns us in exotic but generic fruit and flowers imagery to get its message across.

We have seen a culture shift, and distance has been replaced by a need for connection. Packaging and tone of voice is as important as ever in terms of instant attraction but, as with people, it is the vagaries of the individual’s packaging and tone of voice that ticks the boxes, and this is what we are looking for from our brands in order to forge a personal and loyal connection with a brand and its place in the world.

A Local Flavor

“Other-ness” and foreign-ness are still immensely desirable, but only within this new cultural context. Package holidays are becoming a thing of the past as we all look for unique holidays with a difference. We want holidays that give us a new or different perspective on a country and allow us to fully experience the true local flavor: the hidden countryside, the day-to-day lifestyle of the indigenous people and the true cultural heart of a place rather than the more manicured and expected “face.” The same is true of what we want from these countries’ beauty brands in terms of credibility, authenticity and uniqueness.

We are looking for beauty offers that are successfully marrying the roots of origin with their place within the category—and which use design and, more important, unique visual equities to express this, rather than overly relying on naming, copycat design and marketing to tell their story.

Ortigia uses design to gain attention and make its mark in the beauty world.

As we have noted, Italy has traditionally been associated with the language of luxury and pleasure. But, unlike the Amalfi coast conjured up by Gucci or the scents of flowers from inland Italy of Aqua di Parma, newcomer Ortigia Sicilia is different. Ortigia is the name given by the Greeks to the island south of the city of Syracuse. The island’s history is reflected in the uniquely rich and layered culture that is found in Sicily today, and it is this that has inspired the Ortigia range. Undeniably a luxury brand, Ortigia has given us a different—and additional—interpretation of established country codes. The products are traditional with a modern ethic bound up in earthy colors and iconography presented in a fresh and stylish way rather than treading a well-worn route—one that both highlights the differences and the similarities of the unique product collection. It is cleverly contradictory and richly textured with its old/new, earthy/vibrant, basic/luxury presentation.

An Original Experience

It’s easy to jump on the trend bandwagon. Visual codes from color palettes to imagery and typography all have fashions and, once established, these can be easily borrowed, but it’s not so easy to undo the damage that can be done by letting them overpower you. Despite the fact that meaning more by saying less has never been so significant, you cannot simply abandon all that makes you recognizable and makes you, you. People build emotional bonds and rely on the individual associations they have made, not just the idealized ones a brand devises.

Connection through origin, history and provenance has become more and more important to today’s consumer, and origin is the brand’s most important equity to invest character, personality and individuality and move from cliché and stereotype to a special experience. It’s about finding ways to give us a new and intensely personal experience that we can discover and uncover for ourselves—and this is where brands like Ortigia are making their mark and gaining attention because they understand the “ownability” of simple branding and how unique visual equities and layers of design can convey their intent.

About the Author
Jonathan Ford is creative partner of Pearlfisher, a future-focused design consultancy in New York and London. [email protected]