How might Pine-Sol maintain its industry-lead?
︎Client | Pine-Sol
︎Category | Brand & Marketing
︎Type | Academic/Collaborative
︎Award | Distinction
︎Time | 8 weeks
︎Category | Brand & Marketing
︎Type | Academic/Collaborative
︎Award | Distinction
︎Time | 8 weeks
Role: Industrial Design, Pitchdeck Design, User Experience & Brand Audit
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Why?
Pine-Sol is a multi-surface cleaner that has been a leading brand since 1929. However, the brand has since decreased in market share and presence: a bottom-shelf king that is promoted very little in stores, but has a loyal, older consumer base. The product itself, a hard-surface disinfectant, offers various scents and is packaged in a simple plastic bottle ranging from 24 oz to 175 oz. This cleaning solution and packaging design have remained unchanged for years.
Our team took on the challenge to redesign the brand, product, and business strategy to make Pine-Sol the only disinfectant used by all ages, everywhere.
Our team took on the challenge to redesign the brand, product, and business strategy to make Pine-Sol the only disinfectant used by all ages, everywhere.
Shifting Consumer Behaviour
︎Pandemic Cleaning Habits
Designing for Pine-Sol during a COVID-19 pandemic meant that we needed to understand the current climate of “cleanliness” in people’s everyday lives. As the basis of human-centered design, we spent a week on observing, collecting anecdotes of COVID anxiety, and analyzing sales data on cleaning products. We examined how people live and work differently to identify where Pine-Sol can help.
Designing for Pine-Sol during a COVID-19 pandemic meant that we needed to understand the current climate of “cleanliness” in people’s everyday lives. As the basis of human-centered design, we spent a week on observing, collecting anecdotes of COVID anxiety, and analyzing sales data on cleaning products. We examined how people live and work differently to identify where Pine-Sol can help.
︎Living and Buying Habits
COVID-19 anxiety is reflected in people’s everyday actions. However, it has been beneficial to the cleaning industry. Pine-sol’s category of multi-purpose cleaners has experienced a sales spike of 148% since the start of the pandemic. But, what is important to note in this graph is that other cleaning categories that are more associated with portability, like Wipes and Aerosol sprays, are experiencing even greater sales growth. We believe that Pine-Sol has a right to this same kind of growth.
COVID-19 anxiety is reflected in people’s everyday actions. However, it has been beneficial to the cleaning industry. Pine-sol’s category of multi-purpose cleaners has experienced a sales spike of 148% since the start of the pandemic. But, what is important to note in this graph is that other cleaning categories that are more associated with portability, like Wipes and Aerosol sprays, are experiencing even greater sales growth. We believe that Pine-Sol has a right to this same kind of growth.
The second trend is changes in the modern workplace, specifically the rise of hotdesking–the practice of multiple people sharing desks and collaborative spaces. This is yet another source of anxiety, as people can no longer rely on the cleanliness of their own desk. How can Pine-Sol address this stress?
In response to these trends, Pine Sol will target a new consumer tribe—
the nomadic germaphobes.
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How?
Target a New Customer: Nomadic Germaphobes
Nomadic germaphobes are those who seek protection from germs, but have reasons to leave the house and encounter a number of environments throughout the day. Because of their nomadic lifestyle, they also skew towards the younger population segment.
We all touch various kinds of surfaces many times a day without realizing, but for our tribe, every single touchpoint in the public is a challenge, starting from elevator buttons, door knobs to transportation and office tables. They carry sanitizers everywhere and spray everything they touch. That’s why they love their homes: they seek the comfort in knowing what was in contact with surfaces that they touch.
This is where Pine-Sol steps in, bringing the cleanliness and comforts of home on-the-go.
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Re-examine the Current Product
Nomadic germaphobes are the most opportune target tribe, yet the bulkiness of Pine-Sol’s product doesn’t at all answer the our tribe’s need to feel clean on-the-go, being it in public transport or at a shared work desk.
The Pine-Sol bottle must be scaled down to become the only portable disinfectant that takes the anxieties of Nomadic Germaphobes seriously: make all-surface cleaning transportable, versatile and easy-to-use in any situation. This will be a product line extension to the Pine-Sol brand architecture.
Auditing New Competitors
With an “on-the-go” product, we are transitioning into a new competitive space, which is dominated by sprays, wipes, and hand sanitizers.
These are products often placed at the thigh-to-eye zone, and some even displayed at end caps for travel-sized versions. With this product extension, Pine-Sol will be shifting to these shelf positions as well.
This marks the expansion of Pine-Sol from the all-purpose cleaning category and the surface disinfectants category, a market category with significant presence even before the pandemic, particularly in hospital and healthcare settings.
These are products often placed at the thigh-to-eye zone, and some even displayed at end caps for travel-sized versions. With this product extension, Pine-Sol will be shifting to these shelf positions as well.
This marks the expansion of Pine-Sol from the all-purpose cleaning category and the surface disinfectants category, a market category with significant presence even before the pandemic, particularly in hospital and healthcare settings.
Introducing Sol On-the-go
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What?
Design Logic and Process
In 12 weeks, the team explored the challenge in three scales of analysis to create a holistic new product strategy. My contribution included overall project management, user analysis, product prototype and presentation visuals/structure.
Final Design
Sol on the go features a new package that re-envisions the miniature spray bottle.
This bottle contains 2 oz of solution which should last a minimum of 5 days for nomadic germaphobes. Furthermore, the geometry allows our solution to pool in the front so the user can get to every drop.
The refill packs come in 8.5 oz pouches that feature both a funnel nozzle to avoid spillage and make refilling easier.
New Points of Purchase & Demo
Business Strategy
So how do we suggest pricing these different products?
A 48 oz bottle of original Pine-Sol sells in the $4.00 range, a price we view as anchoring with current customers. From our market research, competitor on-the-go products are mainly in the$2.00-3.00 range at 2oz.
When pricing the product, we aim to be economically-attractive to both existing and new customers, while also remaining competitive. The new 2 oz spray device is priced at $2.99 each, the 8.5 oz refill for $3.99 each, and an online-only offering of 3 refill packs each month for $9.49, with portion of the package profits donated to black women entrepreneurs.
A 48 oz bottle of original Pine-Sol sells in the $4.00 range, a price we view as anchoring with current customers. From our market research, competitor on-the-go products are mainly in the$2.00-3.00 range at 2oz.
When pricing the product, we aim to be economically-attractive to both existing and new customers, while also remaining competitive. The new 2 oz spray device is priced at $2.99 each, the 8.5 oz refill for $3.99 each, and an online-only offering of 3 refill packs each month for $9.49, with portion of the package profits donated to black women entrepreneurs.
This pricing strategy is in-line with our manufacturing estimates. As common spray bottles range from $.08 - $.30 each, it is estimated that the custom spray device and label is estimated the device at $.50 each. The refill pouch with a funnel cap is estimated at $.20 each. In comparison, the original 48 oz. bottle is around $.35 each.
Our estimates stems from numbers on the higher end. However, potential economies of scale could lower prices both internally as well as with retail partners.
Our estimates stems from numbers on the higher end. However, potential economies of scale could lower prices both internally as well as with retail partners.
New Sale Locations
With newly designed Sol On-the-Go, we are penetrating new sale locations. We are expanding from grocery stores to 150 thousand convenience stores, 22 thousand pharmacies, and 1000 Hudson News stores. About 6.5 times more Sale locations than before.
As a pocket size item with competitive pricing, Sol On-the-Go is the perfect checkout-line item. Survey states 84% of us make impulse purchases on a regular basis. And most of them happen around the checkout counter. By living a new life here, we are expanding from the cleaning aisles and taking a pole position over our competitors.
As a pocket size item with competitive pricing, Sol On-the-Go is the perfect checkout-line item. Survey states 84% of us make impulse purchases on a regular basis. And most of them happen around the checkout counter. By living a new life here, we are expanding from the cleaning aisles and taking a pole position over our competitors.
For marketing roll-outs, we look at the hustle-and-bustle of a nomadic germaphobe’s life: one critical location for them is airports. Sol On-the-Go is a TSA-compliant travel size. A key partnership with a franchise such as Hudson News, a retailer operating in nearly 1,000 airports, could introduce Sol On-The-Go around the country as an attractive impulse buy before hopping on a plane.
Marketing campaigns would begin to teach and normalize the new cleaning habit of using Sol On-The-Go, featuring celebrity germaphobes such as Naomi Campbell and Howie Mandel modeling behavior.
Marketing campaigns would begin to teach and normalize the new cleaning habit of using Sol On-The-Go, featuring celebrity germaphobes such as Naomi Campbell and Howie Mandel modeling behavior.