ADF&PCD Paris 2020
Estée Lauder: Storytelling and experience ‘super important’ in luxury fragrance
Luxury fragrances must tell a story and evoke experiences, and digital printing is one strong technique to achieve this, says Estée Lauder Companies’ EMEA head of packaging development.
In Spring 2019, Estée Lauder luxury fragrance brand Jo Malone London released a limited-edition Wildflowers & Weeds collection – a range of five scents packed in intricately designed glass bottles. The brand partnered with German packaging firm Heinz Glas Group for the bottle designs, using the latest digital printing technology to achieve the flower and weed decorations.
Digital printing for a ‘sublime bottle’
Addressing attendees at ADF&PCD Paris last week, Chris Gevers, executive director of EMEA packaging development at Estée Lauder Companies, said: “We started a digital journey with Heinz several years ago. It has been a challenging journey but not more challenging than the regular – for all packaging developers, we know there is no project without challenges.”
“…For this Brit Collection, we really pushed the envelope with the help of Heinz for decorating the iconic bottle for the Wildflowers & Weeds collection. When we started working with Heinz on it, we really wanted it to mimic a painted bottle,” Gevers said.
The Jo Malone London team wanted the design to be raised, fully opaque and visible through the bottle, he said, with a different decoration for each of the five scents, and digital printing had enabled this. “I’m really convinced that this sublime bottle has really added to the collection’s success.”
Getting ‘very close’ to storytelling and visuals
Speaking to CosmeticsDesign-Europe, Gevers said digital printing had opened “a lot of possibilities” to fulfil design aspirations at a reasonable price.
The visual aspect of any luxury fragrance brand, he said, was “super important”; particularly being able to impart an experience on the consumer, either in-store or through gifting.
“With digital printing, we can come very close to the whole storytelling and visuals that we launch.”
Upcoming 'unique' NPD focus
Over the coming years, Gevers said Jo Malone London would continue to push being “unique” and different to its competitors.
“We’re always on the lookout for techniques from suppliers who can work with us to fulfil our aspirations – design and storytelling,” he said.
The brand had some exciting projects in the pipeline, Gevers said – of course all of which would remain true to Jo Malone London’s British roots and image.
