A Trademark Smile

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you take a few minutes out of your day to look through your medicine cabinet in the bathroom you’ll quickly notice just how obsessed with branding we have become. Does 7 trademarks on my toothpaste really give me a more noticeable smile?

We’re seeing in industries that are increasingly becoming more competitive and commoditized a tendency to over brand. While this isn’t by any means confined to health and beauty products, my toothpaste is a prime example of this problem.

Which Toothpaste Did I End Up With?
When I went into my local supermarket to pick up a new toothpaste I was overwhelmed with a wall of products to select from. Most brands had at least 3 or 4 different varieties. My goals were to come out with toothpaste that promised teeth whitening and which I perceived as being able to deliver on said promise (very important because I drink a lot of coffee). Note this is not an endorsement paid or otherwise for the product, just my experience.

I ended up with a whitening toothpaste incorporating Arm & Hammer Baking Soda from a company called Church & Dwight who are the makers of Arm & hammer. My perception was Arm & Hammer Baking Soda works and I trust the brand so that was good enough for me.

Over Doing Your Branding
So I know you’re saying “but you bought the product based on the branding, how can you now talk about their branding negatively?”

Here’s how, My toothpaste contained the following brands:
Arm & Hammer Baking Soda (twice)
Arm & hammer Baking Soda Logo (twice)
Advance White
Brilliant Sparkle
Fresh from the dentist feeling

Am I really getting any value out of all of these trade marks?
Arm & Hammer is the family level brand
Advance White is the Product Level brand

The rest of it seems to me to be a bit excessive. Especially given the branding in question is on the tube and not the box. Once the product is safetly unwrapped, in my home, and being used I should hope it could hold up without such excessive branding.

Patents and Active Ingredients
Of note there were only 2 patents associated with the toothpaste, and only 1 active ingredient (Fluoride). I found it interesting that the reason I purchased the product, baking soda, wasn’t even considered an active ingredient but I believe this has more to do with the claims you can make with the FDA than anything else.

Conclusion
Take a hard look at your Intellectual Property specifically in this case your branding and trademarks, do they add value to your customer or do they confuse the message? I think everyone gets the message when you say “Arm & Hammer Baking Soda” + “Advance White” stop there.

Risks of over branding:
Confusing the Message
Eroding the value of the brand you have built
Cost of maintaining and policing the brand