Reflection: Icons I found in my bathroom
Icons are everywhere. They may help us visualize information, call attention to something specific, or even communicate an entire message. They may warn us of a bumpy road, help navigate a museum or a website and even further express our emotions in text messages.
Since they can be found anywhere, I thought it would be interesting to explore my bathroom products to see which icons appeared in the packagings.
It’s interesting to note that most of my products are Brazilian, and still, I can bet anyone will be able to identify or even relate to most of them.
First off, I selected 5 icons that caught my attention in product packagings.
The recycling icon is one of the most known out there, widely used by the cosmetic industry to indicate that the product packaging can be recycled.
This symbol was designed in 1970 by Gary Anderson as part of a nationwide contest for high school and college students sponsored by the Container Corporation of America. It is composed of 3 curved arrows indicating a loop. Each arrow is supposed to represent one step of the recycling process: the collection of materials, the manufacturing of recycled products, and finally their purchase. (MTSU)
It’s worth noting that this icon speaks for itself, and no captions were needed beneath it to convey its meaning.
The flammable icon was found in an aerosol deodorant bottle and it represents what millions of teenagers have already attempted to do with a lighter and a deodorant.
The icon is composed of a fire flame and a bottom line. In this case, it was incorporated into a red shape to call attention. The caption underneath translates to “extremely flammable”.
This icon, together with its caption, is conveying the entirety of the message contained in the packaging.
The droplet icon was found in a saline solution bottle. It is present to reinforce a message integrated into the product label indicating that the product has a dripper.
This is a very clear and familiar icon. In this version, a highlight detail was added to its shape to provide volume.
The rabbit icon found in a shampoo bottle, together with its caption, indicates no animal testing in the development of the product. I found variations of it in other packages as well.
Rabbits are commonly used for cosmetic testing, so it makes sense that it is a symbol for cruelty-free labels. However, I initially was confused about its meaning in the package since negative statements usually receive an X on top. To me, it could easily be confused with an animal testing warning. In this case, captions were necessary for communicating the intended message.
Ok, I saved the best for last. With just one splash, this product eliminates poop smell (very efficient in shared-bathroom situations).
This icon (or combination of icons) tells a story. Since most people do not know the product’s function or how to use it, it easily indicates that it is supposed to be sprayed into the toilet and let magic do its trick. Simple and effective!
By incorporating it into the label, consumers can easily get around to using the product with no need to read the instructions in a hurry.
All of these icons tell a story. Some are well-known, while others were created specifically for the product. Some are extremely intuitive and others require captions to properly work. Either way, they all add value to their packaging and communicate an important message with little effort to the consumer.
