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Thursday, Mar 28, 2024

Cosmetics Firm Plays Name Game

When manufacturers and distributors launch a new product, the creative task of selecting a name often looms as the biggest strategic challenge. That’s why D M Natural Products Inc. hired a consulting firm to help with the chore. The Chatsworth-based cosmetic company recently launched a new skincare line called Eclair Naturals, a name it developed in conjunction with branding agency Zinzin in Berkeley. The assignment came with one interesting caveat: The name had to be food-related. John Matise, chief executive of DM National, said he wanted the new brand to embody three things – a classy, food-inspired name that was good enough to eat, luxurious packaging and an economical price point. “Our goal was to have a product that was affordable for all,” Matise said. “We wanted to have a brand and name that would transcend into the mass market … something food-inspired that conveys purity and luxury. Eclair is the perfect blend of that.” Eclair Naturals launched in January at San Antonio, Texas retailer HEB Grocery Co. and just this month the products were rolled out on the shelves of more than 4,500 Rite Aid stores nationwide. The brand includes a range of body and haircare products such as French lavender and coconut-flavored body wash and lotions, grapefruit bath salts and vanilla and sweet orange shampoos. Made from all-natural ingredients, the brand is gluten- and soy-free, non-GMO tested and vegan. Products are manufactured in Chatsworth and retail for $10 or less. From conception to completion, it took less than a year for Matise and his team to develop and distribute Eclair Naturals on a national scale, investing between $2 million and $3 million in the launch. “The brand is meant to be the kind of skin care you would expect to get at Whole Foods or an upscale market, (but) in an environment with lower price points like drug store CVS Pharmacy or Rite Aid,” Jay Jurisich, Zinzin chief executive, said. In conjunction with the launch, Eclair Naturals has a marketing campaign with actress Jennifer Esposito, known for her roles in “Crash” and “I Still Know What You Did Last Summer.” Esposito was diagnosed with celiac disease several years ago and can no longer eat gluten; she is now Éclair Naturals’ brand advocate. Matise said the product will be on the shelves of mass retailer Target Corp. in Minneapolis this May, and will reach stores of other national chains later this year. “This is really a mass-focused product,” Matise said. “Natural products are going to be mainstream and my goal is to sell great natural products to great people.” – Champaign Williams

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