After making waves at CES 2019, the sexual wellness brand teamed-up with Zenpack to unveil their extended line of products at CES 2020. Despite the success, the Consumer Technology Association (CTA) later revoked the award, claiming that sexual health products weren’t included in the competition. After massive online support for gender equity in tech, the award was reinstated and CES has allowed sexual tech on the showroom floor for the first time in its history. Elegant, minimalist and inspired by human movement, the Osé had already generated international buzz, but the company’s extended line needed comprehensive packaging that showcased the product design and core brand values. Just in time for their return to CES, the updated suite of packaging features eco-friendly materials, form-fitting inserts, and bold brand colors, putting the products front and center for an improved unboxing experience. While the brand achieved their immediate goals at CES 2020, Zenpack also delivered a dynamic packaging system designed for Lora DiCarlo’s long-term mission: sexual wellness for everyone. After establishing the Osé and paving the way for the sexual wellness industry, Lora DiCarlo needed Zenpack to redesign their first generation packaging on a short timeline leading up to CES 2020. Zenpack embarked on a two-week design challenge to ensure Lora DiCarlo had a premium packaging solution to match their long-anticipated return to the nation’s leading consumer tech trade show. Despite the shortened timeline, Zenpack needed to address major challenges with the original packaging while scaling up for new products. Lora DiCarlo had a suite of three products and was looking to elevate the unboxing experience beginning with premium and eco-friendly materials. Founded in 2017, the young company primarily operates through a direct-to-consumer model, but the products are becoming available through retail channels. Zenpack needed to approach the overall design and production plan through a wide lens; the packages had to be bold and eye-catching for store shelves yet intimate and inviting for the unboxing moment at home. To achieve this balance, Lora DiCarlo chose a warm yellow, a notoriously challenging color to print. In the previous packaging, simple design flaws inhibited the unboxing experience. Zenpack’s packaging design services focused on removing these flaws to create an unforgettable product unboxing. The user manual covered the Osé, resulting in a cluttered interior and less-than-exciting first encounter with such a personal product. Lora DiCarlo initially tried a molded paper pulp, but the insert tended to shred and bleed black ink onto the silicone product. Zenpack had to engineer a package style that spotlights the personal massagers while discretely securing the manual and accessories. Delivering on the company’s commitment to eco-friendly packaging, Zenpack used washable kraft paper for the printed exterior and created a carrying pouch made from marine recycled fabric. The branded pull tab is easy to open and cuts down on extra materials like tape. After removing the cover, customers feel a slight resistance from embedded magnets as they pull the tab. The box unfolds like a precisely bound book: on one side the product manual, carrying pouch, and accessories and on the opposite side, the product snug in a molded tray. Zenpack designed a deeper, form-fitting soft-touch polystyrene insert along with a separate accessory and product manual insert. The contents remain secure during transport, ensuring that customers are presented with a beautifully designed product upon opening. The rigid box interior provides structure and a soft yellow backdrop. Given the nature of a sensitive color like yellow, Zenpack performed multiple print tests to understand how the color behaves after printing. Yellow tends to shift slightly when exposed to light, especially as the ink dries. Throughout the printing process, Zenpack’s color-matching experts make several micro-adjustments to ensure an accurate yellow for each box. During the Osé package redesign, Zenpack conducted a proportion study on the new products—Baci and Onda—to ensure brand consistency across the family of packages. Lora DiCarlo was able to return to CES with their first packaging prototypes, prominently featured on a Zenpack-designed display system. After the Baci and Onda won the Innovation Awards at CES 2020, Lora DiCarlo experienced a major boost in sales. Zenpack responded in stride, seamlessly ramping up production and helping the company reach a global audience. The scalable packaging system is made possible by dedicated production lines designed to increase quantities and adapt to new product releases. As one of the leading direct to consumer sexual wellness brands, Lora DiCarlo frequently sells out of their products, and the company continues to expand their offerings to a diverse group of customers. For Zenpack, a premium packaging company, it was mission accomplished.
Lora DiCarlo
Reimagining packaging for a company that’s redefining an industry
The Problem
The Outcome
Challenges
Solution
Result
