Shelf review: Lynx Bullet

The product’s launch is supported by an £8m media spend, which will include a television advertising campaign.

According to Unilever, the new format is being released as a response to the UK’s smoking ban, which, the company says, has resulted in unpleasant body odours becoming more noticeable in pubs and clubs.

Graphics 5/10
The graphics for the Bullet are similar to those used for the brand’s standard-size deodorants. The product’s size, young target market and name could have presented an opportunity to do something different, and the idea is undoubtedly modern and state-of-the-art, yet the packaging and graphics, with standard Lynx graphics and colours in miniature, aren’t bold enough.

 With fragrances such as Vice and Temptation, there has been an obvious attempt to create a ‘sexy’ image, but the twin packs, comprising a clamshell mounted on card, look more like something that could be found on an old-fashioned lipstick or a packet of batteries.

The reverse of the packaging provides safety instructions, ingredients and a contact address, but little branding.

Function 8/10
The tiny deodorants can easily fit into the palm or top pocket, and they look and work more like a breath freshener than a standard deodorant. In a club or pub, they would be ideal, although their diminutive size is perhaps not the most masculine of attributes. The black plastic top also looks slightly bulky, which makes the product appear a little cumbersome despite its slight overall size.

The range could have been given even more of a cutting-edge appearance with a modern, slick design similar to that of a computer memory stick. Lynx Bullet could be used anywhere, although some people might want to do so discreetly.

On-shelf 5/10
The packaging sits well alongside the rest of the Lynx range but struggles to stand out on the shelf, and against the larger deodorants from the brand it becomes lost. The advertising supporting the launch will be important to this product because at first glance it is not obvious that the Bullet is a deodorant.

Overall 7/10
The Bullet is a good idea, and many young men will no doubt find it useful and easy to use when they are out. It’s just a shame the packaging does little to promote this aspect of the product.

Monica Lucas of Pragma takes a look at the packaging of a well-known brand in the retail environment from the consumer’s point of view. Pragma specialises in providing strategies for success in the retail, branding and leisure markets. www.pragmauk.com

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