Challenge

A global beauty and personal care brand wanted to translate their haircare products’ efficacy into a premium sensorial experience. The aim was to captivate and delight a customer beyond the moment of purchase in a mature and sometimes mundane sector.
Yuzu Kyodai was asked for in-depth research on the organoleptics of the product inside the packaging: its look, feel and sound. The logic was that understanding how to stimulate every sense within a single product would elevate the consumer experience well beyond category norms.

Diagnosis

To do this, we took as a starting point the notions of contemporary luxury and the mindfulness inherent to luxury. We delved into the organoleptics of each and every core benefit that consumers seek from haircare products. We also expanded the scope of our semiotic research and fieldwork into other categories, including food, beauty, health, nature and art; and we investigated both domestic and international markets.

As a result, we were able to define desirable – and undesirable – organoleptic notions, visuals and language. These crucial insights into elevating and heightening sensorials were consolidated into a series of highly visual and encyclopaedic mood-boards. Finally, we ensured the client was able to activate our findings, and to develop new and exciting product experiences.

Methodology

  • Consumer insight
  • Semiotics (cultural mapping)
  • Communication strategy
  • Design and execution (visual language and vocabulary; creative brief for agencies)

Impact

Our client was able to make swift use of the visual and intuitive system that we had developed. New products were launched in 2019, with elements from our research incorporated not only in the organoleptics but also in the brand communications.