Ch. 10 - Product Concepts

In 1935, Armand Petitjean had founded his own brand Lancome, and from the very first day, he knew he wanted only a prestigious brand or nothing. He took up the challenge, and up until today, Lancome is a high end cosmetic brand serving a luxury products in 163 countries. The French perception of elegance and beauty are still at the heart of the brand's identity. The name "Lancôme" was inspired by the name of the castle "Le Château de Lancosme". The only change was that the silent "s" was substituted with a circumflex, rendering a French name that everyone could pronounce. In addition to the name, the city's name -- Paris -- was added to associate the brand with French chic. However, the design of the logo has experienced some changes since it was first created in 1964. Also, the wild roses growing around the ruins of the castle inspired Petitjean to make the company's trademark a single golden rose. The symbol represents Lancome's brand philosophy: femininity, joie de vivre and elegance. The rose has changed from from a cut flower placed sideways at the bottom of print ads to the blooming flower standing tall we see today. Lancome often incorporates rose scents and botanicals into its products. Today, the French rose is widely recognizable as a symbol of Lancome.

Lancome's products are shopping products. They are available through various retail channels. They are considered high quality, luxury products, therefore some people might consider a substitutes. Lancome's commitment is to uphold the highest standards of safety and quality for all the products it makes and sells. Lancome is in full compliance with FDA regulations in all countries where its products are sold. 

Lancome's opening product was a collection of fragrances. The product was enormously successfully, leading Petitjean to expand into skincare. The first skincare product was a multi-tasking repair cream called Nutrix, which is still available on the market after 78 years. Isn't it amazing that we have access to the same cosmetic as the "women who wore gloves" had? In 1938, the brand expanded further into cosmetics. Today, Lancome's product mix is still the same and offers fragrance, skincare and makeup products. Due to innovations and the desire to meet a greater range of customer preferences, Lancome expanded its cosmetic line depth widely. 

Lancome's packaging is very simple, yet very elegant. The rose flower which has appeared on products packages, as well as in ads, serves as the single most differentiating factor for Lancome. The company is aiming to use eco-friendly packages in order to facilitate recycling and reduce environmental damage. For example, the company began using recycled cardboard from papermaker Tullis Russel for the external packing of its perfumes. Tullis Russel offers recycled cardboard that preserves the look, printability and technical performance of the original packaging. Even the glosses are packaged in eco-friendly cardboard packaging certified by the Forest Stewardship Council.