Lebanon Seaboard, a leader in lawn and garden supplies, took that approach. The Lebanon, PA-based marketer’s Preen Weed Control is the top-selling brand in its category, yet the company decided to survey consumers for their perceptions of the brand. The results told Lebanon Seaboard that the package had shortcomings in consumers’ minds and would require structural modifications. Among consumers’ observations:
• They liked the plastic container’s applicator, bright yellow color and said they easily recognize the package in the weed-control products aisle.
• Homeowners ages 35 to 44 wanted a package that is simpler and more intuitive to use.
The company’s objective for a new package, says Maryanne Bayoumy, Preen brand manager, was a design that could answer these two concerns and address manufacturing and retailer needs.
4sight (www.4sightinc.com), a structural package innovation firm, provided the answer with an ergonomic, rectangular high-density polyethylene container. The package’s new shape holds 20% more product volume—7 lb 8 oz—than the previous package without changing the footprint size on the store shelf. Yet the bottle conforms to 11” package height restrictions.
The container was also designed within undisclosed filling, sealing, and production parameters set by Lebanon Seaboard.
Another consumer benefit is the switch from a grip at the top of the container to an open handle on the right side. The ergonomic placement of the side handle makes a filled container easier to carry. A new flip-closure cap sits atop the container.
