The philosophy behind Benefit cosmetics can be summed up in their tagline, “Who says makeup has to be serious to look good?” This idea has influenced their design choices and packaging for several decades, ever since the two sisters started the company back in 1976. Since their original launch, the quirky package designs, humorous product names, and high quality ingredients have kept Benefit cosmetics at the top of the cosmetics industry for all this time. The company has weathered a variety of economic slumps and problems and still managed to come out on top- in part thanks to their innovative and unforgettable marketing techniques.
Benefit uses a variety of techniques to help their products stand out from the crowd. The company uses a series of product designs and printed ads that make the company memorable. Implementing some of these same techniques will help other companies or individuals stand out with similar happy results. Benefit uses a multi-step approach to marketing that includes elements such as:
Font changes
While most brands stick to a single logo or font design, Benefit is all over the map when it comes to fonts and logo design. The way that Benefit stands out is through their name, not through how their logo looks. The changing logo represents the entire feel and innovation of the brand, which is how it works even when it would not for other companies. The logo designs and font changes tell customers that they are a friendly company that likes to have fun and switch things up every now and then, just like the customers who buy their products.
Bright colors
Another aspect of Benefit design is their bright packaging. Nearly all of the Benefit products use a bold color, like purple, pink, or red. Even their packages that have duller colors still stand out in a way with the use of bright words or pictures on the package. A bright package will stand out from the shelves any day, and Benefit takes full advantage of this fact.
Humorous product names
Another part of the brand’s marketing includes their funny product names. Most Benefit names include puns or funny sayings that stick in people’s minds. This practice was so sucuessful, that now many other companies also copy this practice in their own product names. Some of the classic Benefit product names include “bene-tint” cheek stain, “some kind of gorgeous” foundation, “hervana” face powder, and the “primpecss” eye care line.
Unique package shapes
Most Benefit package designs are completely different from one another. Each package is unique to the product inside. While a few packages are traditional, like their lipstick cases, the outer packaging of the product is what makes it stand out. Benefit has used packages that look like jewelry boxes, lunch totes, pill boxes, and much more. The products also use unique packaging that inspires customers to save the packaging.
Retro print ads
Benefit also uses retro-style ads and packaging to help sell their products. One famous ad features a cartoon woman with a 40’s hairstyle and pearls covered by a lampshade. The ad reads “Skincare solutions so radiant, you’ll need a dimmer switch.” Other ads feature similarly retro packaging with women in cat-eye sunglasses, big hair, and old-fashioned clothes. These retro ads stand out from other cosmetics ads, which normally try to make their models look sexy.
All of these innovative marketing techniques are what has helped Benefit cosmetics remain popular for so many years. Other companies and individuals can take note of these innovative practices and try them to help stand out from the competition as well. However, to be truly unique and stand out, you must do something that no other company is- even Benefit cosmetics.
Author Bio
This article was contributes by Sarah Bay, who writes about fashion, trends and lifestyles in her blog, the BrowseMob.
