Packaging is the first thing consumers see of a cosmetic product: its look, codes, and technicity strongly impact the perception of the product itself and of the brand that develops it. Sandy Gregory, of the WestRock Company, deciphered these decisive interactions at the 12th edition of the PCD show held in Paris on February 3-4, 2016.
WestRock Company is a packaging supplier that is keen on offering the solutions that will be best-adapted and perceived by cosmetics users by relying on the results of consumer surveys.
At the PCD show, Sandy Gregory, who is in charge of the European perfumes and beauty products market at WestRock, chose to present the results of one of these surveys dedicated to facial skincare products (moisturizers, anti-aging products, brighteners) and foundations.
This study of 120 women in six countries (the United States, the United Kingdom, France, China, South Korea, Brazil) helped define categories of women consumers according to their expectations and perceptions of products given their packaging.
When skincare meets beauty
There are two fundamental approaches to cosmetics, the speaker reminded:
• Skincare, which is usually associated with white and clean packaging and corresponds to our need to take care of ourselves: consumers expect a product to be efficient in the middle or long term and need to be able to trust the brand to choose it
• Beauty, whose codes are more glamorous and coloured, has to do with the desire for a pleasant appearance: expectations are more about immediacy and, just like a lipstick or a foundation, a product …
