Unilever is urging its competitors to adopt the Compressed deodorant can format it has pioneered – and is even showing them how to do so.
The business claimed wider use of its re-engineered spray system - which allows a 75ml aerosol can to last as long as a 150ml regular-sized and uses half the gas – could transform the category and have major environmental benefits.
In order to encourage other suppliers to use the format, introduced in the UK in February 2013, Unilever has issued a basic “how to guide” to assist the technical departments of other manufacturers develop their own Compressed aerosol.The company does not hold a patent on the Compressed format, and claimed it had not taken one out as it had wanted to share the technology.
The guide includes the names of suppliers Unilever has worked with to produce the cans, and Unilever is also inviting its competitors to use the term ‘Compressed’ and adopt the green band design it uses on its Compressed cans to differentiate them from regular aerosols.
Some Compressed-style rival products have already entered the market, including a range sold in the UK under Godrej’s Soft & Gentle brand.
Unilever said it was providing the insight to competitors as it wanted them to introduce Compressed in the “right way” and not through imitations such as a pocket-size version of a regular aerosol. It added that a 100%-compressed aisle would remove the natural temptation to assume ‘bigger is better’ – and that it was confident its own products would remain competitive.
“We are happy to compete on the efficacy of the products and the strength of the brands across our full range of deodorants and anti-perspirants,” added a spokesman.
Unilever had a vision in which Compressed became commonplace in the industry, said Tamara Rogers, Unilever senior vice president for deodorants. “But we also know that, despite good intentions, many people don’t want to select a ‘greener’ product if it means having to compromise on quality or convenience. Our job is to show them that with this technology, they can make a sustainable deodorant choice without compromise.”
Compressed deodorants had saved 580 tonnes of aluminium in the UK and the equivalent of 7,000 tonnes of CO2, added Unilever. They accounted for 52% of Unilever aerosol sales in the UK in 2014, and 38% in Germany, where they were introduced a year later.
“This technology could not only change the future of our industry but help protect the long-term health of our planet too,” said Unilever vice president of R&D for deodorants Alan Palmer. “For that to happen, our entire industry needs to help shoppers move away from traditional aerosols and choose a more sustainable option. Unilever cannot do that alone, which is why we are sharing our technology with peers and competitors alike.”
At the moment Unilever is spending a huge amount on advertising to explain a smaller can is as good as a bigger can
Brand and packaging expert Paul Williams, creative director at Springetts, suggested the move would level the playing field in regards to branding on shelf.
“At the moment Unilever is spending a huge amount on advertising to explain a smaller can is as good as a bigger can,” he added. “This move would ensure everyone’s brand is on the same canvas.”
Smaller products on shelf could also make room for less-established, more innovative brands on the fixture. “The big companies dominate at the moment, it would be great to allow more variety and choice.”
Unilever has said the roll-out of more Compressed products would not necessarily lead to a reduction in the size of the deodorants fixture, adding it had been using ‘booster trays’ to add prominence, height and help drive awareness of Compressed.
Describing the move as “ bold and gracious”, Dan Wilson, creative director at packaging agency Studio More, suggested there was a danger differentiation between brands would be lost if everyone adopted the same structural packaging design.
“Structural design is often ignored, but plays a key role in driving point of difference between brands,” he added, citing Method as a brand that had created standout with “simple, clear and beautifully shaped packaging in a category typified by functional structural design”.
The Unilever Compressed how-to guide can be downloaded at www.compresseddeodorants.com
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