Saw an article in the WSJ today that explained how some retailers are cutting back on the variety of different products they are selling, simplifying the aisles with less, I guess you could say noise, and focusing on the dominant brands for a particular category.  It mentioned how Wal-Mart sold 24 different tape measures in the past but now is only selling 4 versions.  I laughed a little bit because just this morning I was opening a new tube of toothpaste.  Well, that's not the part that made me laugh.  The laugh came when I was trying to discern what made this particular brand of Crest different than the other brand I used to use, and how many different versions of Crest there are now.  There is the whitening brand. And then the sparkly brand.  And then the whitening brand that sparkles..  It's kinda weird.  I mean, we used to be happy with just the bland bluish paste that came out of the white tube, but now we seem to need all of these crazy versions..  Then I read this article, so maybe we won't get these crazy versions for too much longer.  I personally have always subscribed to the KISS theory.  You know, Keep It Simple Stupid.  But I know some marketing and brand managers that might be a little upset right now.

Me, I like the old stuff.

But this is kinda fun for a change I guess!

I don't think this means the deathknell for brand innovation or variety.  It might just mean that you have to look a little harder for your favorite brand of toothpaste though.