OPI Products

History

OPI, originally named Odontorium Products Inc., was a small dental supply company purchased by George Schaeffer in 1981. Shortly after taking over the company, Schaeffer was joined by Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, OPI’s Executive Vice President and Artistic Director. Schaeffer and Weiss-Fischmann partnered with R. Eric Montgomery, a biochemist, and created an acrylic system that Schaeffer sold door-to-door to local nail salons. They closed the dental sales and focused entirely on nail products changing the name to OPI Products Inc.

In 1989, OPI expanded its portfolio to nail lacquers and later other products. In 2003, OPI created a Legally Blonde 2 collection that was also featured in the film. Collaborations that have followed include Ford Mustang, the 2010 film Alice in Wonderland, and Dell (2009).

In 2003, OPI launched a nail polish line for dogs called Pawlish that received mixed reviews. In 2007, after pressure from the EPA and the organization Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, OPI reformulated its nail lacquers and eliminated chemicals DBP (dibutyl phthalate), formaldehyde and toluene.

In 2010, OPI was acquired by Coty, Inc. In 2014, Coty appointed Mary van Praag as General Manager of OPI. Van Praag replaced John Heffner, the now CEO of Drybar.

Celebrities

OPI has teamed up with various celebrities in order to sell their products to a specific niche, with collections named after the artist which endeavor to express their work and personality. Justin Bieber, a Canadian singer, was one of the first to release a celebrity nail polish collection for OPI. In 2010, his "One Less Lonely Girl" collection was released under their drugstore brand, Nicole by OPI, and was sold exclusively in Wal-Mart stores. The Justin Bieber collection proved a successful seller for the brand.

Singer Katy Perry had created her own collection by OPI, which was released in January 2011. They featured 5 shades in this collection, all named after Katy's hit singles like "Teenage Dream" and "Last Friday Night". They featured a new nail polish called "Shatter", which gave a crackle/shatter look when painted on top of the nail polish. MTV Style named the Katy Perry collection asone of the Best Celebrity Endorsed Products of 2011.

Also in January 2011, Serena Williams, a tennis star, released her own collection called "Glam Slam". The collection release dates were timed to the start of her four major tennis tournaments - Australia Open in January, French Open in May, Wimbledon in June, and U.S. Open in August.

In October 2012, it was announced that singer and actress Selena Gomez had collaborated with Nicole by O.P.I to launch a new collection. Consisting of 14 different colours and sparkles designedfor the upcoming spring season, Gomez stated that the colours were selected to suit her classic, simple and elegant style. Each colour was titled in relation to the star’s hit songs, like “Hit the Lights” and “Love Song”. The collection was available for sale in January 2013.

In Spring 2013, the company partnered with singer Mariah Carey. This collection featured OPI's new nail technology, the "Liquid Sand" formula, a jelly-based glitter that dries matte. The "Liquid Sand" formula is the first of its kind and was featured in the "007 The Bond Girls" collection by OPI, which was released later in the year.

OPI partnered with singer Carrie Underwood, making a collection with the Nicole by OPI brand. This collection was launched in January 2014, with 14 different shades.

Branded Partnerships

In 2014, OPI partnered with Coca-Cola to produce nail polishes which resemble various soft drink colours.

Media

OPI had partnered up with The Muppets and released a nail polish collection for their new movie in November 2011. Based on the ABC Family television show, Modern Family, Nicole by OPI and Twentieth Century Fox had partnered up and released their own collection for Nicole by OPI in late December 2011. The nail polish shades in the collection features many colours and also incorporates the characters' name in every colour.