Say ‘hello’ to Seriously Friendly Oral Care

March 20, 2013Hello Products greets the world with the launch of the first-ever seriously friendly oral care line, called “hello.” With a lineup of 99% natural toothpaste, mouthwash and breath sprays, “hello” promises a friendly mouth: healthy, white teeth, fresh breath, and a clean, moisturized mouth – with no harsh chemicals, artificial colors, alcohol or pain. The “hello” brand debuts in distinctive designs created by BMW Group DesignworksUSA, a subsidiary of BMW Group, and offers a departure from traditional bottles and tubes. In an unprecedented relationship between a consumer packaged goods (CPG) company and the world-renowned design arm of the performance automotive leader, “hello” and BMW Group DesignworksUSA partnered to create breakthrough solutions that bring the brand’s seriously friendly spirit to life.

All “hello” products are available in four flavors, including Supermint, Pink Grapefruit Mint, Mojito Mint and Sweet Cinnamint. Beginning this week, hello is available nationwide in Walgreens and Duane Reade stores, with additional retailers to follow worldwide.

“With so many brands talking about killing and fighting, we thought it was time to unleash products that explored the friendly side of oral care,” said Craig Dubitsky, Founder and CEO of hello. “Our 99% natural products bring all of the performance and none of the pain, and they taste – and look – incredible.”

Hello Products describes its formulations as 99% natural and 100% nice, featuring proven ingredients that don’t rely on stinging alcohol, artificial colors and sweeteners, or harsh chemicals. The company says the alcohol-free mouthwashes taste amazing and are refreshingly clear, with no dyes. The breath sprays are also alcohol-free, portable, displayable and shareable. The toothpastes feature flavors that freshen breath and help keep teeth clean and healthy, as well as a unique dispensing cap.

Other characteristics of the “hello” products include:

“hello” toothpaste features fluoride, which is known to help prevent cavities. The paste helps to strengthen and whiten teeth, while reducing the effects of acid erosion and tartar buildup. It is free of controversial ingredients such as triclosan and stannous fluoride.
“hello” toothpaste is made with a special type of silica, which gently and safely polishes stains off teeth and doesn’t contain harsh chemical whiteners like hydrogen peroxide, or the extra grit that others use to whiten teeth.
“hello” mouthwashes are alcohol-free

As for the design, “hello” and BMW Group DesignworksUSA sought to balance form and function, incorporating a soft, curved aesthetic and thoughtful, user-centric precision. All packaging on the mouthwashes, sprays and toothpastes are 100% custom, proprietary designs – from the pour-and-swig rings on the mouthwashes, to the sleek click-and-go sprays, to the “pastry bag tip” on the toothpaste.  Every aspect of the design, and how it relates to the user experience, was examined and optimized for friendliness.

“When Craig first came to us with the concept for ‘hello,’ everybody – from the President of DesignworksUSA all the way up to the Global Head of Design for BMW – got extremely excited by his idea to bring beauty and design to a category that’s lacking in both, yet is ubiquitous in our lives,” said Peter Falt, Director, BMW Group DesignworksUSA. “We collaborated every step of the way to bring Craig’s vision of ‘seriously friendly’ to life through design. In the end, we created solutions that are unique to [the] brand attributes, balancing premium and playfulness to bring beautiful, never-before-seen designs and fun-to-use form factors to an experience we all repeat every day.”

The “hello” products will be available nationwide in Walgreens, Duane Reade and select Target stores, as well as online at drugstore.com, beginning in mid-March 2013.