The Dieline Awards 2016 Outstanding Achievements: VARIS – A NEW PROFESSIONAL HAIRSTYLING TOOLS BRAND

THE TOTAL PACKAGE
The VARIS™ Creative Energy premium line of hairstyling tools presented here is the culmination of a holistic strategic approach to brand design. All aspects of the brand were considered from the outset to be an integrated brand experience. The scope of the work included brand positioning, naming, copy writing, packaging design, product design, product customization, and marketing materials design, resulting in a synergistic brand identity where all graphic and structural elements are presented as an integral part of the whole. Packaging, product and brand communication are unified to create a total brand package. 

THE BRAND STORY
The brand story was born from the extraordinary talent, imagination and energy master hairstylists have and the power within the electrical styling tools that empower the stylist’s skill.

“VARIS™ Creative Energy tools are an extension of the master stylists’ hands, essential for their creativity. The passion stylists have for their craft drives them to create, invent, and reinvent extraordinary styles. With these tools, they transform their clients’ hair into unique new looks they adore. They energize their clients with confidence, a confidence they carry out of the salon and into the world.

VARIS™ products complement the artists’ creative energy, empowering them to achieve their vision intuitively and with ease.”

THE VARIS™ LANGUAGE
The language of the brand reinforces the connection to positive energy. The products are “Fueled by Hydroionic Crystals” and the call to action Salon mirror clings – “Bring Out The Stylist In You”, “Power To Style” and “Style Power”, inspire empowerment and the desire to style.

VARIS™ LOGO
The sophisticated and contemporary VARIS™ logo was inspired by copper conduit that carries electrical energy through the electric and electronic styling tools. Each letter is an uninterrupted line efficiently conducting an invisible force, the force that transforms into creative energy.

THE VARIS™ CREATIVE ENERGY SLOGAN
The brand slogan Creative Energy alerts the consumer to the unique creative talent and boundless energy of the professional hairstylist and the power of the tools with their proprietary features and technology.
 

VARIS™ PACKAGING COPY
Key on pack messages link the styling tools to the experts: DESIGNED BY STYLISTS FOR STYLISTS and highlight the products’ unique technology: HYDROIONIC CRYSTALS. 

DESIGNED BY STYLISTS FOR STYLISTS: “Inspired by their creative energy, the VARIS™ brand has engaged leading hair stylists to help develop an innovative line of professional styling tools.”

HYDROIONIC CRYSTALS: “The Hydroionic Crystals in the VARIS™ line of products are a blend of natural-occurring crystals that emit pure negative ions and far infrared energy. Together, these elements are powerful enough to break down water molecules that penetrate the hair shaft and restore moisture balance, leaving hair full of shine.”

THE CONTEMPORARY VARIS™ COLOR PALETTE
The VARIS™ deep charcoal grey distinguishes the brand from ubiquitous black common in the category and is accented by electric copper foil representing Creative Energy and is punctuated by the neutrality of the easy to read white type.
 

THE VARIS™ ENERGY RINGS
The concentric rings, a brand icon, radiates the brand’s energy and are a versatile and recognizable element that can live beyond the packaging and be applied to a range of media. The translucent rings fuse with the dark background while reflecting and sparkling with the energy of light. The single electric copper ring, applied to each of the products, are an evolution and interpretation of the VARIS™ energy rings reinforcing the unique power within each tool.

VARIS™ ILLUSTRATION STYLE
The product illustrations on the back surface of the VARIS™ packaging expresses both a contemporary and premium style exposing the consumer to what’s on the inside. The tone-on-tone images blend harmoniously into the overall packaging visage, while the illustrations used on the marketing materials are a full color variation to aid consumer selection when not presented with the actual product.

VARIS™ PACKAGING INTERIORS
The packaging interior is as important as the exterior as a part of the experiential ritual when interacting with the brand, the package and the product for the first time. Upon opening the package exposes an elegant presentation of the products nestled in their contoured forms and the additional brand and product information that reinforces the brand voice and the products’ uniqueness.

INTERNATIONAL ADAPTATION
VARIS™ products are sold in foreign markets and therefore the packaging’s graphic architecture needed to be adaptive to the application of multiple languages as shown on the VARIS™ Smoother packaging sold in bi-lingual Canada. The uncluttered English language version provided a simple structure for the inclusion of an additional language.

Designed by HIRST PACIFIC LTD

Client: KAO USA Inc

Country: United States