For additional information, contact:

Tricia Jaworski
Morningstar Communications
913.660.9659
tjaworski@morningstarcomm.com

Katy Briggs
Willoughby Design
816.561.4189 x11
kbriggs@willoughbydesign.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Oct. 21, 2008

Willoughby Design Helps Organicare Blend Beauty and Sustainability
Innovative packaging makes its green mark on the skincare industry

Kansas City, Mo. – Sustainability is ingrained in the Willoughby Design business model. So it’s not surprising that the 30-year-old branding firm was a natural fit to work on the new branding and packaging for Organicare, a line of USDA organic certified skincare products that launched in upscale department stores this fall.

“You don’t have to sacrifice style for sustainability anymore,” said Megan Semrick, vice president, brand innovation at Willoughby. “Not when you can have both. That’s why our partnership with Organicare was a perfect fit for our innovation lab. We were able to create a clean, sustainable and luxurious brand story that naturally complemented their product philosophy: iCare about our future. My skin. My body. Our world."

The Willoughby team knew that in order to compete at the cosmetics counters of luxurious retailers, the Organicare packaging had to be sophisticated, fashionable and serious while, at the same time, staying true to the product’s unique earth-responsible mission by considering everything from the paper selection to the type energy used during the printing process.

Jamie O'Banion, president and brand creator of Organicare, knew she wanted to work with Willoughby when, at a retail trade show in New York, she saw the work they did for another company. After attempts to learn who was behind the packaging design, O’Banion finally came across a book about award-winning graphic design in which Willoughby was featured. The entry in the book even included photos from the product she admired.

“A visit to meet the Willoughby team confirmed my confidence and respect for their design approach, market knowledge and brand vision,” says O’Banion. “As a company, Willoughby is very much in line with our corporate philosophy, and I felt they truly understood and embraced our vision for Organicare. I am thrilled with the final result. It’s a perfect representation of our goal for a design that embodies our messages of both purity and performance.”

The Organicare line of products is available at Nordstrom, Nordstrom Spa, Dillard’s and Henri Bendel. All of the packaging Willoughby designed for Organicare is made using hydropower or wind power, and is produced in a completely carbon-neutral facility. The packaging is Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified and all the paperboard comes from responsibly managed forests through replanting and careful harvesting.

Working with Organicare is only the latest in a long history of eco-friendly design and ethics from Willoughby. It was one of the first firms in the industry to join the Designers Accord, working to educate clients in green solutions and alternatives. The team also speaks on the topic of sustainable design to fellow designers, universities and businesses. But they take the sustainability mission personally, too. The company uses recycled office supplies, waste recycling, nontoxic cleaning products, and is in the process of taking its building “off the grid” with renewable energy, using a system for monitoring energy use.

About Willoughby Design

Willoughby Design is a strategic brand design and innovation firm. Founded in 1978, the company lists among its clients Hallmark, Peruvian Connection, Lee Jeans, Wonder Bread, United Nations and the Kauffman Foundation. The Kansas City-based firm is a member of AIGA, the professional association for design. More info: www.willoughydesign.com

About Organicare

Organicare embraces a philosophy that centers on improving your skin, body, and world. Organicare provides consumers everywhere the opportunity to make the best choice for their skin. We firmly believe consumers should never have to sacrifice product performance for purity. We pledge to always seek out and discover the purest ingredients, use the most advanced technology, and provide superior formulation techniques to consistently ensure a results-driven, beautiful experience for our consumers.

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