A lot of “genderless” branding can sacrifice its personality in favor of trying to appeal to too many people at possible. However, the ear piercing spot Rowan totally nailed their attempt for appeal across the gender spectrum with an in-house design of fun, colorful boxes that feel genuinely genderqueer.
The colors are fun, but not femme when they could be, and the light touch of pastels keeps it from feeling masc too. The end result also nails a hard balance by looking both playful and mature, making the jewelry shine as the milestone of self-expression that it is.
Like most moms, Louisa Serene Schneider wanted only the best for her kids. So, when she came up short looking for a fun, safe, and celebratory ear-piercing experience for her daughter, she decided it was time to create it herself. During her research, Louisa noticed that first-time piercing options were limited to an impersonal clinical visit to a doctor’s office or possibly risky experience at the mall or a tattoo parlor. As Louisa developed the concept and associated brand identity for what would become Rowan, she noticed that products and services marketed to 8-year-old girls didn’t appeal to parents concerned about safety, not to mention prospective customers of other genders and in different life stages. “We realized early on that whatever we created needed to resonate not only with young girls and their parents but also with anyone else looking for a high-quality, reliable first-time piercing experience,” explains Louisa.
Rowan’s brand evolved to appeal to the young and the young-at-heart, celebrating every piercing as a milestone. Their 40 piercing studios across the country are designed to be hip, classy, and modern, attracting a broad audience. “Our piercings are performed by licensed nurses,” Caroline de Lasa, Chief Brand Officer at Rowan, highlights, “ensuring safety and celebration for our customers.” This approach sets Rowan apart in an industry often overwhelmed with cutesy, impersonal branding. “At Rowan, we celebrate you and all your wins,” explains Caroline. “We believe every piercing is a milestone, and every milestone can be celebrated with a piercing. We know how to throw a good party.”
When it came to packaging, the challenge for Rowan was finding something that mirrored this unique brand experience. “We needed packaging that was innovative and sustainable, something that would provide a meaningful experience for customers in the studio and online,” says Caroline. And so, the collaboration with The Paper Tube Co. began. We worked closely with Rowan’s in-house design team, which had recently rebranded the company.
“Working with The Paper Tube Co. was a creative and collaborative process,” Caroline recalls. “They brought innovative thinking to so many aspects of this project.”
The goal was to create something unlike anything else in the jewelry sector. The packaging needed to be eye-catching and functional, serving as a key brand identity anchor while also providing a superior unboxing experience for online customers. The tubes, now prominently displayed online and throughout the stores, double as a striking visual element and a functional package. “Every earring sits properly within the foam, which is removable, allowing the box to be repurposed as a keepsake,” explains Caroline. Earrings are tiny, and their presentation in the packaging is crucial. “The Paper Tube Co. team solved this by designing a package where the earring is the star,” she elaborates. “This design approach is unprecedented in the jewelry industry, and we are thrilled with the innovative results.” The new packaging was an instant success. “It’s eye-catching, and everyone loves it. It has elevated our entire display of earrings in the stores,” Caroline shares with enthusiasm.
Summing up the impact of the new paper tube packaging, Caroline says, “The Paper Tube Co. team acted as subject matter experts and solved our packaging problems. The truth is packaging sells and makes us memorable. It’s an important part of the process.”
“It was such an amazing experience working with The Paper Tube Co. Having dealt with big companies in the past, I was struck by the personal attention we received throughout the process. We landed where we did because of the creative, collaborative process the team walked us through. From the broad color palette to the way the earrings sat in the foam, they brought innovative thinking and creativity to the whole process, which helped us create the perfect packaging solution.”
– Caroline de Lasa, Chief Brand Officer, Rowan
