FIRST LOOK; A Little Brush, Reborn - oral b toothbrush

Works of Xu Mingzhu.
Say goodbye to a product so familiar that you may not know it is classic.
Bid farewell to a design that stays on the market longer than any other similar product.
While you're here, say goodbye to an era that rewards simple design on pharmacy shelves.
Initial Oral B indicator toothbrush, one of the last huge quality
Now, the design of the product on the market is tilting towards a younger, more curved pattern. Braun Hotel-
The German manufacturer of modern electrical appliances developed the original Oral B indicator at the end of 1980s. (
It is owned by Oral B Company bolanggillette. )
To align with the company's design director Dieter Rams's rigorous aesthetic of everyday items such as travel alarm clocks and coffee pots, the indicator is a minimalist manual indicator
Mission Building-specific.
In this humble tool, each angle and rib is taken into account, and each angle and rib exists to move a small brush around each of your teeth.
The brush is called an indicator because its blue bristles turn white when it needs to be replaced.
In February 2001, in this neat and upscale suburb of Frankfurt, Braun's design studio was asked to update the original indicators ---
Do not change the name or unique bristles--
For an era from technology to complexity
Coffee shop full of sneakers, dazzling choice.
"The new one, with a large, superproportional curve, has the look of a Mae West, compared to the look of the original Jean Harlow ---
Exhibition director Donald Albrecht of Cooper said: "streamline"
National Museum of Hewitt design
He added that designers seem to be "competing with luxury upgrades in the bathroom "---
Make it sexy trend. Visually, Mr.
Albrecht prefers the old indicator: "It has a clean, hygienic quality like a good porcelain sink.
Advertising during market dominance of indicators (more than a 1.
Since its launch in 1991, the United States has sold 25 billion vehicles)
It is almost an essential accessory in daily life, stored on toothbrush holders across the United States.
Today's indicator, straight-
Edge and translucent, replaced by colorful curves, curves and biological forms made by Colgate, Reach and Aquafresh, which are constantly on the shelves of American pharmacies
From Winkler, 37-year-
The old product designer, the design team started to create a new version for sale at the same low price ($1. 99)
As with its predecessor, install the same narrow American toothbrush holder.
In an interview at his studio, in dozens of prototypes
Winkler describes the long winding road leading to the final design, with its gently-dive shaft and soft ergonomic handle already beginning to appear on store shelves. Q.
What are the difficulties in designing a toothbrush? A.
The challenge is that it looks very simple, and because every detail is important, it's really complicated.
If I told people that I was the designer of a manual toothbrush, the process would take half a year and they would think I was crazy. Q.
The complexity of the handle or bristles? A.
In fact, human beings are complex.
If you think that everyone has different hands and there are a lot of different ways to use a toothbrush, a toothbrush has to hold all these variables and you will realize the difficulty. Q.
So how did you design it? A.
We started building models very quickly, and we built dozens of models.
This is important because the toothbrush is alive or dead depending on how you feel in your hand.
You can make beautiful renderings, but they can't give you the information you need to evaluate the form.
From the beginning, a big problem is how far we should be from the direct indicator design.
We would also like to investigate using the second softer material integrated into the handle.
One thing that is very clear is what the head will look like.
We decided to move away from the head of the rectangle, but with the Oval --
The shape of the head that has been listed as it feels softer in your mouth and looks more beautiful. AdvertisementQ.
Why is the original indicator toothbrush put on the ranch? A.
The fact is that sales have fallen.
At the same price, competitive products have more volume and extra soft material on the handle, so it is easy for consumers to turn to products that look more valuable. Q.
Do you think the original indicator is out of date? A.
No unnecessary details, this is a classic product.
Very honest.
But it may be obvious.
I believe many people like it very much because it is too ordinary.
You can say that it is a toothbrush, and it is only simplified as an absolute basic necessity.
But I believe more consumers will think that the new design is more attractive and valuable. Q.
What improvements have you made to the new indicators? A.
From the beginning, we wanted to use
Quality plastic like the original.
We then introduced a second softer material for the thumb and grip, which is where we study many changes and try multiple grips.
The whole handle still has to be thin enough to fit into the toothbrush holder.
What can we do. Q.
Does the toothbrush become a fashion accessory similar to a mobile phone or watch? A.
Now there are more toothbrush styles.
They are big and noisy, so people see them on the shelves and say, oh, what is this?
Ten years ago, this did not exist at all. Q.
Braun is famous for being crisp and hard.
Edge design, but now the trend is organic and soft.
How do you reconcile the two? A.
Our challenge is to find new shapes;
While we strive to keep our roots in mind, we are also looking for new designs.
This is a very difficult challenge.
It is a very small Road to find the right way. Q.
You are also facing the challenge of designing for global markets.
How does this affect your work? A.
This means you can't make extraordinary designs.
You have to make a design for everyone.
If you try something too complicated, it's clear that only 20% of users will like it, and you will fail no matter how much you personally like it. AdvertisementQ.
How to determine whether the toothbrush design works? A.
Oral B did a lot of market testing and focus groups.
But I usually feel that way.
You know from the reaction you got. Q.
What did you learn from the focus group? A.
They were asked what they liked and didn't like about the visual look.
They were then asked to hold it in their hands and they described their reaction to ergonomics.
They then take out their favorite products from this group and compare them with competing products.
It is useful to see people's ideas, but as a designer, it is a cruel process.
It's wrong that you can't tell them their point of view!
Market research is important in my opinion, but it should not be the only basis for your design decisions.
It does not expect where the market will go in five years. Q.
What toothbrush do you use at home? A.
I have been trying different ways.
I have about 16 toothbrushes in my bathroom. Q.
Your job seems to follow you home.
Do you have a toothbrush holder? A. No.
We don't have anything crazy in Germany.
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A version of the interview was printed on page F00001 of the National edition on August 1, 2002. The title is: first look;
A little brush, reborn.