Getting what you expected

A major part of packaging is setting and meeting expectations. Is this an expensive product or a cheap product? Is this a product I can relate to? And most importantly, when I open this package up, does the product deliver what’s been promised. Billions of dollars are spent on fine tuning the message of packages to say just the right thing. Big companies do this so well, that it’s really expected 100% of the time.

Last night I opened a new tube of toothpaste that looked like this:

Colgate sparkling white mint zing

Looking at that packaging, that color toothpaste would you expect? Of course, it’s green and white. Almost an American would say green and white. I picture a green spearmint gel blended with a white baking soda more traditional paste. You would want the white part (the baking soda) to be really white, so you think that it really whitens your teeth, and the green spearmint part has got your breath’s back.

I know I’m a geek when I was shocked by a blue on blue product:

Footnote #1: Your wife will think you’re weird if you go to the bathroom in the morning, go out and get your camera, and go back into the bathroom.

And footnote #2: From looking at Colgate’s site I discovered that, Colgate mint zing promises, “A fusion of Natural Spearmint & Peppermint Essential Oils that will dazzle your mouth!” while the Cinnamon Spice is, “A burst of Cinnamon Spice that will invigorate your mouth!”