The Matchmakers of 1890 had a problem. A big problem. Whilst the whole world wanted this new form of portable fire, there really wasn’t anything to make their matches stand out from their competitors. Every match offered exactly the same thing – when struck they produced a spark, a flame and then fizzled away.
So the matchmakers began to present their matches in beautifully designed matchboxes, creating eye-catching designs and memorable imagery that would appeal to consumers. This strategy was so successful that market share could be gained simply by being the most attractive product on the shelf.