The meaning in the ‘fill it-shut it-forget it’ routine for a washing machine detergent user

The task: Identifying emotional triggers to position a washing machine detergent brand

The approach : individual subconscious interviews using specialist methods for exploring product sensorial and emotional payoffs

The challenges:
The window of interaction with the product – less than two minutes.

The target were the front loading users who had little or no involvement with the process.

Washing – a low involvement mechanical task that people would not register / would even be able to talk about consciously.

Illume research revealed:

Women’s brand imprints for detergents  went back to their own childhood when they saw their mother’s hand wash their clothes.  That also imprinted in their mind the proof of the product working and nostalgic connection with the brand. A new entrant would have to work on creating this connection with the next-gen consumer

The range of pay-offs that brands have focused on so far have largely been in one of these areas – liberation from the laundry task as necessary evil, mastery through the efficiency routine and family care through task integration

The positioning space – ‘Revitalize your external self’

An excerpt from the illume interview

‘Wearing washed clothes make you feel the same like you have just gotten out of a shower…so you feel very fresh, very energetic. The clothes make you feel fresh for a longer period of time. We have washing machines since it is very difficult to wash clothes everyday and to the perfection that you would like it.  If you go out for a whole day of work, you come back feeling all sweaty and tired in all the pollution. Feel very tired and exhausted. The clothes also have a certain odor.. The clothes also seem worn out. They have been through a lot the whole day...a lot of hard work. They are also very tired and wilted. The clothes also feel like they need a good wash. Like we feel like getting into the shower and the clothes also feel it. So one would want to get rid of the clothes one has been wearing so I would put it into the machine. And the next morning, like you feel refreshed…you get the same clothes back as if those were new. The clothes feel very rejuvenated and fresh and ready for another hard day’s work’.