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Coca-Cola. Amazon. Apple. They’re all iconic brands with one thing in common: recognizable packaging. Though we might not think familiarity and aesthetics influence our decisions, statistics show they do: A report by The Paper Worker says packaging affects one-third of buying behavior. From color and texture to materials and typography, your product’s packaging can communicate your brand’s message, concept, and vision while evoking emotional responses that turn into direct sales. Your job? Take nothing for granted when packaging is concerned, and look to winning brands for initial guidance. Make Your Packaging and Brand Pop How can a product seamlessly link its brand identity to its packaging? Just look at Davines Haircare, which offers clean packaging with a fresh-from-the-lab aesthetic. And Benefit Cosmetics‘ skincare line is fresh and youthful while still maintaining a subtle old-world apothecary feel. These brands sought to elevate the relationship between buyer and seller through the careful use of specific packaging techniques and considerations. It’s clear to see that they have overcome the major hurdles involved in designing phenomenally successful cosmetics packaging. Your company can do the same with these strategies: Make the customer experience a pleasure.We’ve all had the frustrating experience of trying to squeeze an awkwardly shaped bottle or

The right name can set your beauty brand apart and even make it go viral, while a bad one can doom it and your products to the limbo of a dusty, forgotten shelf. The perfect brand name will evoke the personality, quality and uniqueness of your products and services. The truth is that nearly any brand name can work if it’s supported by a good marketing strategy. Here’s what you’ll need to think about to give your brand the most representative and effective name. What’s in a beauty brand name? Start by deciding what you want your brand name to communicate. It should reinforce the key elements of your business purpose or your products’ unifying features.  Having a good understanding of your market niche, goals and core values will help you identify the message you want to convey with your name. These are 8 critical attributes of a strong brand name: Keep it short, sweet & concise.Customers will always shorten the name if it’s too long, so… No more than 3 syllables No more than 13 characters No more than 3 words Clear and understandable.It should be easy to read / spell / pronounce.  Stay away from strings of numbers

What Is Natural? 4 Definitions to End Customer Confusion The consumer demand for scientifically supported natural skin care treatments is real and quantifiable. A study by beauty brand Yes To found that 50 percent of customers buy natural beauty products, while another 8 percent would like to purchase them. For skin care brands looking to appeal to those consumers, it is critical to have a clear understanding of what “natural” really means, along with many of the other related buzzwords. Knowing What’s What A Kantar Worldpanel consumer survey found that 32 percent prefer products that use natural or organic ingredients. As expectations for that market continue to grow, brands should continue to educate the public on terminology specific to the industry. Here are four phrases to focus on: Natural: Let’s start with the basics. Natural refers to ingredients that remain in their natural form, with zero processing. Some examples include fresh-squeezed orange juice, cold-pressed olive oil, and sea salt. Naturally-derived: These are materials found in nature that have undergone minimal processing. Some examples are refined coconut oil, vegetable glycerin, chamomile extract, and green tea extract, to name a few. Organic: Basically refers to ingredients that were once living. These are plant- or animal-based materials that may undergo some processing

Disruption by startups isn’t limited to the tech sector in Silicon Valley. Cosmetics companies are experiencing their share of industry shake-up, thanks to trailblazing brands such as these three:  Goldfaden MD Goldfaden MD blends science and nature to deliver a truly unique product. Normally, high-end skincare brands offer consumers two choices: advanced doctor-developed treatments or natural, organic options. Goldfaden MD took it one step further by diving into dermatologist research to discover which natural components could match the power and efficacy of the prescription-strength products. As the world moves toward healthier, more environmentally conscious lifestyles, Goldfaden MD is leading that charge in the skincare world. Consumers want products infused with as few unnecessary ingredients as possible and sourced in ways that minimize long-term negative impacts to nature but still provide scientifically proven efficacy. Combined with smart marketing and a loyal consumer base, it’s easy to see why Goldfaden MD is garnering attention for the products coming out of its natural skincare lab. Leaders at Goldfaden MD encourage other companies to stay true to their core values in order to find success. From product formulation to packaging to messaging, every component of the brand message should convey a story that customers

The natural ingredient market is an industry with a future as bright as the glow some of its products provide users. By next year, the market is expected to reach nearly $16 billion and will be just shy of $22 billion by 2024. Natural and naturally-derived ingredients are obviously on an upward trend. Brands would be wise to incorporate them into their offerings, especially if they want their skin care products to stand out during these summer months. Long hours in the sun, pool chemicals, heat, and humidity all take a toll, which is why a diligent skin care routine featuring scientifically proven ingredients is so important. Brands that implement those ingredients into their own offerings help customers maintain long-term skin health and can find themselves in customers’ skin care rotations for the foreseeable future. The Shift Toward Au Naturel Sales for natural-based beauty products jumped 7 percent from 2014 to 2015, compared with a 2 percent spike for beauty products overall. Here are a few reasons that may be the case: Scientific advancements: Many natural and naturally-derived ingredients are just as chemically and biotechnologically advanced as synthetic ingredients, and many have been scientifically proven to be equally effective, if not more so

What makes consumers pick one cosmetic product over another? Variables such as a trusted brand and an appealing price obviously play big roles, but packaging, too, is crucial — especially for new brands trying to break into a saturated beauty market. Analysts predict the global cosmetics market will jump 13 percent annually until at least 2021, meaning companies hoping to compete alongside Revlon and L’Oréal for pieces of the billion-dollar pie should take heed. Tear off the recognizable names and remove the quirky, attention-grabbing monikers, and what do you have? A carton, a bottle, or a tube that can speak volumes about brand identity. Just make sure its look is saying what you want it to. Pack Smart From the Start Whether your cosmetics packaging just isn’t clicking or you’re starting a new design, ask yourself these three questions to ensure your packaging and product align: What kind of brand do you want to be? Before you draw up any visual packaging prototypes, you must establish a concrete brand profile. It’s important to have a clear understanding of your brand’s purpose so you can attract those you want to target. This profile will define your brand’s message, voice, and personality; it can

The term “crowdsourcing” immediately conjures images of funding platforms. However, while crowdsourcing is a good way to raise money, the beauty industry shows that it’s a useful tool that can leverage fans and followers into treasure troves for marketing and innovation. But crowdsourcing isn’t just about askingpeople for their opinions. It’s about asking the right people, like followers of your brand’s social influencers, for guidance on industry trends and product referrals. Brand followers are already invested in the success of the company, so they’re willing and able to provide the kind of feedback that can help shape future offerings. This is why beauty brands associate with social media influencers more than any other industry. The more popular the influencer, the larger the audience a brand can survey in order to gain insights it needs from its target demographics. These three beauty brands have mastered the art of crowdsourcing, bringing buzz to their new products and creating diehard fan bases eager to participate. By mirroring the lessons that each one teaches, other brands can turn crowdsourcing into a valuable marketing tool. 1. Kylie Cosmetics by Kylie Jenner: It’s OK to start small. Kylie Jenner, the youngest member of the Kardashian clan, has a

Sometimes, a beauty company’s fans have insights and preferences that the company founders may not be aware of. Through crowdsourcing, growing brands can extract that information from the masses and deliver better products that more people will want to purchase. Beauty brands can utilize social media platforms to collect just that type of feedback from customers. Through Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat, these brands strike up open dialogues about their products that help to nurture and grow loyal customer bases. By engaging with followers and seeking their input, you can improve your marketing and innovation strategies while cultivating a community of strong brand advocates.  The Beauty of Crowdsourcing With the right audience and engagement tools, you can crowdsource everything from a brand name to a logo to an entirely new product. In 2012, Bobbi Brown got the nostalgia bug and decided to revive some of its most popular lip colors that it had stopped producing. The company’s namesake and CEO posted a video on the brand’s Facebook page and invited its 250,000 followers to vote on which shades they’d like to see restocked from a list of the 10 most frequently requested. The chosen colors were eventually sold directly and exclusively through the