Marketing Secret: Think Form, Not Just Function, Essay Example

In terms of marketing analysis, the most recent purchase I made was in a tube of tooth paste. Although I was not in any way swayed by the design or the looks of the product, I purchased it anyways. I, along with many other users of tooth paste purchase it for purposes of dental hygiene and whitening of the teeth. The brand from which this tooth paste was produced was by Arm & Hammer and contained baking soda and peroxide, a key element in whitening teeth. (Yannis, 2008) I was solely focused on the intended performance of this product. The Crest 3-D tooth paste however, was much more appealing to the eye. This product presented a flashy logo and glittery print on the box. I was much more swayed by the look of the Crest 3-D tooth paste. The problem was that it did not contain the key ingredient I desired.

Some or most people may not be aware of the baking soda and peroxide solution and the role it plays in whitening teeth, so they overlook the Arm & Hammer brand in being swayed by the glitz and glitter of a brand such as Crest 3-D. In this case, the looks of the product make all the difference. There are many more Crest 3-D advertisements in the media than for Arm & Hammer toothpaste. Crest 3-D seems to be more popular despite Arm & Hammer offering better performance. (McKee, 2013)

Product functionality is the key success to a brand in the long run. What is even more important than customers is return customers. However, much of the “form vs function” debate all depends on the industry at hand. Crest changes their logo every few years to adapt with consumer trends and pop culture. Arm & Hammer’s design has remained the same. Arm & Hammer may want to attack their competitors in the dental care industry head on if they want to boost their popularity.

References

McKee, S. (2013, April 30). Marketing Secret: Think Form, not Just Function. Retrieved April 1, 2015, from Bloomberg Business: http://www.bloomberg.com/bw/articles/2013-04-30/marketing-secret-think-form-not-just-function

Yannis, B. (2008). Toothpaste Reviews. Retrieved April 1, 2015, from New York University Files: https://files.nyu.edu/ssg280/public/toothpaste_reviews.html