So this has been a topic that has made me think for quite some time now. So I have noticed that there is no norm or consistency when it comes to shampoo bottles. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but this most common issue that I have come across is that there is no distinction from shampoo and conditioner. There have been designs that have been done where one is a different color that the other or one is upside down and the other is not, but there is not true product language for telling them apart.
An example of my issue: My wife of course has long hair and uses both shampoo and conditioner, I on the other hand have a clipper cut so my hair is extremely short and I only require a small amount of shampoo which is usually what ever my wife buys. Both bottles are Black and the only difference between them other than the writing on one is white and the other is purple. This causes a problem as when I am showering and go to was my hair I reach down and grab the black bottle and have a 50% chance of choosing the right product. This is especially interesting as most people take showers in the morning after they wake up and the shower does not lend itself to examining thing.
My Question for discussion: I know that there are 2 in 1 products out there and each brand has come up with a different way to solve this with different shapes and colors, but what I am putting out there is how do you create that product identity. I think this is a bit different that brand identity, or is it? There are plenty of products out there that have done this. So how can you create that identity that when I go to grab the shampoo bottle, no matter what brand it is I know that it is shampoo not conditioner?
Has this research been done? Are there any P&G designers on here that could give some insight? What other products have done this? What other example of product identity are out there?