Artistic bottle-in-a-bottle design fuels sales fervor of new Kiss & Tell fragrance

Husband and wife team Brad and Judy Levy launched their first fragrance in early December 1998, shipping enough product--they thought--to last through Valentine's Day.

It didn't. Fragrance International's new Kiss & Tell sold out before Christmas.

Helping to arouse interest in this provocative dual fragrance is packaging so unique that many industry experts told the Levys it couldn't be done. Robert Du Grenier, an expert in hand-blown glass bottles and sculptures, created their bottle-in-a-bottle concept to hold two variations of the same fragrance: a "light and playful" daytime scent and a "luxurious and sophisticated" evening perfume.

Although each dual-chamber glass bottle is hand crafted, both Brad Levy and Du Grenier say they can maintain expected product volumes. Levy tells us, "In our business plan, we estimated sales between $5 and $10 million for first year. From the response so far, that might be a low figure. Word of mouth has caught on."

Noticeably Absent

Safeguarding the bottle's aesthetics is new sprayer technology from Valois of America that eliminates the typical diptube. With its mini-reservoir, the sprayer can dispense up to six doses before it must be refilled by inverting the bottle. This reservoir sprayer had been in development when the Levys approached the company, but the project was "accelerated," says Levy, for Kiss & Tell.

The sprayer's collar, sourced out by designer Dieter Bakic Enterprises, is polypropylene with ultraviolet metallization to match the upscale gold sprayer. A clear Surlyn overcap, also supplied by Dieter Bakic, lets consumers see the two sprayers.

Bottle decoration is a simple clear acetate label from Paris Art Label hot stamped with matte gold leaf. A clear lamination protects the type from handling, as well as from the product. Although the slender bottle is displayed in a vertical position, glass accents (little nubs) around the perimeter keep it from rolling when laid down on a dresser or vanity table.

Put On A Pedestal

An unconventional outer package showcases and cushions the unique bottle. Supplied by Petro Packaging Co., the cylinder is frosted and striped by Hanes Erie, adding an element of mystery. Creating the correct friction fit in the end caps to hold the bottle securely so it wouldn't teeter and allow it to be easily removed by the customer was a challenge, Levy says. The end caps are assembled from two pieces: a vacuum formed plastic inner piece made by Rapid Plastics and a paper-based outer piece made by Foller Packaging. Both pieces are covered with blue suede by Synthon Industries--matching the color well on the dissimilar materials--and embossed in gold lettering with the brand name.

Under careful quality control procedures, bottles are hand filled and packages are manually assembled at Cosmetics Essence Inc. (CEI). Concealed on the bottom of an end-cap so it wouldn't distract from the elegant packaging, a fold-out label from Instant Promotions on Package holds the necessary product information, instructions for priming the sprayer reservoir and details about the development of the product/package.

"It's Our Baby"

During product and packaging development, an elaborate three-year process, Levy says they didn't know where Kiss & Tell would be sold. With 20 years experience as worldwide distributor wholesalers of perfumes, the Levys realized that open selling was easier to market to the consumer. They wanted packaging that would make the product intriguing but also accessible. "We probably didn't follow the norm in the industry. We went with our hearts with this product," Levy says. "It's our baby."

Available nationally at Nordstrom stores and Sephoria, a chain of perfumeries, Kiss & Tell is sold in four package sizes, which retail from $65 to $250. To minimize inventory requirements, all bottles fit into one of two cylinder sizes, both of which fit into the same end caps. A single master shipping case accommodates all four sizes.

For more information from: CEI, call (732) 888-7788 or mark Item #237 ... Dieter Bakic Enterprises, call (212) 527-2370 or mark Item #238 ... Foller Packaging, call (401) 725-4300 or mark Item #239 ... Hanes Erie, call (814) 833-3444 or mark Item #240 ... Instant Promotions on Package, call (203) 323-7555 or mark Item #241 ... Paris Art Label. call (516) 467-2300 or mark Item #242 ... Petro Packaging Co., call (908) 272-4054 or mark Item #243 ... Rapid Plastics, call (800) 526-3038 or mark Item #244 ... Robert Du Grenier Associates, call (802) 365-4400 or mark Item #245 ... Synthon Industries, call (617) 889-4150 or mark Item #246 ... Valois of America, call (203) 661-5455 or mark Item #247.

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