WOW! WHAT A PACKAGE!

Innovations Cross-Pollinate for Category Differentiation

By Lynn Dornblaser

The new GoTabs packaging combines several innovations from other categories to produce a premium packaging experience, topped off with vibrant and precise graphics, embossing, and printing.

It's not the newness of the package that counts, it's how you use it. Sometimes, innovation in packaging is not about a brand new package form, or a new type of package material, or even in a new graphic look. Sometimes it's simpler than that—sometimes it's about finding a new way to apply an existing package type and look to a whole new category.

Surprisingly, we see less of this type of package innovation than you might think. Is it because there are few package forms or concepts that can move from one category to another? I really don't think so (just ask me how I repurpose my husband's Altoids tins). Perhaps one of the reasons we don't see as much package innovation crossover as one might expect is because new product developers tend to know everything about their brand and category, but may be less informed or observant of what they see—or don't see—elsewhere. My suggestion to designers: Go to the stores and just look around. You'll be surprised what you might find.

A new category

I think that's what must have happened to the folks at McNeil (Johnson & Johnson) with its Tylenol GoTabs. The company created a new type of product—a chewable analgesic that does not require water to ingest. To help set it apart from other analgesics on the market (including the broad line of Tylenol products). McNeil created a whole new type of packaging for pain relief products. The developers did not, however, create a brand-new package. They borrowed from the packaging developments we have seen in the gum market.

The flat pack of GoTabs is a board case that opens like a wallet or a book of matches, and has a tab and slot closure. The pack is very easy for consumers to open, take out a tablet, and reclose for future use. The pack is not especially small (measuring about 3" by 4"), but is relatively thin (less than half an inch). This package configuration makes it easy to slip into a bag, backpack, desk drawer, or even a pocket. The tablets inside (there are only six) are in a standard blisterpack. This type of packaging, also, is unusual for analgesics, but is widely seen in all types of cough, cold, and other remedies.

The package has a lot of details that make it a very pleasant consumer experience. The entire package is glossy and smooth, and embossed "Tylenol" and "Go Tabs" wordmarks are enhanced with foil effect. Motion is suggested with streaks left of "Go" and there is motion with a "web" pattern framing the bottom and curved red edge.

Portability is emphasized with the "Whenever, Wherever!" tagline. The opening tab has precise registry when glued so the tab is even with the bottom edge of the package, but raised, so it catches easily with a finger pulling up over the end. The tab is perforated to facilitate the reclosability. Printing on the blisterpack indicates clearly how to operate the package.

The combination of the unusual and highly functional package plus the new functionality of the tablets help the company justify the significant price premium of the new product—the pack of six 500 mg tablets retails for $1.99, compared to $7.67 for 100 capsules of its Rapid Release product or $4.99 for a 24-caplet bottle of its 8-Hour Tylenol. Clearly, convenience does come at a price. In this case, the package can help justify that price premium to the consumer, who hopefully reacts by thinking "Wow! What a package!"

Lynn Dornblaser is the director of the Custom Solutions Group at Mintel International, a research company based in London and Chicago. She can be reached at 312-932-0400 or lynnd@mintel.com.