I’ll admit it: I’m a lousy #1 idea guy.
I am, however, a great #2 idea guy; that is, someone with the ability to take the germ of an idea and shape it into something far better than what it would originally have been.
Last weekend I found one of the most brilliant #2 ideas ever and it came from the smarts at President’s Choice (or from whomever they licensed the idea from…). The improvement wasn’t an upgrade to their ‘Green Kitchen Cleaner’ product, but rather to its delivery method: the “atomizer” (spray) bottle itself.
The thing that drives me most crazy about all of the hundreds of products that are delivered in traditional spray bottles is that eventually you get the liquid down to a level where the ‘straw’ can’t reach it, but there is still enough liquid in the container for another ~10 cleanings!
Imagine my joy, then, at finding that “they” have changed the design of the spray mechanism such that turning the bottle upside down will allow a user to get at the remaining liquid that the straw can’t get to!
So… for having the smarts to make a no-cost improvement that could/should net them a significant bump in sales, President’s Choice gets a Rave!
I will, however, qualify this rave, as I’m a little puzzled as to why they’re not marketing the daylights out of this innovation. The design change is perfect for mass-market, visual, ‘interrupt’ advertising.
Storyboard:
· Zoom in on woman cleaning her kitchen who gets down to the bottom of her cleaning bottle but clearly there is still a bit left.
· Says something like, “Household cleaners have been invaluable products for 40 years, but don’t you get frustrated when the bottle doesn’t let you get all that you’ve paid for?”
· She then turns the bottle over and continues spraying.
· “Well with President’s Choice Green Kitchen Cleaner, now you can…”
The concept works across all PC markets and products, and they could be spinning waste, environmental and frugal concerns into the messaging.
