H&M's cosmetic carton is an eye-opener

A growing number of cosmetics producers are doing a double take with the eye-popping brightness of new FROVI BRIGHT cartonboard from Sweden's AssiDomän Frovi (www.frovi.com). Adopted for cosmetics packages such as those from British apparel retailer H&M for nail sculpting and permanent dye for eyelashes and brows, the 270-gsm board has the brightness essential for attention-getting products. The bright-white board combines the strength of unbleached kraft with a bleached-white and more luxurious reverse side. The four-layer, virgin fiberboard has a bleached top layer, coated with a chalk/clay mixture, while the reverse side is also bleached. Hangable for display, the H&M cartons are printed with the detailed information consumers want. The graphic design for the permanent dye package presents a clever fifth-panel flap providing more print space, which was used to include an informative picture on the front and a balanced layout of images and instructions in four languages on the inside. In addition to sharp eyes on the part of the consumer, the small print requires superior printability of the carton stock. Sold in self-service chain stores, the products are rack-merchandised at eye level, so the photo on the carton immediately tells consumers what the product is all about. "Both our private brands and producers' brands vie for attention in our stores—products have to stand out to be noticed," says Kristina Blom, store manager at H&M in Örebro. "A good package communicates the contents clearly, and naturally it has to stimulate sales. If it fails, the product is rapidly eliminated from the range."