BOSTON — A direct-to-object (DTO) print personalization collaboration between Inkcups and fresh handmade cosmetics brand LUSH delivered festive cheer and real-time customization during a holiday in-store activation at LUSH’s Newbury Street location in Boston.
The activation took place over the first weekend of December, beginning with an exclusive evening event for local press and influencers before opening to the public throughout the weekend. In addition to live personalization, the experience featured a gift concierge, vegan hot cocoa cart, carolers, bath bomb pressing demonstrations, and on-demand personalization of shower gel bottles using Inkcups’ HelixONE bench-top UV direct-to-object printing technology.
Working alongside software partner Antigro Designer, Inkcups helped create a seamless, interactive personalization experience. LUSH selected three best-selling shower gel SKUs—Sleepy, Sticky Dates, and Snow Fairy—for the activation, providing label artwork and clear guidelines outlining which elements were fixed and which could be customized. Antigro developed the kiosk interface and user experience, while Inkcups optimized the artwork and printing process to ensure consistent, high-quality results directly on the bottles.
“Simon Allen, based in the U.K., has been a strong advocate for Inkcups and our technology for quite some time,” said Jessica Makrinos, marketing manager at Inkcups. “Having collaborated with Antigro at previous trade shows, integrating their software with our equipment was a natural fit. Together, we delivered an intuitive, real-time personalization experience that worked seamlessly in a retail environment.”
Makrinos noted that while Inkcups operates primarily in a B2B space, the end result often serves a consumer audience.
A LUSH Sticky Dates shower gel bottle personalized on demand during a holiday in-store activation, showcasing real-time direct-to-object printing. Photo courtesy of Inkcups
“Activations like this allow end users to experience personalized products firsthand, demonstrating real consumer interest and demand,” she said. “By putting customized items directly into customers’ hands, brands can clearly see the value of on-demand personalization in a tangible way.”
According to Makrinos, customer response was overwhelmingly positive.
“Shoppers were genuinely delighted by how simple and intuitive the personalization process was,” she said. “Watching them create messages for loved ones or design something uniquely their own transformed an already exceptional, cruelty-free product into a meaningful keepsake and deepened their emotional connection with the brand.”
For LUSH, the activation aligned closely with its broader sustainability goals.
“We are always trying to push the boundaries of what’s achievable from an ethical and sustainable perspective, from raw materials to product packaging,” said Simon Allen, creative production senior support at LUSH. “Removing labels from our product lines has a massive environmental impact, so while we continue working toward that long-term goal with Inkcups, offering on-demand personalization using the HelixONE felt like the right step.”
Allen added that bringing live personalization onto the shop floor added an element of theater while reinforcing the brand’s values.
“Starting with three of our best-selling shower gels allowed us to offer something special to customers while exploring a more sustainable, label-free future.”
