Living Proof Case Study
Ambition
Living Proof started with a molecule, and some chemistry between likeminded individuals in Cambridge, MA. They came together, under the name Andora, as outsiders with absolutely no preconceived notions about what could and couldn’t be done in the beauty industry. They shared one clear ambition…to cure the most common hair and skin ills of the beauty frustrated, one product at a time, once and for all, and to become the next big beauty company as a result.
Action
Armed with a lab full of radical, never-before seen technologies, access to some of the best life scientists in the world and an initial product line nearly ready for consumers, Wolff Olins helped to build and guide the entire brand, from top to bottom. We started by doing a lot of homework. We took a deep dive into the world of beauty, ran diagnostics on the competition and went well beneath the skin of consumer needs to find real insights. We observed that the beauty industry largely ignored the basic needs of consistency, simplicity, confidence, truth and responsibility. We developed the brand idea — solving problems — and the brand name “Living Proof” based on the idea that the products produced results you can see from across a room.
Impact
Living Proof has achieved unparalleled success. It is the first brand to ever receive Allure’s Beauty Breakthrough Award before the first product (No Frizz) even hit the shelves. With each appearance on QVC, product has completely sold out. In February 2009, Living Proof was the first brand to ever launch nationwide in Sephora, and is credited with increasing traffic during a retail slump and driving incremental sales. Initial selling led Sephora to triple its 2009 sales forecast, giving the brand a secondary location in all stores and featuring Living Proof in their windows. It has also received huge notoriety in the design world and been awarded a prestigious Art Directors Club Silver Cube, a One Show Bronze Pencil and a coveted D&AD Award all for its packaging, created and designed by Wolff Olins.
