OPI Laptop
Monday, February 15th, 2010Saturday, I was looking through the latest Dell catalog searching for a lightweight laptop with a screen larger than 10″. Oh, and one that I could customize with a bright green or a rich blue color from Dell’s design studio.
“Get caught red-handed with NEW OPI designs” caught my attention on page 17. OPI, as any woman would know if they get manicures, is the polish most often used in nail salons. The company’s lucious and whimsical colors are six of “NEW Dell-exclusive OPI Design Studio laptop designs” that for $85 you can get applied on select Dell laptops.
Although I don’t get manicures in a salon, I do know something about OPI. In 2006, I was a contributing writer for PINK Magazine, a monthly publication for professional women. My role was to help identify a leading female executive then interview the woman and write up my notes for PINK’s monthly e-newsletter. When I got the assignment to interview an executive at OPI, I was a little hesitant to take the assignment as I didn’t think the topic was, well serious enough. During the interview, however, I remember sitting hunched over the desk where my telephone was located and frantically writing notes on this interesting field. After my interview was published, the editor of PINK raved about the tone and thought it some of my best work. You can be the judge as below is the article that appeared in PINK’s e-newsletter for August 2006. You can also find a PDF of the article at my website: http://www.ltr-nyc.com/Online_InPrint.html
Now I need to go to the Dell website and see if I want to apply one of the OPI colors to the laptop I just might buy.
THE CULTURE OF COLOR: Suzi Weiss Fischmann, OPI Products, Inc. by Leigh Henderson
PINK: What was your career path?
SWF: “Bottom up.” I grew up working in the family clothing manufacturing business in New York City. In 1982, I move to Los Angeles to work in another family business, Odontorium Products Inc., that provided lotion, remover and implements for nails. We were successful and decided we wanted something for the customer to take home. In 1989, OPI rolled out 30 colorful shades of nail lacquer.
PINK: You are also Artistic Director. Why that additional title?
SWF: I design every color like an artist. The name comes first – six of us get together to brainstorm – and then we work on the ingredients to get the color to live up to the name.
PINK: What’s OPI’s growth secret?
SWF: Great marketing. The first time a customer buys our product is on impulse. The second time is because of quality. Madonna wore OPI’s Italian Love Affair when she married Guy Ritchie and sales soared for that color afterwards in London. Sharon Stone had on Innsbruck Bronze
PINK: What the biggest challenge are you facing today?
SWF: Pressure to be environmentally friendly. Regulatory agencies don’t do quantitative risk assessment and do not differentiate the potential risk of minute amounts of ingredients from two pounds. The European Union’s rules and regulations are a nightmare. Hopefully, in the next five years we’ll find a balance so that we’ll be approved to use very small amounts of ingredients in a safe way for our customers.
PINK: What’s your management style?
SWF: We have 350 employees in the Los Angeles office and my management approach is, “the door is open.” I’m very low key, I delegate, and work closely with the vice presidents of marketing and advertising. I want to provide inspiration and allow my employees creative freedom.
PINK: If you wanted to ask for a raise what color would you wear?
SWF: Red. It represents chic, Rita Hayworth, Hollywood. It’s also my favorite color to wear.
PINK: What’s the secret of your success?
SWF: I create every color collection as if I’d never done one before. The day I don’t, I won’t do it anymore. I get my inspiration every day from my husband and my daughter, 13, and a son who is 10.
PINK Points: With every bottle of Red-y to Help purchased, $1.00 will be donated to the American Red Cross.