Looking Like Yourself

Just like those people close to us the labels on our favorite products don't seem to change. There are radical changes, see Diet Pepsi but the norm is evolution that unless as shown below is only noticible with a side by side comparison. This can went out of date in 1998.

The Jello pudding package was taken from my mother's cupboard about 15 years ago. Even then is was dated, given the lack of a UPC code a mid to late 1970's is a reasonable guess. As for the Swanson broth the cookbook scanned is from the mid-1980's. Notice that natural is the emphais today where clear seemed to be more important before.

The older package (left) is marked 3 for 95 cents.

One of the basic lessons from management is that people resist change in the workplace. Consumers too don't like change so the marketers best bet is to make any revisions modest.

Sunbolt/The Slammer

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In the follwing two YouTube videos I shed light on these two forgotten products. In looking around the Internet I found the following PR firm that is proud to be associated with Sunbolt.

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Sunbolt


The Slammer

The fuzziness of the videos makes me better lokking than the original.

Natural Dog Food

Years ago I sold Recipe dog food, it was owned by Campbell's Soup at the time, and we were told to push the burger and cheese flavor in the summer and turkey in November because people like to feed the dog what they are eating. I honestly thought that this was a gimmick and that a 3 for $1 sold more product. Now that I own a dog I can see the idea as being plausible.



Purina with the same logic therefore created "natural" dog food because the pet's diet is closely linked to the owners or so the theory goes. The only reason that the package was purchased is that there was a high value coupon associated with the product is in my house at introduction to create awareness and trial. My dog gets premium dry dog food as a supplement to the home made mixture that happens to be on the stove now.

The use of a canister for this is interesting as the traditional dry pet food containers are a box for smaller and a bag for larger sizes. While the canister allows for air tight storage the choice, most likely has to do with promoting a premium image.

Excuse men now I need finish my dog food cooking.
Chicken----check
Rice----check
Chopped spinach----check
Tomato puree----check

Another Bonus Pack

Another Bonus Pack
Fructis Shampoo




Like the Arm & Hammer Detergent, Fructise is giving product away. However the differences are important to note. The no-brainer is simply that they are attempting to sell more product but instead of merely being an attempt to get the short term extra sales but to build trial for the new 2 in 1 variety by banding on a travel size. This move is more expensive as you need to marry the two packages together and then shrink wrap the duo but, given that fatter margins in shampoo and the objective of getting the consumer to add yet another bottle in the shower.

Looking at the collection of shampoo in my shower I counted three different shampoos and two more bottles of conditioner. In the hall closet are a replacement bottle, a Suave dandruff shampoo that is in the on deck, and a bottle of Clairol that my college age son might want (or not). Is there really that much of a difference? Does my wife think that her hair will look like the model on TV? I will admit to anxiety about danduff flakes.

And for the travel size will I look better with Fructis 2 in 1 than with the complimentary sample in even the cheap hotels?

As the grocery shopper in my household this was one of the rare triple play of being on sale, having a coupon and a bonus pack--how could I resist.

Packaging Part 1

"Arm & Hammer Detergent Bonus Pack"

Packaging of a product can play many roles within marketing even taking center stage in the promotional department. One of the cheaper items in the products you buy is the actual content inside the bottle, box, or bag therefore the giving away of 20% more free is a rather inexpensive way to grab the consumers attention. The consumer looking at the wall of detergent jugs has a multitude of choices and you need a gimmick (or better gimmicks) to grab the shopper attention.

A closer examination of the jug (future link) shows a marvel of marketing. Okay marvel may be a bit too much, but this is kind of interesting none the same.

1. Look at the cap it serves as a handy measuring and dipensing tool while communicating to the consumer the added feature of containing the color safe bleach formula. Looking at this Wisk container (future link)and note the use of the white cap on the color safe bleach formula or this A&H Detergent with a blue cap for the added feature of fabric softener.



2. Now notice the use of the Arm & Hammer brand line visuals especally the familar symbol and the color.



3. The package also claims "Powerfully Clean Naturally Fresh," which begs the question, "Does anyone actually read this?" This could be for the new user but speaking from experince long time users may very well never look at this text.



4. Finally there is the information about added feature of color safer bleach which confirms the information communicated by the cap.

The industry has mostly settled on some standard sizes
Other Detergent Company Links
Tide
Wisk