Teens eat up candy-brand lip balms

Drug Store News, July 19, 2004 by Molly Prior

Lotta Luv, the maker of yummy-smelling lip balms, has injected some kitsch factor into the lip balm category by inking licensing deals with popular candy and snack-food brands. Today, Lotta Luv's ever-expanding licensing portfolio includes such brands as Hershey's, Bubble Yum, Hostess and Dairy Queen. Industry sources project Lotta Luv lip balms will reach $50 million in sales this year.

Most recently, Lotta Luv added Snapple beverages to its list of licenses. Company president Steph Fogelson believes the line of lip balms and glosses bearing the likeness of the beverage brand is a perfect fit for the chain drug channel, which typically sells Snapple products. The line includes 14 flavors of Lip Juicers, a miniaturized replica of a Snapple bottle filled with lip balm; Lip Slicks, a disk-shaped lip balm; Freshers, lip gloss in a pop-tin that mimics the sound of the Snapple cap; and Lip Yumms, a pot of lip gloss in a pop-tin Snapple bottle cap. Prices range from $2.50 to $5. The Snapple line seems to have gotten off to a good start with its target audience; the new line won the Teen People Trendspotters hot pick award for the cosmetics category at last month's National Association of Chain Drug Stores Marketplace show in San Diego.

Not to be outdone, Bonne Bell followed suit this past spring, launching candy-flavored Lip Smackers featuring some other edible brands that resonate with the younger consumer, including Starburst, Skittles and Dr Pepper. Prices range from a $1.60 Skittles fruit-flavored lip balm to a $4.75 Dr Pepper Trio with key-ring topper.