One of the many exciting things about being NetBase’s CMO is that I have a tool like ConsumerBase at my fingertips. This column will show ConsumerBase in action – I’ll occasionally point it at different brands and topics and report back the  insights I discover. You’re welcome to join the conversation and suggest what you’d like to see here in the future.

Recently, I looked at that familiar germ-killing mouthwash – Listerine.

Using ConsumerBase, I found many “novel uses” for Listerine that showed up repeatedly in consumer chatter. Here are the top 3 – did you know that Listerine is used:

• As a cure for toenail fungus
• As a treatment for athlete’s foot
• To keep floors extra clean

Who knew?!?  Maybe the makers of Listerine could also be in the athlete’s foot cream business!

ConsumerBase can also uncover what people like and dislike about a brand. My favorite insight about why people love Listerine?

• The smell of it reminds them of Grandpa

That one struck a chord for me personally, as my grandpa, “Handsome Hy”, was a “yellow user” himself and always smelled of it,  plus old spice.

Please feel free to add a comment and let me know where you’d like to see ConsumerBase pointed next. For now, I’ll pick a couple of topics and deliver the insights I discover in this column.