Creative Brief designed for tide pods

1. TIDELAUNDRYDETERGENT:
PODS
A CREATIVE BRIEF BY
TAYLOR PATTESON AND MORGAN CORMACKJOURNALISM 304: MEDIA WRITING
SPRING 2015

2. TABLE OF
CONTENTS
1. BACKGROUND INFORMATION AND
TARGET AUDIENCE
2. FEATURES AND BENEFITS
3. IMAGE AND
DIRECT COMPETITORS
4. ETHNOGRAPHIC RESEARCH SUMMARY
5. ADVERTISING GOAL
AND STRATEGIC MESSAGE
6. REFERENCES

3. The Tide laundry detergent brand is a product
brand launched by Proctor & Gamble, a leading
producer of household and personal care prod-
ucts. Proctor & Gamble was founded in 1837
and it’s products are sold primarily through
mass merchandisers, grocery stores, and other
large stores that carry household items. Proctor
& Gamble is currently ranked number #44in
profits, and #81 in sales on Forbes.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Tide was first introduced in 1946 as the world’s
first heavy-duty detergent with nationwide
distribution. Today, Tide laundry detergent has
a 26 percent market share. The Tide PODS were
introduced early 2012. PODS were an innova-
tion targeted to improve daily life. Proctor &
Gamble scientists worked together for eight
years to develop the three-chambered liquid
detergent packs that would save people time and
simplify the laundry routine.
TARGET AUDIENCE
Demographics
Many of Tide PODS users are the following: working parents with children (a lot of laundry, little time), working
young couples, and young singles. The target age group for Tide PODS users is between 18-64. Users between these
ages lead busier lifestyles, so they are more likely to try and use the product.
Psychographics
Easy Usage/Simplicity:
One pack delivers consistent dosage and consistent re-
sults. Tide pods weigh less than comparable packages of
liquid detergent- making them easier to carry and store
for consumers. Consumers have given feedback such as
“…it was so easy to use, was not messy at all…” and that
the product “reduces stress I feel about doing laundry,
which surprised me” (Proctor and Gamble, 2012). 68%:
The percentage of consumers who say their detergent
lets them get satisfactory results with minimum time
and effort, while 97%: The percentage of consumers who
say that about Tide Pods
(Neff, 2012)
Availability:
Because of its wide availability, this product reaches a
larger audience. The consumer does not have to search
at several different stores to find and purchase this
product. Tide PODS are available in just about any
store that sells laundry detergent: Target, Wal-Mart,
K-Mart, Sam’s Club, Costco, etc. They are also available
in many different sizes and scents. PODS are available
in small and medium bags, as well as large, XL, and
XXL tubs. They also come in scents such as Spring
Meadow, Ocean Mist, and Mystic Forest (Proctor &
Gamble, 2012). Tide PODS also offers a zero-dye and
perfume option called Free & Gentle, which is an alter-
native for users with sensitive skin.
1

4. FEATURES & BENEFITS
.
4-IN-1 DETERGENT:
Eliminates several steps one might have to take in the laundry process
ONE POD EQUALS ONE LOAD:
Shortens the time it takes to do laundry, and ensures each packet is using the right amount
needed in every load.
CONTAINS CLEANING AGENTS, STAIN REMOVERS, AND BRIGHTNERS:
Cleans garments while removing stains and brightening
COMPATIBLE WITH FRONT-LOAD AND TOP-LOAD LAUNDRY MACHINES:
Allows many households and different types of machines to use the product
SEVERAL AVAILABLE TYPES:
The variety of Tide PODS plus Febreze, Tide PODS Free and Gentle, and the original Tide
PODS, allows consumers to select the POD needed for your specific load.
EASY TO USE:
Anyone can easily toss the POD into their laundry, and the POD does the rest of the work.
NO MESS:
The three-chamber package eliminates the chance of spilling different liquid detergents.
TIDE PODS:
2

5. IMAGE
CURRENT IMAGE:
People want to use Tide PODS because it is a product of a popu-
lar brand name detergent. People believe in this product because
Tide has been a leader in the laundry detergent market for many
years. Tide’s manufacture, Proctor & Gamble, is a large manu-
facturer specializing in packaged household, and lifestyle goods.
Consumers also like this product because of it’s easy use and
ability to fit in to any lifestyle.
DESIRED IMAGE:
People should want this product because of its ability to perform
not only as a detergent, but also as a stain remover and brighten-
er. Consumers should be aware of the technological innovation
of this product. They should also be informed that it was de-
signed by scientists to make the laundry process easier, faster and
more efficient. Studies show that 68% of consumers who say their
detergent lets them get satisfactory results with minimum time
and effort. The study also shows that 97% of consumers say that
about Tide PODS. (Proctor & Gamble, 2012)
(wholehearter.blogspot.com)
(norcalcoupongal.com)
DIRECT COMPETITORS
Arm & Hammer: Toss ‘N Done Power Paks
All: Mighty Pacs
Clorex 2: Stain Fighter & Color Booster Packs
Purex: UltraPacks
Seventh Generation: Detergent Packs
Shortly after the development of Tide PODS, many competitors were quick to respond with individually packaged
detergent packs of their own. Below are some of the competing products of Tide PODS.
3

6. ADVERTISING GOAL
The goals of Proctor and Gamble and the Tide Company are to appeal to busy consumers, and to endorse the
Tide PODS product as something “certainly different than anything U.S. consumers have seen before” (Neff,
2011). Everyone does their laundry on a regular basis, and many of these consumers that do regular laundry
see deep dissatisfaction with simple laundry detergent - it takes up more time and more of a mess. The U.S.
laundry market generally, and P&G in particular, needed a dose of something new such as the Tide PODS.
Sales of liquid detergent fell 3% to $3 billion, and sales of powder detergent fell 10% to $506 million in the 52
weeks ended March 20, 2011, according to SymphonyIRI data that exclude Walmart (Neff, 2011). Another way
the companies achieve this goal is with the three-chamber pod design of the PODS, which contains detergent,
brightner, and stain remover, which lowers the cost compared to using all three of these things individually.
(Tide Pods TV Spot, ‘The Real Cost of Your Laundry Load’, 2014)
STRATEGIC MESSAGE
According to several articles, including one from Consumer Reports in 2012, many reports had come in from
consumers that their children had attempted or succesfully consumed the Tide PODS. Many consumers believed
that the packaging of the individual pods and the containers had similar appearances to candy in a bowl.
In response to these concerns, Proctor & Gamble created a new double latch on the lid of the containers that
hold the individual Tide PODS. This change was made to make it more difficult for young children to open the
containers and consume the packets. (Cosumer Reports, 2012)
4

7. ETHNOGRAPHIC RESEARCH
SUMMARY
After doing secondary research on the product, we found that this product is most popular with stay-at-home
mothers with children. However, we interviewed college students. We made conclusions by observing six oth-
er people/students using the product, and asking them follow-up questions.
We interviewed four females and two males for this research. Two of the females, Lauren and Hanna, lived in
a sorority house. One girl, Caroline, lived in Naismith Hall, and the last female, Jordan, was in an apartment
with two other girls. One of the males, Bryce, lived in an apartment by himself, and the other, Nolan, shared
an apartment with three other men. All of these people we between the ages of 18-22, and all were college
students at the University of Kansas. We knew all six people were students not just because they told us they
were, but we noticed they had backpacks and textbook in their rooms (or nearby).
During our observation, we noticed each individual sort their garments into their respective piles. We ob-
served that no matter the content of the pile of clothing, the students used the same type of pod. This proved
to us that the Tide PODS are trusted with dark clothing, light clothing, and even gentle loads.
Majority of the students observed used machines that were communal to the building they lived in. The easy
access produced by the individual pods made them very appealing to students who have to carry their deter-
gent with them every time they do laundry. The pods also cut back on storage space, because of their contain-
er design.
Each student also mentioned the ease and time efficiency produced by using the pods. One student, Lauren,
mentioned that she did not do their own laundry before they came to school, so her mother bought her pods
to make the process easier.
In Summary, the students liked the Tide PODS for four main reasons:
-Portability
-Easy to use
-Time efficient
-Universal to all types of laundry loads.
5

8. REFERENCES
Adage
Neff, J. (2012, February 17). P&G Airs Your Dirty Laundry. Retrieved April 27, 2015, from http://adage.com/article/
adages/facts-laundry-compiled-procter-gamble-s-tide-pods/232808/
Neff, J. (2011, April 26). P&G Reinvents Laundry With $150 Million Tide Pods Launch. Retrieved April 27, 2015, from
http://adage.com/article/news/p-g-reinvents-laundry-150-million-tide-pods-launch/227208/
All
http://www.all-laundry.com/mightypacs/
Arm & Hammer
http://armandhammer.com/fabric-care/power-pak-detergent.landing.aspx
Consumer Reports
“Tide Pod laundry detergent packaging gets makeover due to safety concerns” (2014, May 25). Retrieved April 27,
2015, from http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2012/05/tide-pod-laundry-detergent-packaging-gets-make-
over-due-to-safety-concerns/index.htm
Tide Pods laundry detergent. (n.d.). Retrieved April 12, 2015, from
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/index.htm
Forbes
Procter & Gamble. (2014, May 1). Retrieved April 27, 2015, from http://www.forbes.com/companies/procter-gamble/
Tide Official Website
Tide. (n.d.). Retrieved April 12, 2015, from
http://www.tide.com/en-US
Wall Street Journal
P&G Changes Tide Pods Packaging to Look Less Like Candy. (n.d.). Retrieved April 13, 2015, from
http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424127887324694904578600260338869552
Tide Rides Convenience Wave. (n.d.). Retrieved April 13, 2015, from
http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052970204778604577239350705596884
6