Nude brings some fantasy to fake tan

Design consultancy Nude Brand Creation is to launch its own range of self-tanning products next month, which it has designed and will distribute as a new business venture.

Called Make Believe, the range of five products goes head to head with established premium brands such as St Tropez and targets women aged 20 to 45.

According to Nude partner Bernard Gormley, the range is positioned as an ’emotive’ brand that taps into ‘escapism and fantasy’. Other packaging in the sector is ‘cool, minimalist and lacks personality,’ he says.

‘Generic packaging is rife, especially in this segment. Except for St Tropez, other high-end and mass market products all look the same, with lots of orange and brown. They are positioned as functional products,’ says Gormley.

The brand name was chosen on the basis of research, which found that applying self-tan is a pleasurable part of a make-up ritual, rather than a practical task, says Nude creative partner Mike Parsonson. ‘From a creative point of view, that led us into a fantasy world, where it’s okay to pretend, where you don’t have to be serious all the time,’ he adds.

Gormley denies that launching an own-brand product will distract the group from its core design business. ‘It shows clients that we understand the process of taking a product all the way through to market,’ he maintains.

The consultancy selected the self-tan product category after research conducted in the US found the sector is a growth market in the US and Europe.

According to Gormley, a rising awareness of the risk of skin cancer, the ageing effect of the sun and a growing desire to ‘have a healthy glow all year round’ are key factors in the market’s potential.

In the UK, the range will be distributed through Selfridges and television shopping channel QVC. Nude plans to launch further products under the same marque next year and Gormley says these may be outside the self-tan sector.