Not Your Mother’s Hairstyling Product

Minimal yet impactful. Sometimes this is the consumer packaging that works the best. And I think Not Your Mother’s brand is a great example of that. They don’t actually need a bunch of bells & whistles because their creativity comes in the form of being clever.

Sure, I like the colorful “hair” at the top of these bottles, but the real fun comes in the product names. While fun and often cheeky (e.g., “She’s A Tease”?), you know exactly which product is going to work best for you and your hair, and ultimately what the outcome of using the product is going to be. Take a peek:

As someone who tends to appreciate tidiness, I like how the presentation of each product is basically in a column. Very clean, neat. I also like the break in the product description, someone separate from everything else. That’s where I know I should focus my attention. (There’s also a touch of personalization, in the signature at the bottom.)

The one other thing that really stands out to me–that I love (no pun intended)–is the heart in the brand’s logo. It’s interesting to me, the whole spin on “not your mother’s.” – M♥THER’S. We’re obviously meant to connect the emotion of being cared for by out mother, right? Yet we’re being a bit rebellious in our actions by using these products. I mean, our mother would never use them. There’s a certain allure about that.

Want to find out more about Not Your Mother’s products? Check-out the product section of their website. You can also keep up with them by Following them on Twitter and/or Liking their Facebook Page.

Have you ever used any of Not Your Mother’s product?

Back to Nature Foods

I’m the first to admit I’m not the most eco-friendly consumer out there. I mean, I’m definitely conscious about some of my behaviors (I collect the recyclables I use at home and take them to the office for…well, recycling) but there could certainly be more attention paid to my carbon footprint.

I do make an attempt to purchase recycled or refurbished products when my budget allows, and while on a recent shopping trip I didn’t actually purchase any Back to Nature foods I did spend a few minutes looking at their various package offerings.

So what do I love so much about these packages? Well, if I’m to believe their marketing efforts, I get a sense of “doing something” by making a purchase. You know…giving back to the planet. The products are 100% natural, the boxes are 100% recycled, and the ingredients featured on the packages themselves well represents what the food inside is made of by way of images and copy. “No high fructose corn syrup.” “Gluten free.” “Wheat flour.” It’s all there in front of the consumer’s face.

I also really like that the company interjects a bit of fun at the bottom of the packages, by adding “of enjoyment.” Healthy and green doesn’t necessarily have to be boring and tasteless, and I think that’s what the folks at Back to Nature were going for.

Now, I can’t specifically recall if it’s featured on their packages, but I’m in love with their philosophy on why the do what they do and what food is/should be:

• Happiness. Food should make you smile.
• Connection. Food should connect you to family, community and the planet.
• Simplicity. Food should be uncomplicated—deliciously simple.
• Natural Ingenuity. Food should be made with the finest ingredients.

Well, great. Now I really want to try these cookies and crackers and I’m hungry! Have you tried any of the Back to Nature products?

Trident Vitality: Rejuve

We already know I’m a bit crazy about fresh breath. I want conversations with me to be inviting, you know? So you can pretty much guarantee I have gum on hand nearly all the time. I have a few go-to brands, but I recently discovered the deliciousness of Trident Vitality, thanks to some rather welcoming packaging.

Fan of mint? Check.
Fan of white tea? Check.
Fan of rejuvenation and lusciousness? Why, yes…please!

The package is simple, I agree. But it’s just enough to inform me that by taking part, I’ll have minty, fresh breath. (Normally I’m not a fan of gum—or any food that “explodes”—but the “soft center” featured in this gum is just enough to not be overwhelming.) I think the green border compliments the silver packaging quite nicely.

What about you? Have you tried this?

Gain: Original

It takes quite a bit to make washing clothes fun, doesn’t it? But I think Gain does a fantastic job with all of their products. In particular, their Original Fresh Powdered Detergent. Considering all of the products and packages one sees while strolling down a grocery or shopping aisle, doesn’t Gain just stand out among everything?

Once again, bright and cheery colors capture attention and really give the consumer a precursor to what they can expect from the product inside the box. A light, airy, fresh scent, don’t you assume? The butterflies and open fields give a sense of freshness, newness that spring provides…and to me, correlates with clean air. Hence fresh clothes. Anyone with me?

Good job, Gain! So now…do you want to go do some laundry? Me neither, candidly.

Crush: Orange

I love any product that transports me back to childhood. That includes not only the product itself but what the product’s outside looks like. My memory–like many–is easily triggered by visuals. And when I was a kid I always felt like drinking orange soda was such a treat.

This Crush 6-pack is quite vibrant and definitely stands out among its neighbors on the shelf. Take a look and you’ll see what I mean:

Here are a few things I enjoy about this Crush packaging:

1. The colors. As I already mentioned, this product is extremely vibrant, which makes me as a consumer feel like it’s fun…and I can expect to have fun when I drink it. It also makes me think of summertime, and Crush would be something to quench my thirst during the heated summer months.
2. The font. To me, the font is playful. Youthlike. All leading me back to remembering when I was a youngin’. Not necessarily fond of the green border/outline around the font, but oh well.
3. The graphics. There are a couple of things I quite like about the graphics. There’s the obvious: the orange slice. That would be pretty much a given for any product development or marketing team. The thing that really made me ponder, is the second key visual, wrapped around the font itself. I can’t determine whether it could be popsicle sticks, or perhaps a window awning (that’s probably a stretch). Regardless, both of these remind me of summer (hey…I’m from the south). Of course, it could mean absolutely nothing at all!

Another aspect I really, really like is the extension of the fun and vibrant packaging to the Crush website. Definitely a consistent consumer experience. Check-it-out and see what I mean when you have a chance.

What are your thoughts here? Do you like the way Crush has packaged this soda?

Bead Head: Pet Head

Bed Head®. You’ve probably heard of it or seen it on your locale retailer’s shelves. It works pretty good, actually, for those who are looking for a hairstyle to be a little…err, different (I’ve been known to do that a time or two). Well, while shopping in pet store recently I noticed this brand has a line devoted specifically to our four-legged friends.

Immediately I did a search for Pet Heads, and found that the main website at PetHeadShop.com primarily focuses on dogs (despite my having discovered the product in the kitty section).

Anyway, this is a great extension of the “people” (i.e., two-legged) brand, and I love that the packaging is so bright, vibrant, and attention-grabbing. I really like that each product has a catchy name to be consistent with the catchy packaging. Even more, I like that the packaging goes into detail about what the product actually does.

Have you ever seen this Pet Head by Bed Head® product? Have you ever purchased and used it? Would love to know if the product performance is as solid as the product packaging.

Triscuit: Thin Crisps

Triscuit: Thin Crisps by Nabisco. What a great treat!

I’m not sure how long this packaging has been in the market, but I just noticed it for the very first time not too long ago while shopping. I think these boxes are fantastic! Definitely a break from previous efforts, and certainly different from any other similar products on shelves.

These boxes are noticeably smaller than their predecessor, so I’d be interested in knowing if this will impact a consumer’s value perception. But at least you know what you’re going to get ahead of time.

Now, I could barely find anything about Triscuits overall online, let alone info or details on this new packaging. What I did find is this: NabiscoWorld.com/triscuit. Weird, if you ask me.

Little Debbie: Honey Buns

What can I say about any Little Debbie product but YUM! Their products were definitely something that was always stocked in our pantry when I was growing up. So wrong, it’s right! But the Honey Buns I recently ran across in the store captured my attention.

Here’s a look:

Let’s talk about a handful of things I like about this packaging:

1. The honeycomb background. It’s a nice little tie-in with the honey-flavored food. Subtle, yet noticeable.
2. The colors in the font. The “Honey” color is…well, honey. And the yellow in the “Buns” creates a bright, cheery feel. You’re almost guaranteed an exciting experience when biting into one of the buns.
3. Featuring the product. I don’t mind saying it’s not the most flattering picture of a product, in my opinion, but at least the consumer knows what they can expect when they open up the package.
4. The iconic image. It may not necessarily be the most modern, but the Little Debbie image in the upper lefthand corner of the box is consistent with the company’s other product packaging on the shelves. And honestly, it’s been around for so long it probably brings some sort of connection and reliability with the consumer to the brand.

Do you agree? What’s your favorite Little Debbie package?

Tide: Stain Release Boost

Tide has been a staple in American homes for decades. And those people I know who use Tide are long-time loyal devotees. I suppose that speaks volumes for the Tide brand, no?

Earlier this week I was in the store and noticed this Tide Stain Release Boost product, in very bright and vibrant packaging. It immediately caught my attention, and quite frankly made me happy!

Here are a few things I really dig about this package presentation:

1. The immediate delivery of what the product does. Right at the top, the consumer knows this product is supposed to help optimize the cleaning performance of laundering.
2. The subtle disappearance of the dot above the “i.” I can only assume this was intentional to mirror the disappearance of the stains & dirt on the clothes.
3. The elaboration on what the consumer can expect by using this product. “Stain removal. Whitening. Brightening.” There you have it. No questions needed.

Another thing I really appreciate about this Tide packaging is the consistent brand experience it provides consumers on through to the online piece. Notice the transition of the same color palettes?

Way to go with this one, Tide! If you’d like additional information on what the benefits of this product are, visit the Tide website*.

*not an affiliate link

Altoids: Wintergreen

I’m a fanatic about fresh breath. Lucky for those folks I come in contact with, huh? And I certainly have my “go to” products for maintaining said breath. But as far as mints are concerned: enter Altoids.

Now I’m not loyal to any specific flavor of Altoids mint, but I do rather enjoy the Wintergreen. Part of that is because by looking at the packaging alone, I get a sense that trying one of these little treats will bring a cool, fresh, minty experience to my mouth. And who doesn’t want that?! Not only from the appearance of the mint leaves on the front, but also the light turquoise border surrounding the edges. Cool. Light. Winter.

The notion that these little guys are “curiously” strong is just taunting the consumer to give it a try, right? I mean, I certainly want to see if it will deliver.

I’m also one of those consumers who identifies with and appreciates a little humor in my marketing/advertising messages, so when I opened up this Altoids package to find this, I instantly let out a giggle:

I don’t know about you, but that just totally killed my weekend plans! It would seem these are curiously strong.

What are your thoughts on this particular product? Would you make a purchase based on the outside and inside packaging efforts?

Do you have a favorite flavor of Altoids? Is it ultimately the flavor that makes it your fave, or does the packaging have any influence?