Post # 196 - Crest For Kids Choke-A-Kid Toothpaste Cap

My letter to Crest, sent 6/9/2011:

Dear Crest,

When a child is brought into the world, parents have responsibilities.  Childproof the cupboards.  Put those little plastic things in all of the unused outlets.  Remove any lead based paint.  If the dog is mean with kids, adios, Spot.  Cut things like grapes and hot dogs into tiny pieces.

Forward thinking companies like Fisher Price came to the party, making their Little People a little less little.  Other companies like General Mills developed cereals with a built in air hole.  Did you know that choking is the fourth leading cause of unintentional death in children under the age of 5, and that children under age 5 are at greatest risk for choking injury and death.  Children under the age of 5 have teeth that must be brushed.

You seem to put the flip caps on some of your toothpastes, but not others.  Travel Crest has a removable cap because there’s nothing like searching the hotel bathroom floor for a stray cap, wondering if, and praying that the hotel maids did a downtown job cleaning the floor. 

Why does Kid’s Crest have a twist off cap that could choke a kid?   Why?  Give me one good reason that isn’t “the flip thing gets clogged.”  That’s the least of a parent’s worries.  There isn’t a good reason, and you and I both know it.  Let’s face it—this all comes down to dollars and cents.

Why not redesign the tube to accommodate a big, big flip cap—a flip cap that couldn’t choke Andre the Giant in his heyday. 

I would appreciate a written explanation.   If you need, I’ll come down there and design it for you.

Sincerely,

Jerry
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Crest response, sent 6/10/2011:
Hi Jerry,

Thanks for contacting Crest.

We appreciate your taking the time to share your suggestions for possible improvements to Crest. While I can’t promise anything, many of our decisions to change or improve products are based on feedback from concerned consumers like you. Please be assured I’m sharing your recommendations with the rest of the Crest Team.

Thanks again for getting in touch!

Laure
Crest Team
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Subject: RE: Thank you for contacting P&G [ ref:00D7JViV.5007HQSH3:ref ]
Date: Tue, 28 Jun 2011

Hi Laure,

I'm just following up.  So what'd they say?  Clearly when it was brought up that a children's toothpaste cap could choke a child, someone in the board room took the assignment to fix it.

In a society that halves its grapes and puts holes in its cereal, how could this cap pass the laugh test?

The Jart people responded swiftly.  The Easy Bake Oven people turned that thing into something that isn't even fun anymore.  At least it's safe though.

What will Crest do?

Sincerely,

Jerry

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