• AdAge, Tuesday, May 20, 2008 10:16 AM

What's in a color? More than a name, apparently. As Nutrasweet introduces table-top, single-serve packets for the first time in its history, the company is hoping some familiar colors will give its sweetener a head start.

The new packets feature Nutrasweet's familiar red-swirl logo on backgrounds that deliberately trade on years of branding by competitors Equal (blue), Sweet'N Low (pink) and Splenda (yellow). "Sweetener users have been trained to look for the color packet that represents a certain sweet taste profile," said a spokeswoman for NutraSweet. "Consumers use sweeteners by color."

Competitors aren't commenting yet, but analysts say Nutrasweet has an uphill climb. The brand is primarily known as an ingredient in other products, so aping a competitor's colors to distinguish oneself is of questionable value.

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