Every time we used to go to the grocery store at home, standing in the checkout line, my brother would always ask my mom if he could get some gum. However, any type of gum did not satisfy him. He had to have 5 Gum. Why would he have to have that specific type of gum every time? Well, because it was cool. At least that’s what he would say. Then, my mom jumped on the 5 Gum bandwagon and gave up her previous favorite Trident so she could, in her words, “upgrade,” to something that was better. Whatever the reason people decide to buy 5 Gum, I think the packaging is one reason why people are so attracted to it. The color scheme and subtle design nuances work to appeal to consumers’ pathos without actually telling about the taste which is what consumers are ideally looking for.
One thing to note about all of the packages is their use of color. They are mostly black with a burst of a bright color on the side (different colors for different flavors). The contrast between the black and bright colors gives an aura of mystery, almost daring consumers to try the gum. Black is also a very commanding color, almost telling consumers to try it. Additionally, black looks very professional and sophisticated, making the package appealing to a wide variety of consumers. These characteristics of the color have similar effects on all age groups, keeping the potential customer base as wide as possible. The black contrasted with bright colors separated by the number five helps to keep the packaging clean looking and crisp, allowing people to associate those traits with the gum they could be chewing if they bought 5 Gum. Just as the gum transitions from black to sudden neon, people looking at the gum can associate the unexpected transition with the flavor of the gum hitting them.
Another place where the black is contrasted with a sudden pop of neon color is where the actual name of the flavor is written beside a small shot of what looks like fire, but is different for each flavor in color and design. This strategy grants energy to the flavor before the consumer has even tasted it. Also, the names of the flavors are unique from other gums, and the logo is used in very clever ways on the packaging (i.e. the 5 is a man throwing out the box in a trash can as opposed to littering on the back). This works as an appeal to pathos through ego gratification; consumers who get the cleverness of the logo’s use feel included by the brand and start to feel attached to it through that interaction. Other features of the packaging like slight grips on the back, the shape of the package compared to other gums, and way of opening are also unique, making consumers feel like they own something special, driving them to want not any gum, but 5 Gum.
What's interesting is that, when you first mentioned 5 Gum, the first thing that came to my mind was how cool I think the box/packaging is. They have truly done a brilliant job of marketing their product, I think. It's almost like rebelling by buying their gum, except for the fact that buying the gum makes you too cool to want to rebel against anything. Your observations of the effects of the black used in the gum are very astute, I surely notice the effect colors have on me a lot more since we covered that in class!
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