De-branded

Some brands are so iconic and engrained in our subconscious that they don’t even need their brand name or logo displayed on their goods for us to recognise them.

Selfridges has launched The Quiet Room this January, which is a concept in de-branding and selling some of the world’s most recognisable brands which I think is a fascinating experiment in how consumers react to products and a real first in the retail world where there is such a pre-occupation with brand names and branding.

Now I could recognise a Marmite jar anywhere, and just had to have this one to add to my collection of limited edition jars (should I admit this?). But how many of the de-branded goods currently on sale at Selfridges could you recognise? Take a look at the website and see how well you do in recognising the products – http://nonoise.selfridges.com/.

To be honest the task isn’t terribly onerous as items aren’t completely without branding; how else would you recognise a pot of Crème de la Mer without the tell-tale pink splash? And indeed it is questionable how premium this product still looks?

But whatever your thoughts are on Selfridges’ experiment, some of the de-branded products have really captured the consumer’s imagination. Design Week reported yesterday that all of the Heinz Tomato Ketchup bottles and Heinz Baked Beans cans sold out within six days of going on sale in store!