John Paul Mitchell Systems. A case study in packaging minimalism & branding

A recognized leader in the beauty industry, John Paul Mitchell Systems markets more than 35 different haircare products in 29 countries, selling its products exclusively at authorized hair salons. John Paul Mitchell, a celebrated hairstylist, and John Paul DeJoria, a struggling salesman, founded John Paul Mitchell Systems in 1980. The company shipped its haircare products to distributors who delivered the merchandise to hair salons where consumers purchased the company's products, all packaged in white bottles with black lettering. After an initial investment of $1000, the partners decided to use generic white bottles with black lettering as their packaging, a move that saved them a considerable amount of money. The simple conversation happened when JPG (John Paul DeJoria) asked about the production cost at the printers. He simply inquired “with my budget, how many colors can I afford”? The printer answered “one”, JPG said “great let’s do all Black, and when I can afford it, I will buy more colors” As surprising as this might sound, packaging designs decisions sometimes boil down to simple Dollars and Cents. No big agency strategy or market testing was needed, not even and entire brand study of color and design trends. As it turned out, JPG used this idea of minimalism and simple branding as a marketing tool to stand out from the rest of the crowded market and have his consumers focus more on the effectiveness and benefits of his product. A marketing tool that still lives today in the DNA of his brand, even years later when the company is still collecting more than $1 billion in sales a year. 

                 If you think this brand strategy was a fluke, JPG applied the same design thinking, when he found the Patron Tequila brand. In the early 90’s while he was touring the tequila farms in Helisco, Mexico, he visited one particular family farm that really cherished the art of Tequila making and based their process on their own heritage and family tradition.  

                 “In 1989 my partner [Paul Mitchell] died, and I started the Patrón Spirits Co. with my friend Martin Crowley, an architect who’d gone to Mexico to do some work. He found a hand-blown bottle and said, “I could design a label for this. Want to make a smoother tequila and go into business?” While visiting the glass made manufacturing process, he noticed one of the factory workers placing a green ribbon around the bottles, and asked him why he does that? The factory workers simply replied, “I wrapped and gave the bottle some class and honor”. In fact, sixty hands touch each and every bottle of Patron. From the artisan's hand blowing the glass, no two bottles are alike, to applying and numbering the labels, to wrapping every bottle." He said this approach to quality has paid off in incredible consumer acceptance. Everything the company does honors the tradition that producers have followed for centuries. The Patron logo and labeling was designed by Patron co-founder, Martin Crowley, who as an architect, wanted to keep that label simple and clean, but added a small hornet on the label as a nod to JPG who served in the Navy on the USS Hornet. The rest is history, till this day sixty hands still touch each and every bottle of Patron. From the artisan's hand blowing the glass, no two bottles are alike, to applying and numbering the labels, to wrapping every bottle." He said this approach to quality has paid off in incredible consumer acceptance. Everything the company does honors the tradition that producers have followed for centuries. The minimalism and authentic brand essence is used as a tool for increasing brand awareness, long after you are done with it’s content, the bottles everywhere are being spared from trash and recycling bins and given new life as a part of people’s homes. 

                 Naturally, both brands have evolved and the packaging designs have slightly been altered throughout the years, but the original packaging design decisions made back then, still remain intact today and have not followed or changed due to new trends or marketing gimmicks in the packaging world. Both brands are dominant market leaders in their respective categories and their packaging is as relevant in design minimalism and brand thinking today as they were 30 years ago. Sometimes packaging design decisions happen by mistake or by financial limitations. Its really about how you can use them to your advantage and carve them into your brand strategy to build a strong foundation, without loosing focus on who your target market is and translating that passion for what’s inside the package to your customers.