The marketing brilliance of Altoids

"The marketing brilliance of Altoids" by Tom Nardacci

How would you feel if someone with an Altoid tin took a piece and popped it in their mouth, but then put the tin away without offering to share?

Successful package marketing can impact behavior. I was at a non-profit board meeting recently and watched as someone opened a tin of Altoids and proceeded to pass it around the table, even there were some twenty people in attendance. The act was second nature.

I've read a number of case studies and articles about the development of the Altoids tin, and the real brilliance of this product is that it was made to share. You really have to watch in admiration of the marketing genius, because when someone takes out the tin they have to share. It's become a social norm.

Gum manufacturers have jumped on the bandwagon, as packaging is now more sharing-friendly with the introduction of brands such as Orbit. However, the sentiment isn't exactly the same – well not yet, anyway. A person can still reach into their pocket or handbag and produce a piece of gum without necessarily being noticed. The individual wrapping makes this possible. The Altoid tin makes this impossible, as you run the risk of spilling the loose mints everywhere. The act of physically removing the tin from a pocket or handbag, removing the lid, and taking an Altoid draws attention from surrounding persons. In other words, it gets the marketing ball rolling.

The person in possession of the mints then undoubtedly feels the need to offer them to others. These people may be thinking "I haven't had one of these in ages" or "I forgot how well these worked", and recall this information next time they're in the checkout line of their local drugstore or supermarket. This chain reaction increases Altoid sales without a cent being spent on advertising. Curiously strong? You bet.