Chocolate and Diet: The Results

After some debate on the flavor in line with the packaging and overall product positioning of our upcoming variant – we say NO to chocolate and diet.

How come?

It wasn’t as if it tasted bad. Actually it was the best flavor combination as of yet. The problem was the formulation of our variant was actually complicated in explaining how it made you slim. Also, we know chocolate and diet don’t usually go together. In result, if we placed Chocolate and Diet together, I would be having a problem promoting (a) chocolate and diet together, and (b) the complicated active ingredients.

Consumers can only get ONE SIMPLE idea from you. Having a complicated packaging explaining the tirade of chocolate and diet (or anything else, for that matter) and the active ingredients – consumers will just get the not-so original competitor and get on with their lives. And if your product is remarkable – they want to share your invention to their friends and family. If the product is too complicated with mixed messages, they’re going to have a more difficult time explaining it than you had promoting it.

Simple is the way to go. Thanks for people who emailed me about this.
P.S. I had a similar experience with a product I was helping to sell in college. We did so much time explaining to the consumers what our product was all about. In the end, not that much recall and not that much buzz.

Silica Gel. A No No in Candy

Just skimming the candies a friend recently purchased from her business trip in Jakarta and look what I found inside the tin of candy mints – Silica gel.

From Wiki, Silica Gel is a common desiccant that removes humidity and moisture in some goods. You can find these in some food products and inside newly bought shoes. But the problem is that these transparent globules are actually poisonous.

Theoretically, yes – you can use Silical gel to remove moisture and avoid your mints from spoiling. The problem is that there is a large probability that a kid might eat it or it (pouch) might break, causing those lethal pods to create the most damage.

For owners of Wide-Awake candy – change your formulation to reduce moisture OR be ready for a lawsuit.