Ultra cleaning power packed in a smaller, easy-to-use bottle
New from the makers of ARM & HAMMER, Ultra Power 4X Concentrated Laundry Detergent is an ultra-concentrated formula that's packed with powerful stain-fighters and two scoops of baking soda to deliver cleaner, fresher clothes than the leading value brand. Packaged in a convenient, smaller and less bulky bottle that is easy to measure and store, Ultra Power is super-concentrated to give consumers powerful cleaning in every drop. 

"From my work as a trainer, I know that strength can come in even the smallest sizes," says Tracy Anderson, celebrity fitness expert. "I need a laundry detergent that shares the same principles to help me power through even the toughest stains. Arm & Hammer Ultra Power 4X Concentrated keeps my family's clothes fresh and cleans with the muscle I expect." 

The ultra-concentrated liquid and smaller packaging of Ultra Power 4X Concentrated makes it an environmentally responsible laundry choice. Compared to Arm & Hammer 2X detergents, the ultra-concentrated liquid requires less water to produce and since the 4X bottles are smaller than 2X bottles, consumers get more wash loads with less plastic. 

"At Church & Dwight, the consumer is our top priority, and we are always exploring new ways to meet their laundry needs," says Kevin Kuchinski, vp, Church & Dwight Fabric Care. "The introduction of Ultra Power 4X Concentrated allows us to expand our laundry portfolio and continue to give consumers what they are looking for-a detergent that delivers tough cleaning power, is convenient and delivers strong value."

Arm & Hammer  4X detergents come in two varieties-Ultra Power 4X Concentrated Refreshing Falls and Sensitive Skin 4X Concentrated Perfume & Dye Free, which is dermatologist-tested to be gentle on sensitive skin.
Each variety comes in two sizes, 45 oz (60 loads) from $4.97 and 90 oz (120 loads) from $7.83; both available at retailers nationwide. 

Makeover of the Month:

Packaging redesign communicates SeaPak's rebranding
SeaPak frozen seafood, the No. 1 brand of specialty shrimp in the U.S., needed to strengthen and modernize brand identity across its entire portfolio.

Founded in St. Simons Island, Georgia and owned by Rich Products, the brand wanted to powerfully change its image on the shelf. The company hired Smith Design to restage its packaging to bring its coastal-inspired flavors to life, strengthen branding, and improve shopability and findabillity at retail and club stores.

"Our efforts focused on building strong emotional and appetite appeal," says Jenna Smith, a partner at Smith Design. "While the product line sits in the freezer case, the warmth evoked when enjoying a delicious seafood meal, is key to the communication." 

Smith's team visualized the "taste of the coast" and developed a unique mark that is used on packaging and promotion, to transport consumers to their favorite, relaxing beach vacation. The package design features a weathered wooden table perched among the dunes with just a hint of coastline to convey the smell and feel of the ocean air. 

"The inviting food imagery transports the consumer to a place that's both comfortable and appetizing," says Smith.
A fresh breeze opens the sail on the Seapak logo, while also leveraging the lighthouse heritage of St. Simons Island. Smith Design freshened the color palette-staying true to the brand's blue and red-and used bold flavor banding to help consumers find their favorite from among such product offerings as popcorn shrimp, tempura shrimp, shrimp scampi and crab cakes. 

"Smith Design delivered a range of strong design options to bring our ‘Taste of the Coast' vision to life," says Daryl Miller, director of marketing, seafood for the Rich Products Corp.'s Consumer Brands Div. "The resulting new brand system is contemporary, delivers great appetite appeal and differentiates the SeaPak brand from our competitors. Consumers have responded strongly to the new design as evidenced by our brand growth since the launch."

Mintel Market Snapshot: 

The sea provides home care packaging inspiration, but consumers may not be impressed
The sea seems like an unlikely source of inspiration for home care products but it has found a place as a fragrance. For example, "ocean fresh," "blue ocean coral" and "sea breeze" are all scents used by recent home care launches.
Meanwhile, packaging may be finding its own link to the sea-as a source of packaging material.

Method has launched what it claims is the first product packaged in a bottle made from recovered ocean plastic.
Used for the launch of a 2-in-1 dishwashing liquid and hand wash, the plastic is made partly from collected ocean waste and partly from post-consumer recycled plastic. The material was developed in partnership with recycled-HDPE supplier Envision Plastics (www. envisionplastics.com).

The "ocean plastic" is in fact waste plastic that is hand collected by Method employees and volunteers from beaches across Hawaii. As this volume is not sufficient for a significant number of packs, this ocean plastic has been sorted and combined with post-consumer recycled waste to create a grey-colored opaque bottle. 

Though a laudable campaign, the company is clear in letting consumers know that this initiative is not going to clean up the world's oceans. Its aim is to raise awareness about the issue and to demonstrate novel ways to reuse waste plastic.

Ecover, the Belgium based manufacturer of environmentally friendly cleaning products, is also looking to the sea as a potential material source. Working with plastics manufacturer Logoplaste (www.logoplaste.com), its plastic will be collected directly from the sea using special equipment that can be fitted to fishing boats. 

Here again the focus is not on providing a solution to sea-based plastic waste, but highlighting the issue of plastic waste in the sea to consumers and the wider public. Ecover already looks to the marine environment with clear on-pack claims that Ecover biodegradeable products have a minimal impact on marine life, so this development could help to support this positioning within Ecover's product range.

Mintel research shows consumers are unimpressed by brand activities that simply "highlight" an environmental issue. They want brand owners to be part of the solution. To make plastic from the sea a viable option, future activities will need to show some form of measurable impact on the environment.

Author Benjamin Punchard is senior global packaging analyst at Mintel (www.mintel.com).

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