Packaging helps Revlon bring it all together; a combination of innovation and standardized efficiency helps Revlon's packaging maintain its "confident, sexy" style

Food & Drug Packaging, March, 2005 by Pan Demetrakakes

In the ideal cosmetics package, everything comes together so perfectly that the consumer whipping out her lipstick for a quick touch-up never thinks about it.

For the packaging people at Revlon, that perfection requires a lot of thought.

Revlon is the proud possessor of one of the best-established brands in health and beauty aids-indeed, among all consumer goods. The New York-based company sells more than 4,500 SKUs of all types of HBAs: color cosmetics, hair colors, deodorants, fragrances and more. Sales reached $1.299 billion last year, on products distributed throughout the United States and in more than 100 other countries.

Revlon defines its niche as premium products offered through mass-market channels (as distinguished from, say, Est6e Lauder, whose products are mostly sold in department stores). The company also produces the Almay line of health-oriented personal careproducts (such as vitamin-fortified).

"Revlon occupies a singular place among our competitors in the marketplace with our confident, sexy brand positioning," says John Butcher, vice president for package development. "We offer premium products in the mass category, and there is no question that the iconic nature of the Revlon brand positions us to drive growth and excitement in the category."

Cash-flow problems

Revlon has had its troubles in the past. The company has been hemorrhaging money for years, with 24 straight losing quarters dating back to 1998. But the latest balance sheet shows that situation may be turning around: Revlon finished the fourth quarter of 2004 with a $46 million profit--its first profitable quarter in six years.

The cash-flow situation hasn't been a deterrent to either planning or execution of Revlon's packaging strategy, Butcher insists.

"Revlon significantly improved its balance sheet this past year and invested in initiatives that create long-term value," he says. "We have strengthened the capability of the organization, which has helped us make strategic decisions that are in line with long-term goals rather than short-term gains. It has also given our supplier community greater confidence. We see an increased willingness to partner with us on exclusive new developments and opportunities to be first to market."

Like most consumer packaged goods companies, Revlon must strive for balance in its packaging between innovation and tradition. This can be tricky because, as a fashion accessory, makeup has to keep up with trends in color and style.

"With our core businesses, we're circumspect about changing packages, because change can alienate as well as attract customers," Butcher says.

But Revlon still makes significant changes when needed. Case in point: For about two decades, Revlon packaging has sported a logo consisting of four thin gold rings. On this year's Super Lustrous lipstick, and other products, Revlon changed that into a "wedding band" logo, with the company name in a thick gold stripe.

"We decided that it's time to bring that [logo] up to date, and that was a big decision to make," Butcher says.

Revlon strives for an elegant, upscale feel to its packaging. That's not simply a matter of sleek design and tasteful color schemes. It also means making the components work as smoothly as possible.

Interactive packaging

Cosmetics packaging is interactive to a degree almost unequaled among consumer goods. Brushes, lipstick tubes and other components must consistently deliver tiny but precise amounts of product to small areas of skin.

"The outer packaging gets the first buy," says William Welz, vice president for manufacturing. "It's functionality that gets the repeat buy."

The combination of functionality and aesthetics is one of Revlon's overarching goals in packaging.

"The Revlon consumer sees her cosmetic package as a fashion accessory, in addition to providing a convenient and functional benefit," Butcher says. "An example is the introduction of innovative packages such as Revlon Super Lustrous and Almay's Nearly Naked touch pad--both are visually arresting yet provide functional benefits."

Other products that Revlon executives see as recent packaging triumphs include the 2004 creme blush compact with pop-out mirror, which won a package design award from Health and Beauty America, and an eye shadow compact, new this year, that Butcher says "involved some of the most ambitious overmolding ever attempted, due to the proportions involved. The result is a rewarding combination of clean lines and showcasing for the product."

For Revlon executives, making sure that all the components work together, precisely and reliably, is an important aspect of packaging elegance.

"The package itself, after [the consumer] has purchased it, and in terms of her use of it, it has to be transparent to her," Butcher says. "In other words, she shouldn't be conscious of any difficulty in handling the package."

Ensuring this transparency is a matter of meticulous attention to detail, he says: "If the little things do not work, the consumer will notice immediately. If that cap doesn't click down, if that cap doesn't come off properly, the lipstick doesn't wind up the right way and it doesn't feel smooth, and the consumer will notice."