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.)
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