Michael Shipe Blog

Milk’s Favorite Cookie wins gets A+ for their new packaging. Though it really isn’t that new any more. However, it is an excellent example of doing things right. I always thought it was ridiculous to have to throw an Oreo bag into a zip lock bag. With the plastic tray, you couldn’t even seal it off with a clip.

Now however, they are easier to open, easier to seal bag and thus easier to consume. The easier to consume part is the key point for Nabisco. Way to go Nabisco.

One of the things I enjoy most about marketing is how pervasive it is. Marketing gives input at all stages – product creation, packaging, pricing, distribution, promotion, sales. Marketing also contributes at the strategic level with research, targeting, and product offering. All aspects are crucial.

Here is a personal example of when Crest Mouthwash completely lost any hope of ever winning my business again because of failing at the packaging design stage.

I have no idea how Crest Mouthwash compares with other mouthwashes when it comes to effectiveness in mouthwashy things. I will not buy Crest’s Mouthwash any more and I have instructed my wife not to buy it because it is impossible to use without dripping blue mouthwash all over your bathroom space. This transcript of a typical rant after using Crest’s Mouthwash has been expurgated for all audiences (expurgations):

“What the heck! Son of a gun. Who was the dumb dumb that designed this inadequate lid to drip this blue stuff all over my sink? This junk is all over the place. It looks like a trucking smurf couldn’t hold it and went all over the dirty place.”

Crest, please let me fix this for you. And please help the guy in charge of packaging for the mouthwash find a position that better fits his skills.