The elements of fragrance, fabric, and fashion are uniquely intertwined in a new line of “fabric enhancers”: the Downy Simple Pleasures Radiance Collection from Procter & Gamble in a PET bottle luxuriously finished with metallic color for a cosmetic appeal. The line of three perfumed scents—Amethyst Mist, Turquoise Frost, and Pink Opal—were created, says Downy Simple Pleasures brand manager Arun S. Kori, to meet consumers’ desire for more sophisticated and luxurious scents that won’t leave their clothes too heavily scented.
Taking a cue from beauty products
To communicate a sense of pampered luxury for the Radiance product, P&G design managers and packaging experts worked from an existing bottle design used for the company’s Simple Pleasures fabric softener brand and evolved the container to convey a more updated, modern feel. The bottle, injection/stretch blow molded by a proprietary supplier, includes a rippling swath that encircles the body and neck, creating a silken fabric effect. Metallic bottle finishes of lavender, teal, and rose distinguish the three varieties, which are each capped with a two-piece metallic-gold, screw-on polypropylene pour-spout and dispensing cap.
Bottle decoration, applied via clear, heat-transfer labels from a proprietary supplier, includes abstract design elements resembling henna tattoo artwork that “create intrigue and invite consumers to experience the amazing breadth of scents,” relates Kori.
Linking fashion with the new fine fragrance-inspired fabric products, P&G coupled the product launch with the Discovering Radiance program, which challenged three emerging fashion designers to create clothing based on the Radiance scents. An online component of the program enabled consumers to follow the designers’ progress, submit “mood boards” to help inspire them, and ultimately vote for their favorite designer.
Market awash with enthusiasm
According to Kori, the introduction of the Radiance Collection in February met with great enthusiasm from retailers and consumers alike. “Retailers remain very excited about Downy’s ongoing commitment to transforming the laundry aisle into a destination category,” he says. “The Downy Radiance Collection is a large step forward to achieving this goal.”
The Downy Simple Pleasures Radiance Collection is available in retail stores nationwide in 27-, 41-, and 61-oz sizes for $4.49, $5.49, and $7.49, respectively.
