Keep Your Eye on the Ball

I love it when significant brands undertake a significant branding change. We get to see the "best of the best" do what we try to guide clients through every day (and more often than not get to see them fall into the same traps that we try to help our clients avoid).

Take Pepsi for example. They recently went through a major identity overhaul that impacted everything they do - advertising, web, promotions, packaging, etc. If they indeed wanted to update their image to appear cleaner and cooler, I would say they succeeded. It's a savvy approach that addresses typography, graphics, and most importantly, their symbol. Or should I say symbols?


You see, someone (or someones) over at Pepsico and the Arnell Group thought they should have different symbols for each core product line. I think they're talking to themselves, and creating a whole new level of unnecessary identity management issues to boot.

First of all, the symbols really aren't different enough to communicate something unique about each product. Oh yes, I'm sure there is a design rationale. There's always a design rationale. But at the end of the day, if you are trying to say something is different, then come out and say it! You can't go into these things "half pregnant".

Secondly, I doubt many consumers will even notice that there are different symbols. So all the work that goes into creating them, managing them, and making sure they are used correctly is a great big waste of time and money. It's just another case of agencies stroking marketers and marketers stroking agencies, and everyone forgetting that our number one job is to move product.

My suggestion? One symbol, because it's one brand.

- Rob (see my page here)

High efficiency? High confusion.

Have you walked down the laundry detergent aisle lately? If you have, then you’ve seen the new high efficiency madness taking over the previously easy-to-shop shelves.

Suddenly it’s hard to find an option without the new “h•e” icon, and I’m totally confused. Is it the soap itself that’s highly efficient? It is like a concentrated formula? A greener formula? Can I use it in my regular washer? Or, even better, should I be using it in my washer to be a more responsible consumer? Is it only for high efficiency washing machines? Will it hurt my normal washing machine if I use it in there? And what does “only for front loaders” mean?

There was nothing around to help me. No transitional communications. No end caps. No information cards. No nothing. So, I just stood there baffled, looking stupid for a good 5 minutes until I defaulted to my usual fragrance-free Arm & Hammer. (Safe bet.)

The moral of the story:
When developing a new icon – it’s important to help consumers understand what it’s trying to say. The detergent category attempted this by placing the “h•e” inside a washer illustration… but apparently that wasn’t enough. A clear, simple support statement would have done worlds for my decision-making process and shopping experience. Sometimes marketers forget who their audience is.

~Heather (see my page here)

P.S. Go to the new Tide HE website and take their “Reality h•e quiz” to learn more. (I failed miserably when I took it, but I did learn a bit in the process.)