making ofmarketing and branding

Silver, hot and stamped

One of the things that I have learned these last few years: Things take longer than you think. This is true for all aspects of “things”. Like coming up with a changed packaging. Things take longer than you would think, and this is the case for the initial plan, coming up with the details and the design, executing the plan and getting all done, and finally bringing it all out and communicating it. So, it took really quite a while from the first discussions with my designer guru up to the first bottles shipped in the new packaging.

And I haven’t really talked about some details. So there we go: The new packaging consists of a tin box, rectangular, with a sliding cover, and a cardboard sleeve, the protects the tin and adds an extra layer of finesse. My goal was: Protection of the tin. And adding a stylish, luxurious, extra(vagant) element, without going blingbling. OK: I admit. A simple piece of paper, wrapped around the tin would do the same job, or a piece of brown cardboard. But in the end, a folded, ready to use sleeve translates into easy and fast to pack.

And, in my experience, in a first contact situation, for instance in a shop, the aesthetic quality, the charm and the value of the outer packaging communicate the values and significance of what is inside.

That’s why I wanted to have a shiny silver relief, without blingbling. Think: No Svarovski. No pearls. Today’s picture shows a detail, from the hot stamping treated logo. I was amazed about the quality of the printer’s job. Like “WOW”! Hot stamping is a technology (click here for Wikipedia’s information on it) that comes with a price tag, but it’s worth it: this bright shiny silver effect. On a structured cardboard: Superb.

Besides the logo, the claim “Immersive Sculptures® ” is also hot stamped.

In the internet, you do not see a lot of this: Most (all?) online shops do not really show the packaging. I, on my website, do not show the packaging either. Shame on me! I figured, I need to change this, sooner or later, at least for my site.

Bottom line of this post: Hurrah!! we have a new packaging with a hot stamped cardboard sleeve that sooner or later will find its way out there. Since its launch, the new packaging is protecting the Noontide Petals flacons. And right now, the first bottles of L’Air du désert marocain® in the new packaging have left the factory for some retailers. There will be a gradual transition, with Lonestar Memories following, Incense rosé, Incense extrême, Orange Star, too. And then the Homages scents, like Une Rose chyprée, Carillon pour un ange, and Une Rose vermeille. But that will take a while. Other scents that do not sell that strong, like Vetiver Dance, stay a bit longer in old packaging. I guess it does not really matter.

Enough packaging for now: Next will be another trial, version 23 (oh my.. this takes longer than expected, too), of a Tuberose, under the moon (Sotto la Luna). I guess I will talk about this in detail tomorrow.

I wish you a lovely day, may it be shiny.