I did a "tear-down" of P&G's Head & Shoulder's live hero images on UK retailers
By oliverjohnbradley · September 16, 2026 · Curated by George's Blog
I did a "tear-down" of P&G's Head & Shoulder's live hero images on UK retailers and this what sticks out to me and what they missed completely.
I love that finally they are using the GS1 template for size off pack on "tall-thin" hero images.
And...I love that they moved to "Crop & Zoom" & credit where it's due it REALLY WORKS
✅ Brand: Instantly recognisable.
✅ Variant: "Classic Clean" Clear contrast, Cambridge Clarity pass.
✅ Size: Easy to spot, Cambridge Clarity Pass using the GS1 template.
That nails most of 4Ws right off the bat, so pack recognition, and size isn't the issue here.
The trouble starts when brand teams try to cram physical-pack marketing claims onto a 16mm mobile thumbnail.
On Head & Shoulders, they tried squeezing in dual claims. BOTH fail miserably.
❌ Cambridge Visual Clarity test: FAIL.
When your text falls below visual clarity thresholds at mobile scale, it stops being a benefit and turns into visual friction. It's just cognitive clutter that slows down the purchase decision.
Crop & Zoom is a huge step up from uploading flat packaging renders, but if you don't test your hero images scientifically, you're still guessing.
If it fails Cambridge Clarity, and RHINO "Glance-Readability" it's simply not communicating. Don't make your claims a lost cause by not testing for clarity.