BY John Feldhouse

Hip Hip… Boo!

Laundry detergent: it’s one product you never think about until you need it. As a designer, it’s one of the few products I think of when I hear “consumerism.” I have this picture in my head of all the products looking the same up and down the aisles — it’s quite terrifying. Oh wait, it’s no picture in my head, it’s reality.

The Detergent Aisle, aka The Land of Conformity.

Add another to the pile of ambiguity. Cheer tried to update its image but produced a half-baked attempt, with a logo that is not distinct enough from the old and much less, well, distinct at all. They updated the logo on their website but apparently couldn’t photograph their new packaging. The new look keeps the rainbow colors of the old but gets rid of the bodega sans-like type treatment. The new extended type is still highly forgettable.

New bottles.

I don’t quite get why Cheer took such a lateral (almost backwards) move when redesigning their packaging. Ultimately the packaging should stand out yet keep some brand equity. When I walk up and down the aisle, I know exactly what to grab based on the shape of the package and color. I wish Cheer would have taken a bolder step and branched out beyond the standard “clean” look.

I still am stunned as to why stores don’t operate more like the Mrs. Meyer’s brand, by Werner Design Werks. Such a novel concept to lump all your needs into one area. It would save me a good thirty minutes walking up and down each aisle in the store.

\n\nLaundry detergent: it's one product you never think about until you need it. As a designer, it's one of the few products I think of when I hear \"consumerism.\" I have this picture in my head of all the products looking the same up and down the aisles — it's quite terrifying. Oh wait, it's no picture in my head, it's reality.

Many thanks to our ADV @ UnderConsideration Partners