Using smart packaging to support consumer trials

Global beauty brand Avon wanted to maximize the potential of a critical new product launch. ANEW Reversalist Infinite Effects Night Treatment Cream is a ground-breaking skincare product. The product combines two different night creams that need to be rotated every seven days to prevent the user’s skin adapting to the skincare regime.

Key to optimizing the anti-aging benefits was that users needed to remember to rotate the double-ended dispenser each week. Avon sought reassurance that consumers would continue to follow the usage instructions over time – so turned to CDP’s unique user insight service diialog™ for a new perspective. The diialog™ service uses miniature sensing technology discreetly fitted to products or packaging to capture quantitative data during user tests. The result is a conclusive analysis enabling companies to develop a deeper understanding of consumer behavior.

Our approach

The first task was to define ‘normal’ use. We set up an internal trial to ensure our algorithm was robust enough to translate inertial sensing data from the dispenser into accurate user insights.

We then ensured our diialog™ technology could be incorporated into the dispenser without adversely affecting its performance or appearance, while also ensuring there was sufficient battery life to cover Avon’s month-long consumer trial requirements.

Working alongside Avon’s packaging team, our human factors experts were able to ensure our diialog™ technology was a seamless part of the product’s ergonomics.

The value we created

The results of the diialog™ trial revealed that users were able to correctly follow the regimen of rotating the dispenser each week, while there were very few cases of triallists forgetting which end of the device to use.

But we went above and beyond. After successfully assessing and evaluating the original challenge, the trial uncovered further opportunities for packaging innovation to maximize adherence to the unusual usage regimen – insights that were not revealed by the feedback questionnaire completed by trial participants.