IT’S IN THE CARDS FOR JANE
Byline: Laura Klepacki
NEW YORK — Beginning with the launch of a multibenefit lipstick this spring, consumers will get their first glimpse of Jane’s new look.
After six years of open-stock merchandising in pink and black fixtures, the teen brand is shifting to a carded package for peg wall displays. Products will now be seen on fresh white cards with Jane’s signature Gerbera daisy in red.
Jeanette Wagner, vice chairman of The Estee Lauder Cos. Inc., Jane’s parent, said the coming together of various market forces moved the company to make the switch.
“The brand was able to make a statement with the fixtures, but now it was making replenishment very difficult. We wanted to use resources in the best way to drive business and to make it easier for our accounts,” said Wagner. Wagner also referenced the recent move of many retailers to dispense with manufacturer-supplied displays in favor of universal fixtures as another compelling reason.
Furthermore, in order to position Jane for international distribution, bilingual messages would be easier to implement in a carded program. Although there are no immediate plans in the works, said Wagner, “we are in the research stages.”
“But you want to keep your individuality, and Jane still has powerful visuals,” said Wagner. “Our boldness will continue.”
The new packaging will be implemented over time, according to Jane’s new vice president of marketing, Lucia Perdomo. Mass merchants are expected to make the change first as they reset departments this spring, followed by drugstores with the turnover to be completed next year.
While the market adjusts to its new appearance, Jane is angling to otherwise stand out with its product innovation this spring. First out of the gate is Weather Wear, an antichap lipstick with SPF 15 — Jane’s first item to be shipped on a card. At $3.79 a tube, the lip color also signals a price departure for Jane, which previously line-priced items at $3.49. “Weather Wear,” commented Perdomo, “is for the girl on the go.” Available in 10 shades, it possesses vitamin C and E and a mint agent providing the “refreshment of a breath mint.”
Weather Wear could be a welcome boost for Jane, which saw sales of lip color, its strongest category, slip 7.7 percent last year, to $19.2 million, according to Information Resources Inc.
Pushing the prices even higher is a new foundation — Stay Calm — designed to calm skin while leaving a natural finish. A 1-oz. squeeze bottle is $4.99. The foundation, described as a liquid that dries to a soft powder, contains a “Zen complex” including, lavender and chamomile to reduce undereye puffiness, vitamins C and E to nourish skin and SPF 8. Shade names speak to Jane’s fun side — Fair Enough, Naturally, Dream Team, Buffy, Open Sesame and Sunny Honey. All shades have a yellow base rather than pink like some competitors, which Jane executives say is a better match with current fashions.
According to IRI, Jane’s face makeup sales grew 12.6 percent to $12 million last year.
Brenda Lilly, director of marketing and retail programs at Jane, said that research showed teens are willing to pay more if they feel they are getting value for their money.
The brand is also adding on to its Good Skin collection with Showelettes, believed to be the first disposable body cleansing cloth. A box of 10 of the 6 by 8 inch wipes is $4.49. Marketers describe it as “a body wash to go” with a clean, fresh scent.
Weather Wear and Stay Calm will be supported with print advertising beginning with May and June books. For Showelettes, Jane is using in-store activities and co-op programs with retailers.
