William Lauder, the founder and CEO of Origins, one of the original cosmetic brands of The Estee Lauder Companies, joined Boston Herald Radio to discuss the “experience” of shopping for Origins’ products and how the company gives back to the environment.
Q: How does this amazing brand continue to lead the way when it comes to the beauty industry?
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A: You know the unique thing about us when we launched it in 1990 and that still maintained itself is that it’s one of the very few brands where we take a position about the best of nature and the best of science in a manner that makes you feel good and puts a smile on your face.
Part of what we try to do is not only come up with the very best products that you enjoy and create an experience that you enjoy, but we try to give our products a name that has a double-entendre meaning that puts a smile on your face.
Q: Tell me how you got involved with Taylor Schilling, who plays Piper Chapman on the Netflix original series “Orange Is The New Black.”
A: Well you know Taylor is a native Bostonian as well as a star in her own right. And we thought it was a wonderful combination and she’s gotten very involved with us and with our environmental position and we partnered with her on social causes and with our ‘Kiss the Planet’ campaign, which is sharing selfies with kissing the planet. For each post, we’re planting a tree.
This is something she enjoys, something that is great for our brand … And so far it’s been a wonderful partnership.
Q: I’ve been using Origins since I was a teenager and the price tag definitely helps.
A: That’s one of the things about beauty in general and Origins in particular is that it’s a form of a luxury, it’s a form of an indulgence, but when the consumer sees how they feel and they see how affordable it is, it’s affordable luxury.
It becomes something you really, really enjoy and it’s just when you have a few extra dollars as opposed to saying, “My goodness, I’ve got to save up for six months.”
Q: Is trying to create a shopping experience when buying Origins products something new?
A: No, that was original concept way back when. When we started, the whole idea was to create a retail environment to shop for these wonderful beauty products which was a barrier-free environment. So what we created in Origins … this experience where the customer can go up to the product, see it, touch it, feel it, smell it.
There is no barrier, the expert was standing next to them, not across the counter from them. Twenty-six years ago that was revolutionary for our industry.
