How Boring Products Become Viral Brands

Brands are making boring products cool again and it's working. Take Touchland. They turned hand sanitizer into an $880M business. Thanks to counterintuitive strategy that fuels explain. Let me explain. Before Touchland, the hand sanitizer industry was dominated by Purell. Products were sticky, smelly, and utilitarian. They were found in pharmacy bins and hospitals. The whole category sold through necessity. But after several years of working in the industry, Andrea Lasbana saw an opportunity to make hand sanitizer something that people actually look forward to using. Here's how. First, she designed for desire. Created the "Apple of hand sanitizers" – sleek, colorful sprays you'd proudly display (or post). Instead of optimizing for function, she created the Apple of hand sanitizer with sleek pocket-sized sprays and bright colors with modern typography. That form factor became part of the brand experience. Something you'd proudly display on your bag or desk and post on social media. She reframed the product. Adding moisturizing ingredients to make hands feel soft after each use. And partnering with the iconic fragrance house to develop satisfying scents. So instead of competing with existing sanitizers on cost, she was able to sell her product as self-care in Sephora for $10 a bottle. And lastly, she made it collectible. Limited drops and iconic collabs turned a necessity into a lifestyle accessory. Not only cemented Touchland into a lifestyle brand, but also turned Vials into coveted objects worth showing. From Hello Kitty to Disney. Each edition drove sustained relevance and awareness. Which ultimately helped the brand sell for $880 million. All because Andrea transformed a boring, aspirational identity. And ultimately, a necessity into a lifestyle brand, but also turned Vials into coveted objects worth showing.