Aerosols: an expert overview

CanTech conducts a Q&A with Veronique Curulla, marketing director at CROWN Aerosols and Speciality Packaging Europe.

When engineering packaging for cosmetics and perfumery, how do trends in fashion and beauty play a role in shaping its design elements?

Veronique Curulla (VC): I think the influence is extremely strong. The latest trends in fashion and beauty brands, after all, are in many ways expressed in the design and decoration of packaging. The basic elements of beauty packaging – colour, shape, materials and dispensing systems – are in constant motion, changing to meet the demands of fashion and function.

The inks, the colours, the surface area of the container itself all serve as a canvas for designers to express their ideas and reflect the latest creative trends. And this needs to extend from the primary package – the perfume bottle, for example – to the secondary container in which it is housed.

Metal is an extremely popular format – it is incredibly versatile and can be formed into a wealth of shapes and formats with a range of high quality colours, effects, embossing, printing and finishes, to create a luxurious and premium image.

Are there functional or aesthetical trends that translate globally across the packaging industry?

VC: Globalisation of the cosmetics, fragrance and personal care industries is certainly moving new trends quickly around the world. What remains consistent is the feeling consumers have of belonging to an exclusive club whenever they purchase a high-end product – they always value the sense of luxury associated with a premium product.

At the same time, the way we approach luxury brands differs from country to country due to the unique values of each culture, and consideration must be taken to create packaging that responds to local expectations. At Crown, we work with brands to help them anticipate how different colours, for example, are perceived in local markets; how the size of packaging can be adjusted to match regional preferences; and of course the care that must be taken when translating text, product names and other creative assets to ensure that they still match the primary brand values and identity.

What are the roles of marketing, branding and consumer engagement when it comes to packaging?

VC: Many studies have shown that packaging on a shelf typically has less than three seconds to grab a consumer’s attention. Despite that, more than 70 per cent of purchasing decisions are made at the shelf. As a result, brands really rely on their packaging design to enable their products to stand out from the clutter.

In this way packaging often plays “the first introduction” role: it can make or break a product, which is particularly important for new products and new launches. At Crown, we work very closely with our customers not only to determine their needs, but also to discuss designs and formats that will best speak to consumers and will create a positive brand experience. That may result in designs that are extremely clean and simple, or dramatic and eye catching.

We also have to consider how consumers will interact with the product and package after they have made their purchase. For example, is the metal container serving as secondary packaging? If so, it needs to draw consumer attention at stores with a creative and original look and feel, but then must be able to be easily recycled – or re-used for other purposes – once the package has been opened and removed. Alternatively, such as with steel aerosol cans, if the container is itself the primary package, we have to consider the functionality of the design as well – is it properly shaped to fit comfortably in a consumer’s hand? Would tactile finishes improve the ergonomics?

As a marketing director, how do you use packaging to express, for example, luxury and status? And what external influences does Crown use to inspire design and function?

VC:  At CROWN Aerosol and Specialty Packaging Europe, we really like working with luxury brands because of their commitment to quality, their history, their uniqueness and the strong personalities behind the brands.

When we start working on any project, we do spend considerable time with our customers in order to fully understand the true essence of their brand. At the same time, Crown’s in-house designers are able to bring their own knowledge about beauty and packaging trends, the latest fashions, and also what is being achieved in other markets, to gain inspiration both for the design of the container and any additional functionality.

This enables us to work with our customers to create clear and precise packaging that reflects the understated luxury of premium cosmetic brands.