Last month I shared a story about the first brand whose packaging I couldn’t resist and then asked you to do the same. Your responses were both entertaining and insightful. Madeleine, a reader from Seattle, commented that Hubba Bubba Bubble Tape gum turned the simple act of chewing gum into a brand experience. Others recalled Tickle deodorant and L’eggs hosiery as the brands whose packaging made memorable impressions. All three are examples of ordinary products that were elevated because of creative packaging.
I typically refrain from brand bashing, but I’m now going to share the first brand I distinctly remember not liking: The original “no-brand” brand. You know, those CPG products with the dismal black and white labels, banished to their own aisle and referred to as “generic” in the ′80s? Believe me there's nothing like the humiliation of having a pantry full of products void of images, logos and color. But what I couldn’t wrap my adolescent brain around was why these offensive items were in our pantry in the first place. From what I could tell we didn’t have to buy generic.