SpongeBob Toothbrush Redesign

Abstract

The goal of this project was to redesign the Spongebob electronic toothbrush to increase its appeal to its primary market.  After interviewing several different groups of people we were able to determine consumer needs for our product.  We then performed product decomposition on the toothbrush to find out how it worked and how we could incorporate our consumer needs into its redesign.  With the use of several different techniques and external research we were able to develop a new concept design for our product.  Keeping in mind its adolescent market, which is essentially the parental consumer market, we developed an innovative design that enhances the product’s appeal monetarily, aesthetically, and hygienically. 

Introduction

The electric toothbrush has seen a few different design trends.  At first, electric toothbrushes were more of an appliance than a simple tool.  They were typically large—much larger than their manual counterparts, and much more expensive.  These toothbrushes usually included a rechargeable battery, interchangeable brush heads, and were cumbersome to use.

Now there is a new design trend in the market.  Instead of creating an electric toothbrush which acted like an appliance, companies began creating toothbrushes that were as similar to manual toothbrushes as possible.  This included size, features, and the ability to throw it away after a period of time. The Spongebob SquarePants toothbrush by Colgate fits this disposable toothbrush convention.  It is intended for children, and must be designed accordingly.  Keeping this in mind, we faced the challenge of redesigning the Spongebob toothbrush to better fit our market. 

After collecting customer data and formulating customer needs, we began to get a picture of what was desirable in the market.  With this in mind, we dissected the current SpongeBob toothbrush, collected technical data, and saw where our toothbrush fell short.  We then generated design concepts, incorporating ways to improve the toothbrush, and selected the best aspects of each design into our final concept.  This prototype embodies all the best aspects in an electric toothbrush for children, and should be very desirable to parents.

Mission Statement

Product Description:
Redesign of the SpongeBob electric toothbrush for children so that it is easier to use, easier to hold, more efficient at cleaning, and more appealing to its markets.

Primary Market:
Parents of young children ages 3 and up.

Secondary Markets:
Children ages 3 and up.

Assumptions:
-Cordless
-Handheld
-Replaceable alkaline batteries