Innisfree, one of South Korea’s first all-natural beauty brands, features bottles that convey a natural, masculine appeal.
By Lisa Samalonis, Associate Editor
Innisfree’s new Forest for Men uses package design cues to engage consumers in the spirit of the Innisfree brand, one of South Korea’s first all-natural beauty brands.
Botanical imagery, textures and colors— like deep blue and green— allude to stepping through the dewy, unadulterated forests. |
The line, which includes skin products such as skin mist and toner, is naturally masculine, according to Duffy & Partners who designed the packaging for the introduction of Forest for Men, an expansion of the Innisfree portfolio.
Since the launch of Forest for Men design, sales for the men’s line have risen 300%. The advertisements for range feature beautifully lit forests with massive trees and natural settings interspersed with brand ambassador Lee Min-ho, a popular Korean film and television star, seen using the products.
Back to Nature
The Innisfree brand message encompasses nature and the benefits of plant-based essentials. “We strived to exemplify these qualities in the new Forest for Men line. The use of botanical imagery, textures and colors like deep blue and green allude to stepping through the dewy, unadulterated forests of Jeju Island [the volcanic island in South Korea],” explains Katie Evans, designer, Duffy & Partners.
Commercials feature brand ambassador Lee Min-ho, a popular Korean film and television star using the products. |
When natural ingredients and elements of nature are such strong parts of a brand's philosophy, it can be easy to fall back on soft, feminine, flowery imagery. Yet, Duffy & Partners went in a different direction. The line features statuesque dark green and blue angular bottles with forest imagery and large closures that sit flush with the containers. The labels mimic the angular feel of the bottles.
“As this is a line specifically for men, we made sure the bottle and label design had strong structural elements to represent the voice and interests of the intended audience, while still speaking to the nature elements for which the Innisfree brand stands. It creates a flexible and expanded brand language for them to work within now and in the future,” she says.
The visceral feeling of nature conveyed through the packaging was designed to transport consumers to Jeju Island when they are using this product.
“Finding that right balance took effort and we are very happy with the result,” she adds.
Hwa-In made the bottles while Pacific Package supplied the boxes. Along with Forest for Men, Duffy has created packaging for Innisfree’s Moisture Effect for Men, Magic Floral, Tangerine Blossom, Green Tea and Mineral Makeup lines.
