Hello Bartlett Brands! Tell us a little about yourselves.
We are an all-female creative innovation agency that develops and launches forward-thinking, culturally-relevant consumer brands. We challenge the status and cut through the quo with smart strategy, stylish storytelling, and sustainable design. Often, we create something from nothing.
NEENAH: Challenging the status and cutting through the quo. We love that! And sustainable design always gets our attention. Perusing through some of your work, we’ve noticed a fair amount is in beauty – is that your specialty?
Because we have several beauty industry vets on the team, we often find ourselves working in parallel categories like health & wellness and personal care—often with brands and products targeted towards women. We are dedicated to banishing outdated narratives, stale marketing clichés, and cultural taboos as it relates to these evolving categories. And we love to work with any consumer brands that want to be at the forefront of sustainable innovation.
NEENAH: Do you typically work with start-ups or established brands?
We work with mostly early-stage companies prior to launch—as well as some established brands in need of a radical refresh. Generally, our clients are at a financial inflection point, either they have just raised their first round and are ready to invest in branding—or they have traction and need fine-tuning to get to the next level.
NEENAH: The Exponent primary packaging is such a unique and innovative idea! At what stage in the project did Exponent come to you for help?
We were involved in the beginning. The team came to us with their incredible product and initial packaging ideas. In addition to conducting consumer research, brand strategy, brand naming, identity, and storytelling—we have worked tirelessly on the packaging approach and design. Newness and innovation are very challenging for consumers. We also did all the copywriting, web design, photography, video, and some digital marketing.
NEENAH: Did you have any input in the primary packaging, or was that already established?
Yes, we worked alongside the industrial designers at Tomorrow Lab and the manufacturers at Wormser Group to perfect and evolve the primary packaging system, both functionally and aesthetically. Our patented Activator Packaging System was a huge lift in form, function, and sustainability. We worked on it over the course of 3 years to get it right.
NEENAH: Can you explain how it works?
Functionally, the Activator is essentially a sexy dispenser that works like a lock & key: You place the Powder Globe onto the Hydrator Base and simultaneously push in while you twist. This action precisely doses the optimal amount of Active Powder from the top Globe while up-pumping the Hydrator from the Base. The consumer mixes for about 8 seconds before applying. The precision dosing of powders is no easy task– it’s usually done with single-use disposable packaging solutions in the pharma industry. There are 22 components in our Activator and Exponent holds utility and design patents on it.
NEENAH: That is fascinating! It sounds so mechanical, yet it looks so beautiful.
For deco and form, we knew that beyond being functional packaging, we wanted to bring beauty and luxury into the packaging design. We drew inspiration from the vintage fragrance bottles our Founder remembered seeing on her grandmother, Elsie’s, boudoir. Our white column-like fluted Hydrator Base has an almost sculptural quality while our Lucite Globes and Powder Dispensers illuminate and refract the bold, color palette of our various Active Powder Jars.
NEENAH: What was the most challenging part of this branding project?
As designers and innovators, it is our responsibility to make the most sustainable decisions when creating new and complex packaging. There were two main challenges to tackle with this new innovative design. 1. Appealing to consumers in a way that made it easy to change their typical skincare behavior, and 2. Creating a streamlined refillable packaging system that minimizes materials & landfill waste—without adding complexity or compromising product performance.
NEENAH: How important was it to incorporate sustainability into this project?
It was a priority from the start! One of our goals was to eliminate plastic waste, which led to the invention of a refillable system. Our system is designed to be reused over and over, while our Powder and Hydrator Refills come in infinitely recyclable glass with aluminum caps. In addition, our unit cartons are made from 100% post-consumer waste papers. For its achievement in eliminating plastic waste, Exponent achieved B Corp certification prior to launch.
NEENAH: When it came to the carton design, were you looking specifically for 100% post-consumer waste?
Sustainability is extremely important to us as an agency – we’ve been thought-leaders on the topic since before it was trendy—which is why we always challenge our brands to make the best choices. Exponent didn’t need any convincing, we were aligned from the start that the brand is luxury with a conscience, and we loved the sophisticated look of the NEENAH® Folding Board. We’ve long been admirers of Neenah paper and were excited when our printer partner presented it as an option.
NEENAH: The packaging for the base and globe + dispenser have a different look than the refills. Explain the color decisions.
The Base and the Globe + Dispenser pieces are meant to be used over and over again, so we distinguished them with a flood of red. The product refills have a flood of white with pops of color that speak to product benefits.
NEENAH: How is the product selling?
Exponent Beauty launched about a year ago and has quickly become a cult breakout brand surpassing revenue expectations. It has grown rapidly through organic acquisition, with extensive press coverage, social UGC, rave customer reviews, and unusually strong repeat purchases.
NEENAH: Can you attribute sales success to branding and packaging?
We think so! Exponent customers and press editors have given glowing testimonials, speaking to the dramatic results they experience, as well as the counter-worthy design and sustainability measures.