Hello.

You can’t judge a book by the cover or so the saying goes; however we apparently do this everyday as we wander down the aisles of our stores. What captures our attention and drives us to buy is really driven more by the package then what is actually inside those packages. It seems that consumers, despite the lousy economy, are more often than not putting their money where their eyes are. The net result of all of this is that we have a lot of screaming and jumping up and down on the shelves, especially in the automotive aisles, trying to attract our overloaded eyes.

So how can you be successful in this noisy arena without adding to the maddening roar? Well, here are a few ideas developed while re-staging this line of petroleum products for Bardahl:

Standing out by fitting in.
Just how many silly starbursts, checkered flags and glowing streaks do we need? Okay so they’re all about cars, speed and racing I get that; however after a while they all seem to merge into the generalized clutter and noise. Do they really help us when we’re searching the aisles for that particular specialty product or brand? Instead, let’s borrow a page from the “functional” water category. Consumers of this category are searching for and buying calm, energy and vigor even though we all know they are selling us just a bunch of sugar water.

So in case of Bardahl, we opted for big ass type that clearly communicated whether it was a Cleaner or an Additive, the key consumer buying criteria. Extremely visible and readable despite it’s vertical orientation it also sets up a distinctive structure when arranged on the shelf. This combined with the clean vivid color palette not only fit within the vernacular of the automotive aisle while at the same time offering something a little different.

So rather than just adding to the noise and trying to fit into the rest of the clutter, let’s try to fit into the wants, needs and desires of the consumers mind. Let’s create a little friction in the aisle in order to gain a little traction.

Black is beautiful.
Automotive fuel additives and cleaners are not really sophisticated and fashionable. I mean when was the last time one was included in celebrity gift bags at the Oscars? But package it in black and immediately the hip, cool and sophisticated factor goes up. Oh, the price as well. You could take flypaper and package it in black, double the price and the next thing you know it’s on Oprah and Martha’s best things list.

Black is not only hip. It is also bold, graphic and downright manly. Black is the perfect background upon which to add the (unfortunately) numerous bullets, features and claims while at the same maintain a strong presence and visual hierarchy.

So, we may outwardly cheer the hero in the white hat. Inside, we know that the dude in the black is one serious hombre that you need to pay attention to.

Icons. Not images.
We could have used an image of a dirty head, a greasy gasket or even a plugged filter. But haven’t we’ve seen enough of them under our hoods? Sure it works for those before and after type shots, but really do we really believe them? Do you believe the food pictures on the menus? Really?

This line of products is about fuel efficiency and maintenance. The only time I think about fuel is when I’m putting it into my car. And that key, iconic image is the distinctive pump handle. Icons are shorthand for ideas. So, the addition of the pump handle image (color coded green for diesel and red for regular) simply and quickly tells us not only which one to buy but also when to use the product. It is the occasion that triggers the purchase and not necessary the problem.

Make it a best seller!
So, don’t all run out and make all your product packaging in black. Think about your packaging as if it is a good book because as we all know products for the most part are just that – mere products and commodities. Packaging is more than that. Its stories and feelings – just like a good book. One that you want to pick up, engage in and maybe even read over and over again. Who knows it may even end up as a best seller!