Andon moves Yardley upmarket

Cosmetics brand Yardley has started its summer relaunch under the leadership of its new international marketing manager for Yardley London, Helen Cooper, by creating a new corporate look.

The redesign, carried out by London group Andon Design Consultants, is an attempt to position Yardley as more upmarket. It includes lavender shades, reflecting Yardley’s English Lavender brand, together with a bee symbol, “bringing a natural element to the brand”, according to ADC managing director Chris Andon.

“The new corporate identity focuses on our four main elements natural fragrances, high quality, our Englishness and the fact that we have three royal warrants,” says Cooper.

Though she is conscious of the company’s old-fashioned image, Cooper refuses to neglect Yardley’s traditional market while attracting a younger audience.

“Not only do we want to be true to our loyal users, we want to get people who like lavender as a fragrance. We want to bring new people into the Yardley franchise, but it will take a good couple of years in the UK to achieve it.”

Yardley has also produced two CD-ROMs for its worldwide market, one of which has the company’s entire range, the other containing product images for publicity. “It is a much more consistent and cost effective way of communicating,” says Cooper.

In another bold move taken by the new international marketing manager, the former face of Yardley, supermodel Linda Evangelista, has been ditched, with no replacement planned.

“The products are our stars, our target age group tends not to believe supermodels,” says Cooper.