One way to combat price sensitivity is to position your product as a sort of Swiss Army knife with multiple uses. That’s the approach Henkel is taking with its newly launched Purex Complete 3-in-1 sheets. The product, which combines a load's worth of detergent, fabric softener and anti-static molecules all in one sheet, satisfies consumers' demand for simplicity, convenience and sustainability in the wash cycle, said Eric Schwartz, vp-laundry care for Henkel (pictured). And, purchasing all three items separately would cost more than the average retail price of $6 to $8 for a starter kit, he said. The marketing vp for Henkel's U.S. laundry care recently spoke with Brandweek about fabric care trends, what's driving the category and what consumers really want from a load's worth of clean clothes-aside from the fresh scent, of course.
Brandweek: Henkel most recently launched Purex Complete 3-in-1 laundry sheets. What was the thinking behind that?
Eric Schwartz: We know consumers have been dissatisfied with the laundry process. That is where the idea for 3-in-1 sheets came from. As consumers become more time deprived, they are looking for products that simplify their busy lives. Based on a lot of research from those dissatisfied consumers, we know the vast majority of consumers want benefits of cleaning, softening and anti-static right now. Purex 3-in-1 provides this in an all-in-one laundry solution.
BW: What kind of consumer mindset/need are you tapping into?
ES: The exciting thing about this launch is it taps into more than just being convenience-minded. It taps into consumers' desire for simplicity in their lives, which has come to the forefront. In these tougher times, they are also looking for value.
BW: Has Purex ever tried to do something like this before? If so, what was it? (Or, was there a product that came close to this?)
ES: This is the biggest launch in the history of Purex in Henkel's U.S. laundry care. In the past, we had been fast followers in innovation in the laundry detergent category, but this is the first time we are leading with a game changing innovation. We put a lot into this from an R&D perspective, [including] a 10X concentration of detergent, and the non-woven technology, which is designed to be capable of not only holding a full load of detergent on a single sheet, but also carrying the fabric softeners and the anti-static activators intact through the washer into the dryer. You can't do that with anything that's been on the market before. [Or at least,] you can't do it well. These product developments are significant. It's been more than five years in the making.
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