"We've designed a very effective package compared to what's on the shelf already," says Tonya Hinch, senior vp of marketing and sales at Ultrafem. "Most of them scream at you. We think our package is very serene. It communicates what we like about our brand." To help achieve that serene feel, Ultrafem called on Wallace Church Associates (New York, NY). Subtle purple graphics highlight the Instead logo. Supplied by Jefferson Smurfit (St. Louis, MO), the clay-coated SBS is printed in six colors plus an aqueous coating. The custom design gives the carton, cube-shaped for the six-count package and rectangular for the 16- and 24-count packs, a pearlescent look in a gradation of purple hues. Instead arrived in test markets in San Francisco, Seattle, Portland and surrounding areas this past August, where it is said to have had excellent results. Ultrafem expects to achieve national distribution within three years. Prices range from $2.29 for the six-count box, to $7.99 for the 24-count-about a 10% premium over traditional tampons and pads, says the company.
