As a designer' you automatically fall into the habit of wearing nothing but black every day of your life and I can't deny that there's more black, blue and grey than red, green and orange in my wardrobe. I suppose therefore there is a market for a product like this, as consumers crave products that suit every corner of their multi-layer lives. Black Velvet will inevitably receive a heavy investment through advertising. and I think it'll need it. The packaging gives little clue to its specialness and even the name Black Velvet is misleading; it throws out messages of smoothness. Velvet is the last thing I would associate with putting in a washing machine. The packaging didn't say washing detergent either, although I suppose the Persil name does give it away. It certainly didn't evoke any association with black clothes. One of my colleagues (female ­ and I think it is aimed at women) said the girl's dress and shoes were nice, but the picture did not suggest washing black clothes. When all that's said and done, Persil is a great brand, pioneer in its category. Black Velvet was an inevitable development and in terms of Does it fit?', well, yes it does. It has all the great qualities of the Persil brand ­ good quality, reliability, simplicity and added value. Did I notice any difference to my blacks after the wash? No, but then it is a six month investment in your clothes rather than a one-off wash situation. I don't think Black Velvet is going to be an earthmover, but I can see that there will be a dedicated following from those who crave another gadget in their lives. {{MARKETING - P&P }}