Case Study – It’s flu and cold season, Robitussin Package redesign.
by Mitchell Eismont
As I was giving critique my final project of the term in digital photography, a few of my students were sick. I told them I was going to get sick on Christmas break and I never got sick finals week. Low and behold two days ago I got a sore throat. It isn’t as bad as it normally is this time of the year. Anyway I remember back to last year when I had the flu I was looking for Robitussin on the shelf, and marveling at it’s redesign and branding.
The Packaging
It was always confusing trying to figure out which box you needed on the shelf. Looking at the products last year it was still hard to figure out which product to buy. What is the difference between regular and maximum strength? I see the changed the long-acting cough to blue. Doesn’t blue remind a person of night time. Imagine a person with poor eye sight trying to pick out the right product. My suggestion for Robitussin is to put some info graphics or symbols on the box so we understand which is which. No one likes to read anymore.
Robitussin Relief Finder
Whomever made the website did a good job though. You can actually put in your symptoms and it will tell you which package you will need. This website design is very user friendly. I had to actually look at this the last time I had to but the product, instead of looking at the confusing packaging design.
Anyone have any thoughts on the graphic design, web design, or branding of Robitussin?
by Mitchell Eismont
Eismont is the Art Director at Eismont Designs, a branding and packaging agency based in Cincinnati and Pittsburgh.
The overall package design is nice enough by itself, but seeing as they will be placed together, I could easy grab the wrong one thinking it’s the right one. Robitussin isn’t the only medical brand to suffer from putting similar products in almost identical packaging. Working at Kroger, I’ve had to to put a variety of different medication back on the self when people decide to not buy it or leave it in the isles around the store. Every box and bottle takes about 5 minutes to find because you have to actually read each box to figure out what it is. I’ve heard people bringing stuff back because they thought they bought one thing but got another as well. Seeing as how important it is to not mix some things or not take meds you don’t need, you’d think companies would make sure to differentiate their products.
Kenny,
It is a really big problem for older people to be able to see these products. You have really well thought out responses to these advertisements. If you are every interested in writing a blog post let me know. I am going to make a post about it today.
Another thought on your response, “very box and bottle takes about 5 minutes to find because you have to actually read each box to figure out what it is.” This is actually the truth, when I am sick, I don’t have the time to read the box, so they need to figure something out.
-Mitch