In a recent issue of WWD.com, there was a great profile of John Demsey. Mr. Demsey is the Group President of the Estee Lauder companies, and it was fascinating to see the forces he identifies as being influential in shaping the beauty world.Those forces are less tangible than you might expect. In discussing the Tom Ford/Estee Lauder partnership, a union that was hugely influential in expanding Lauder’s market appeal, Mr. Demsey said, “…it was a turning point in that it reframed the importance of aspiration, storytelling… establishing uniqueness and a point of difference to sell product.”
Aspiration is defined as the ambition to achieve something better. The beauty industry serves women’s aspirational desire to have a more attractive, beautiful appearance. This desire is closely aligned with the desire for a better life; a life that is filled with beauty in many spheres. That is why beauty packaging design plays a huge role in the customer experience and enjoyment of any given brand. Cosmetics must not only make us more beautiful, but the experience of using those cosmetics must be an inherently joyful process.Mr. Demsey points out the universal nature of aspiration in the WWD.com profile: “Beauty in its abstract concept is an aspiration. It’s not always a reality. There is an aspirational element to beauty that exists in dollar stores all the way up to Bergdof Goodman, because beauty in its ultimate is an aspiration.” In other words, consumers at every point in society are seeking the same thing from the beauty industry: products and experiences that make them look and feel better.
The Role of Aspiration: TaikiUSA on Improving the Exfoliation Experience
Exfoliation and cleansing has a role in every woman’s beauty routine. When we consider the process of exfoliation and cleansing, knowing that the consumer is seeking an experience that will leave her ultimately pleased, it’s essential to consider application mechanics as a key part of that process. The consumer is looking for a positive sense of cleansing without damaging the skin. What is the best, easiest, and most successful way to use an exfoliating agent or soft scrub?
Identifying the answer to that question lead Taiki to develop the Taiki Scrubber. The Taiki Scrubber tops a 40mm tube with a soft silicone tip. This integrated design makes one-handed application easy. A simple squeeze and scrub motion stimulates circulation and enhances the exfoliation experience.
Understanding the aspirational nature of beauty and the role beauty packaging plays in fulfilling those aspirations underlies many great innovations. Mr. Demsey has been at the helm through the development of many of the Lauder brands. He cites a conscious consumption of a wide range of popular media and cultural experiences as influences; these help him steer lines in directions where they remain relevant and highly desirable. These aesthetic understandings work best when coupled with smart engineering: at TaikiUSA, we recognize the union as part of our guiding doctrine of Kaizen.
If you’d like to see the results, please know that we’re inviting qualified beauty industry professionals to evaluate the Taiki Scrubber for themselves. Contact us to request your free sample.