GUIDO BOGNOLO
Scientific advisory board of H&PC Today – Household and Personal Care Today (TKS Publisher)

Those who follow my thoughts on these columns may remember that I have repeatedly made reference to the value of market research for the producers of mass consumers PRODUCTS.

There is a reason for using capital letters: what is put on the market is not just a chemical formula (a product, non-capital letters): it is a combination of different components that result in a positive perception by an end-user leading to the purchase of a PRODUCT displayed on the shelfs.

A PRODUCT includes:

• The product, i.e. a combination of chemicals that, in laboratory tests and from   consumer’s feedback  appears to provide the benefits announced in the advertising claims
• The brand name: often a brand name is associated to a highly positive image, e.g. cleanliness, mildness, economy 
• The advertising campaigns that focus on the brand image  
• The package: color, shape, volume, usage instruction  a ...
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