PROJECT BACKPACK – SUNSCREEN GOES TO SCHOOL
Talk about a catch-22. Unprotected exposure to UV rays during childhood significantly increases a person’s chances of developing skin cancer later in life. But since sunscreen is regulated as an over-the-counter drug by the FDA, it is prohibited from being used in America’s public schools – except for schools in the state of California.
Mother and beauty company executive Holly Thaggard wants to change all that and encourage sun protection for children even during the school day and especially on field trips. As founder and CEO of Supergoop!, a sunscreen company committed to incorporating SPF into our daily skincare regimens, she has launched Project Backpack, a vehicle to influence a change in state policies.
“As a parent I was upset and as a suncare professional, I was discouraged that sun protection laws are so antiquated,” Ms. Thaggard stated. “I decided that there needed to be an effective platform for concerned parents to contest such counterintuitive legislation”
The idea for Project Backpack developed out of a real life situation. Ms. Thaggard’s daughter came home from her first grade class prior to a field trip with a note in her backback stating that any sunscreen included in a child’s backpack would be discarded.
The way Project Packpack works is that for every Supergoop! SPF 30 Everyday UV Lotion that is sold, Ms. Thagard, on behalf of her company, will donate one backpack-sized sunscreen to a partner school in the U.S. This year, the goal is to provide sunscreen for 30,000 to 40,000 K-12 students in approved schools, starting in California.
You can support Project Backpack by purchasing Supergoop’s SPF 30 Everday UV Lotion at retailers nationwide, advocating the program in your child’s school, and/or signing a petition on supergoop.com/projectbackpack. Supergoop! is sold at Nordstrom Sephora, Barney’s and Supergoop.com.
CHANGING LANES TO MEET CONSUMER DEMAND
You’re in the driver’s seat and beauty companies know it. At a recent symposium sponsored by The Fashion Group International, beauty executives described the ever evolving retail economy, social media universe and consumer values, and the quick lane switching they must follow to keep up. The presentation entitled, “Changing Lanes: New Model, New Distribution, New Beauty World,” took place on May 2, 2012 at the New York Hilton.
“We are losing control of our communication,” stated Mike Indursky, president of spa-product brand Bliss, referring to the power of social media and its viral potential. “There are millions of options to choose from” when choosing a media outlet to reach consumers.
Peter Lichtenthal, president of hair-product company, Bumble and bumble, described giving away free blow outs to consumers in order to engage them in the brand. Anyone who purchased a Bumble and bumble product at Sephora was invited to get a free consultation and free blow dry at affiliated salons throughout the country.
With all the online options for purchase, brick-and-mortar stores have to be incredibly attuned to customer expectations. “At Nordstrom, we’re focused on customer-centric service and products,” stated Laurie Black, general merchandising manager and executive vice president of cosmetics at Nordstrom. One thing that consumers have declared loud and clear is the need to sample products before purchase.
Thinking outside the box to attract customers has become the norm rather than the challenge in our highly competitive retail atmosphere. StriVectin, an anti-aging skincare brand, began life as an anti-stretch mark cream – but was refocused to target aging concerns. Today, it is handled as a multi-channel brand – sold at QVC, Costco, department stores and online. The reason? “That’s where the consumer is,” explained Jill Scalamandre, chief marketing officer of Chrysallis, StriVectin’s parent company.
About a decade ago, most beauty executives believed that shoppers never would purchase beauty products online, particularly not fragrance. Today, 1 in 4 women has purchased fragrance online and 1 in 5 has purchased cosmetics through online retailers, stated Elaine D’Farley, beauty director of Self magazine. The retail environment, led by consumer demands and social media innovation, is evolving at a meteoric pace, and BITB can’t wait to see what happens next.
AVEENO SPONSORS FREE SKIN CANCER SCREENINGS
Have you had a full-body exam lately? It’s Melanoma Monday and a good time to plan getting a full-body exam by a dermatologist. One easy and free option is to visit The Skin Cancer Foundation’s Road to Healthy Skin Tour. Presented by sponsors Aveeno and Rite Aid, the tour, which is in its fifth year, provides free, full-body cancer screenings and the latest skin cancer information.
On Wednesday, May 9, the tour stops in New York City at Lincoln Center, followed by stops on May 18 in Cambridge, MA, and May 19 in Wethersfield, CT. No appointments are required, but you should show up early, since the screenings are on a first-come, first-served basis. Check The Skin Cancer Foundation’s website for times and scheduled stops.
At each stop the tour bus is staffed by local volunteer dermatologists who will give you a free full-body exam, looking for signs of skin cancer. Since the Road to Healthy Skin Tour began in 2008, more than 5,200 potential skin cancers and precancers were found, including 239 suspected cased of melanoma – the deadliest form of skin cancer.
For more information about the tour, visit www.Facebook.com/Aveeno. And if you are looking for ways to protect your skin from the sun’s UVA and UVB rays, check out the sunscreen offerings at www.aveeno.com.
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