Body art sticks and develops into a hot category

Drug Store News, Sept 13, 1999 by Andrea M. Grossman

"Cover Girl entered the body art segment in spring 1999 with Pure Magic Body Art as part of the Galactic Glow color collection," noted Anne Martin, global designer and marketing director, North and South America, Cover Girl Cosmetics. "Pure Magic Body Art is a cream-to-powder body paint packaged with easy-to-use stencils so consumers can create temporary, washable tattoos. Retailers merchandise Pure Magic Body Art on display in the cosmetics aisle. Additionally, the Halloween '99 collection featuring Pure Magic Body Art will be displayed in general merchandise aisles to maximize sell-through. Cover Girl will continue to explore in-line merchandising as the trend progresses. Our goal is to work with retailers so consumers will find the shopping experience for Pure Magic Body Art to be as fun and easy as the product itself. Pure Magic Body Art is a trend item and by definition it is relevant for an undefined period of time."

"Though body art has been around for several years, there has been more focus on it recently. Some retailers have committed to it, but the market is ever-expanding. It's a stretch for some retailers to accept this, but as the bad connotation with temporary tattoos goes away, more will accept it, predicted Craig Arnold, National Sales Manager, Kiss Products. "Think of how we are selling it now. Just a couple of years ago it was temporary tattoos, now it's 'body art.' Kiss is expanding body art next year by 30 SKUs. Some will be different than what it is out there right now. That's what keeps the competition going in this business." Arnold predicted that this year Kiss' sales will double or triple (from 1998 to 1999 sales jumped approximately 180 percent) since "buyers will be more attentive to the category."

Mitch Perdue, president, J&M Inc., said, "We have a build-to-order system of manufacturing, similar to what computer companies do. We build orders to a retailer's specs, which reduces inventory levels. We can put an order into their pipeline and in just weeks have the order fulfilled.

He continued, "We've had good luck in making successful designs. We test market them and are confident they sell through. We employ three artists and also use freelance artists to create our designs. We recently were awarded the Seventeen license, which I predict will contribute nicely to sales increases and the opening of more doors."

"Highgate has been in the temporary tattoo and body art category for 10 years, and we have products suitable for all the various age groups. To appeal to 6 to 12 year olds, Highgate uses its licenses with Looney Tunes and Scooby Doo. Trendy tattoos with butterflies and Japanese art are manufactured for the pre-teen and teen demographics, while Mehndi styles have been geared for older teens," explained Mike Barker, vice president of sales for Highgate Products.

Body Art Facts

Body art's appear lies in the consumer's control over how much she wants-or doesn't want-on her body, and the ability to take it off almost immediately.