Anyone that creates a product of ANY kind needs to know the answer to this question. Admittedly, it’s a bit of a no-brainer. From websites to winnebagos, the more you know about how your product will be used, the better off you’ll be. It’s always interesting to take a look at a product that, in my opinion, completely missed the boat when it came time to decide on a visual identity. The people behind FABULOSO didn’t only miss the boat; they forgot to buy a ticket.
I’ve walked by this product six times in the last three days. It’s currently sitting on the sink in our design studio. EACH time I pass it I wonder if someone has set out a tasty beverage they’re wanting to share with the rest of us. See those apples and pears on the label? Yum! Looks fruity and refreshing. And the new, easy grip bottle? Reminds me of a jug of Ocean Spray. From the see-through plastic to the 2-liter lid, Fabuloso sends off enough “DRINK ME” signals to make me parched every time I walk by it. I’m tempted to gulp it down even when I know what it is. And what it is is toxic.
Fabuloso is a multi-use cleaner, a product that's supposed to get rid of soap scum and make your linoleum sparkle. It’s not supposed to look drinkable. And yet it does. It looks like something you’d pour yourself a glass of after a trip to the gym. It looks like it replaces electrolytes. It looks like the drink a thirsty child would grab if they were all out of Sunny D. It’s suffering from a serious design problem. To be fair, the makers of Fabuloso have designed their product with a child safety cap, but if it didn’t look so appealing, children probably wouldn’t reach for it in the first place.
Do the makers of Fabuloso want their product to appear fruity and delicious? I’m sure they don’t. A design team made some poor decisions in portraying what the product is used for. It’s a mistake that could have serious consequences.
By fully understanding how a product should be used (and in this case, how a product SHOULDN’T be) a designer can make solid choices that help eliminate any confusion as to what the product is. They can ensure the choices they make will be perceived accurately, in accordance with the product’s intentions. A big reason many of us got into design in the first place is to make the world a little less confusing, and products like Fabuloso are a great example of the power that design has on our senses and perceptions. No one should get thirsty when they see something toxic. Designers can communicate a lot better than that.
For the record, I’d much rather have my multi-use cleaner look like this. This doesn’t look thirst-quenching. Not in the slightest.
