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Customer Stories

Plastic Ingenuity Redesigns Hearing Aid Battery Package for Improved Ease of Use

Closeup of a hearing aid

The Challenge

Addressing Accessibility with Modern Design

Rayovac’s Interton hearing aid dial battery package had not been updated since the mid-1990s. The original design required consumers to carefully flip the package over to access the battery, which risked the battery falling out. Because the majority of hearing aid users are geriatric consumers, this dexterity requirement was proving difficult for many users. Consumer feedback also indicated that the small size of the package’s battery door was making it challenging for users to remove the battery. Finally, Rayovac wanted to refresh the look of their product and replace their existing packaging information with a fresh marketing message.

Rayovac custom thermoformed packaging

The Process

Hearing Consumer Pain-Points

To address the client’s three main issues, our team got to work developing the new hearing aid packaging. The innovative redesign offers a distinctly intuitive, satisfying user experience. The new package incorporates two notches that can be broken apart to access the product for the first time. Unbroken notches signify uncompromised product integrity and that the product has not been tampered with. An injection-molded dial securely stores the batteries while providing ample access to easily remove a single battery, eliminating the need to turn over the package and minimizing the risk of the battery falling out. The new dial also incorporates a larger tab and an audible indexing feature allowing for intuitive dial rotation and a more logical user experience.

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    Modern Packaging Solutions

    Using new plastic manufacturing tech, we created a more durable package material.

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    Sturdier Materials

    The old design used cardstock backing prone to wear. The new plastic maintains integrity after multiple uses.

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    Reduced Waste

    We achieved a more environmentally friendly product with reusable boxes for transport and by coring the injection-molded dial.

Rayovac custom thermoformed packaging

The Solution

A Loud & Clear Success

Earning multiple awards, the innovative new features in Rayovac’s hearing aid dial battery package proved to be quite successful. The unique packaging design was commended for its consumer-friendly approach, delivering drastically improved ease of use to elderly consumers.

As an additional benefit, the new package complements a fully automated production process. Filled on a production line, trimmed on matched-metal trim presses, and run on existing thermoforming equipment, the dial battery package production process is more efficient, consistent, and accurate. This new automation has led to efficiency improvements in Rayovac’s operations.

The Results

An Advance in Ease of Use

Awards: 2018 AmeriStar for Health & Beauty Aids & Progressive Grocer’s 2018 Editor’s Pick

accessibility improvements: tamper-proof notches, easier battery removal, a tactile dial.

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years since the last packaging update presented an opportunity for an accessibility upgrade.