NAT ROBBINS LOOKS FOR LIP LEVERAGE
Byline: Cara Kagan
NEW YORK — Nat Robbins is out to make its mark in lip color — and make it stick.
Throughout the first quarter, the mass market brand will introduce four new lipstick formulas, giving it seven types of lip color applications.
“This is a rare time in the industry; every single category of lip color is hot at the same time,” said Vincent Carbone, an owner of Great American Cosmetics Inc. of Port Washington, N.Y., which markets the Nat Robbins brand. “Matte, creams, sheers, frosts and gloss are all selling equally well,” he continued. “We intend to take advantage of the market trend by making sure we have something for everyone in our lip lineup.”
As it extends its product offerings, the company is looking to broaden distribution. The line is sold in roughly 10,000 mass doors, including Walgreen Co. of Deerfield, Ill., Rite Aid Corp. of Harrisburg, Pa., Longs Drug Stores of Walnut Creek, Calif., and CVS of Woonsocket, R.I.
By the end of this year, Carbone expects the line to be distributed in 16,000 to 17,000 outlets, in existing accounts and in new accounts such as Target.
Carbone projected the expanded distribution and the new lip items would help Nat Robbins nearly double its 1996 sales to a wholesale volume of between $17 million and $20 million.
With the new products, Nat Robbins hopes to have all its lip bases covered. The long-wearing entry, Stay Put, will be introduced in 18 shades, at a suggested retail of $3.75 each.
With the new 13-item EverSheer collection, the company will aim at the increasingly popular sheer segment of the market, at $2.40 each.
Also set for a launch is Color Intense, a collection of 13 lipsticks with highly saturated pigment, and Brush-On Lip Lacquer, a gloss-like product that the company claims offers high color and shine.
Color Intense will have a suggested retail price of $2.40, and the Lip Lacquer will be $3.50.
These items will join the company’s current lipstick stable, which includes 24 selections of ColorMatte matte lip color; 70 shades of Everlasting moisturizing lipstick with collagen, vitamin E and sunscreen, and 24 offerings of Temptuous Aromatherapeutic lipstick.
Carbone noted that over the last two years, Nat Robbins has employed a similar strategy to build the pencil and nail enamel segments of its business.
Just three years ago, the Nat Robbins collection had 85 stockkeeping units of pencils and brushes and was distributed in 1,500 doors, Carbone said. Today the line has 430 items and will increase to 500 stockkeeping units by the end of next year.
“We focused on building the pencil segment of our business first since that was where our heritage was,” Carbone said. “Today we have over 100 pencils in 10 different forms.”
Nail enamel was next on the agenda. The Nat Robbins nail collection now consists of 90 items, only seven of which are nail treatment products.
“We have decided to carve out our niche as simply a color company,” he said. “Our focuses are the eyes, lips and nails — the three fastest-turning and most impulse-driven categories in the mass market. It has been our strategy to maximize each category with as many options for multiple purchases as possible.”