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great idea but….

imagine it, walking down the toothpaste aisle and you see a new package structure unlike anything you have seen before for that category.  what do you do?  have an in-store photo shoot and buy the new structure of course!  or wait, that might just be me….IMG_5427

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well, it did not take long until the excitement turned to frustration and sadness.  like shaving cream packages, a little bit of product would come out of the dispensing hole after you are done dispensing.  no problem with shaving cream so why would that be different here?  i might be an odd bird but for me there is something not so appetizing about feeling a hardened chunk of toothpaste while brushing.

so this led to the need to scrape the hardened nubbin of toothpaste off the end of the dispenser before dispensing each time.  i used the cap as it seemed like the logical choice but then it can no longer serve as a cap as it is now the receptacle of the hardened and wasted toothpaste.  so now the lid with scrapings and dispenser sit separately on my bathroom counter – – so attractive.

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why does this bother me so?  well…

– it adds an extra step to my process (you may argue that i have to take lid off regular toothpaste but that is an already entrenched step that does not matter – – this structure demands a NEW step/behavior which makes it feel different/cumbersome while not delivering any perceived consumer benefit)

– it is wasteful.  i am actually throwing away product with every use and there is nothing i can do to stop it….and for $6.99 i seem to have higher expectations.  note the waste from 15 uses in the picture below.  that could have been 4 brushings!

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the package is almost empty and i am excited to get back to my trusty old tube of toothpaste.  i am glad that they are looking to innovate but sad that this direction did not add any value or even fun to my teeth brushing experience.  but i am still optimistic of what the future might bring!

anyone else try this package?  what were your thoughts?

other innovative or notable innovations in the dental care category or another category that you would like to share?  please share!

i would like to add that i called the customer service line on the can and shared my issues with the nice gentleman on the other end of the line. he said he would share my thoughts with the brand team and offered me some coupons for my frustrations.

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doggone tenacity

my family escapes once a year for a long weekend camping extravaganza at shangri-la.shangri-la is in the middle of nowhere and is located a half a mile from the “parking area” (read field) – then down the hill, over the creek, through the woods, to the camp site we hike…

with no electricity, plumbing or other creature comforts, we spend our time catching up, fighting about politics, and being the most functional dysfunctional family around!

two years ago, i went on a hike with my dad and stepmom’s dog axelle.  you hear stories of dogs that think they are bigger than they are when they interact with other dogs.  yes, cute.  but this dog takes it to another level.

she brought me a stick, that was more like a railroad tie, and wanted me to throw it for fetch.  of course i obliged (and almost threw out my shoulder) but was most impressed with how she handled the railroad tie.  yes, it was large and cumbersome, but its size and waterlogged weight (about 20+ pounds) did not seem to slow her down….in the creek or on the long walk back to the camp site.

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i think we all have times in our life when something comes up for us, or someone we love, or even a challenge at work, and it just feels insurmountable.  well, this sweet tenacious dog demonstrated to me how to just keep moving and forget the odds because they just do not matter.