Brand Packaging articles from January 2009

Brand Packaging archives from January 2009

Challenge, and opportunity.
January 1, 2009... It's amazing how quickly time flies once you reach a "certain age" (ouch). As I sit here writing this for our first issue of 2009, I'm tempted to look at the horizon before putting my head down to tackle the year ahead. As I do so, two words...

Upcycled packaging promoted at Target.(NEXT+NOW)(Brief article)
January 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Cookie wrappers that have been "upcycled", or refashioned into a useful product, were the focus of a promotion at Target from September to December 2008. The retailer featured an end-cap display that cross-promoted...

Front-of-pack nutrition labeling: more clutter?(NEXT+NOW)(Brief article)
January 1, 2009... Major food and beverage manufacturers have committed to the Smart Choices Program, a front-of-pack nutrition labeling system expected to roll out in mid-2009. The goal is to offer a single, at-a-glance calorie information system for shoppers...

Consumer confusion: recycling.(NEXT+NOW)
January 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] More than nine out of 10 Americans report they have seen the recycled symbol on products they purchase, according to a Consumer Choice Survey by Frost & Sullivan. But, apparently, few really know what it means: 68...

Heard!(NEXT+NOW)(Brief article)
January 1, 2009... "2008 saw unprecedented growth of private label sales. Winning back these shoppers will not be easy for branded manufacturers. Look for established brands to aggressively go after private label switchers [in 2009] with innovative packaging,...

How to thrive in '09: top trends to help you make the best of the coming year.
January 1, 2009... Who cares about innovation? Why should we bother to look at inventive formulations, positioning or packaging--particularly in uncertain economic times? * Consider these data points: The Food Marketing Institute says there are 34,000 U.S....

Global design: who's leading the way.
January 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The world's attention seems to focus on Cannes in the South of France each spring, at film festival time. But the phenomenal buzz of the renowned International Film Festival is not confined to the latest movies and...

HP rethinks packaging itself.(CATEGORY ANALYSIS: CONSUMER ELECTRONICS)
January 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] HP replaced the conventional packaging of its Pavilion dv6929 notebook computer with a messenger bag made from 100 percent recycled materials, reducing 97 percent of the packaging consumers need to discard. Figuring...

Premiere packaging.(CATEGORY ANALYSIS: CONSUMER ELECTRONICS)
January 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Nokia 6205 mobile phone launched a special edition earlier this year as an homage to the latest Batman movie, The Dark Knight. The themed black flip phone is embellished with a subtle movie emblem and housed in...

Smaller packs, bigger benefits.(CATEGORY ANALYSIS: CONSUMER ELECTRONICS)(Brief article)
January 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] AVF, a supplier of TV wall mounts, showcased a new range at this month's Consumer Electronics Show. The flat panel TV mounts and accessories line is housed in 50 percent smaller packaging sizes, with multiple...

Easy-open mouse packaging.(CATEGORY ANALYSIS: CONSUMER ELECTRONICS)
January 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] With consumer research and feedback indicating a preference for secure, yet straightforward ways to open packaging, Microsoft has been working on the opening experience of its plastic packaging. The latest...

Dressing up direct-to-consumer packaging.(CATEGORY ANALYSIS: CONSUMER ELECTRONICS)(Olive Media Products)(Brief article)
January 1, 2009... Olive Media Products retails its digital music systems in the United States exclusively through its own web site. Recognizing that every detail can enhance the brand experience, the audio company developed a shipping box to maximize that first...

Graphics reinforce in-use experience.(CATEGORY ANALYSIS: CONSUMER ELECTRONICS)
January 1, 2009... T-Mobile partnered with Google on the launch of its G1 phone, which leverages Google innovations with the goal of accelerating mass adoption of the mobile Web (apparently, most people aren't currently accessing the Internet from their phones)....

Downsizing on the way up--but at what cost to brands?(food packaging safety and costs)
January 1, 2009... Ice cream containers are subtly being tapered. Cereal boxes are getting slimmer. And the pushup on the bottom of peanut containers is getting, well, pushed up. Brands are struggling for ways to manage higher material, commodity and energy...

Weathering the downturn: a researcher's perspective.(CONSUMER INSIGHTS)
January 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A recent announcement by the National Bureau of Economic Research confirmed what has been a foregone conclusion. The United States is now "officially" in a recession. Amidst daily headlines of bailouts, bankruptcies...

Adult or rejuvenile? A look at the growing trend of adults cultivating tastes and mindsets traditionally associated with people younger than themselves.(CONSUMER TRENDS)
January 1, 2009... I came across Chris Noxon's book Rejuvenile before boarding a red eye flight home from Los Angeles. By the time the flight was over, I had read the entire book and sent an email to the author to arrange a meeting. For those of you who...

Nutrition made simple.(MATERIALS UPDATE: LABELS)
January 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Sunny Delight's FruitSimple is a line of 100 percent pure fruit smoothies developed to provide a practical way to supply nutrition for the entire family. An 8oz glass offers the equivalent of two whole servings of...

Upside down, you're turning me.(MATERIALS UPDATE: LABELS)
January 1, 2009... The House of Piper Heidsieck called on Dutch fashion designers Viktor & Rolf to reinvent the packaging of the brand's champagne Rose Sauvage for an exclusive limited edition. The pair literally turned the brand on its head, keeping all of the...

Bottled water with a sustainable twist.(MATERIALS UPDATE: LABELS)
January 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Aloha PureWater and Aloha DeepWater come from clean artesian waters filtered by natural volcanic rock hundreds of feet beneath the Hawaiian Islands. Marketed for their natural health benefits, the waters are packaged...

"Beauty juice" sold against cosmetics.(PACKAGING THAT SELLS)
January 1, 2009... Nestle launched Glowelle--a so-called "beauty juice"--in upscale department stores like Neiman Marcus this September. The high-end positioning meant the package had to convey the appropriate image. And it does, with a simple, tapered bottle and...

Luxury organic skincare.(PACKAGING THAT SELLS)
January 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Organicare, a USDA Organic-certified skincare line, launched as an alternative to the established brands sold at cosmetics counters of luxury retailers. To compete, the packaging had to be sophisticated and...

Student designs personal care brand.(PACKAGING THAT SELLS)
January 1, 2009... Blum Naturals took an unconventional approach to designing packaging for its line of face cleansing towlettes, face wash, oil absorbing tissues and eye cleansing pads. The company reached out to the School of Art and Design at Pratt Institute...

Vendable V8s.(PACKAGING THAT SELLS)
January 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Campbell Soup Co. redesigned its V8 and V8 V-Fusion 12oz lines with a custom hot-fill PET bottle that allows the brand to now be sold via vending machines. "We were looking at ways to move into distribution channels...

Get to know your chicken.(PACKAGING THAT SELLS)(Brief article)
January 1, 2009... Just BARE Chicken has adopted packaging that lets shoppers trace each bird to the family farm where it originated. Sold nationally at SuperTarget and regionally at Hy-Vee and other chains, the new brand features a "Family Farm Code" on each...

McDonald's touts food quality.(PACKAGING THAT SELLS)
January 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] McDonald's latest global package designs have shifted from a lifestyle approach to a food and ingredient-focused message. The new packaging, which rolled out in November 2008, blends text and imagery to put a "food...

Refill, reuse, recycle.(FINLAND)
January 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Plup Lahdevesi (spring water) is marketed in a donut-shaped .4L bottle that consumers are encouraged to refill and reuse, in a variety of creative ways. The project is part of the brand's overriding commitment to...

Like a million bucks.(FRANCE)
January 1, 2009... In a masculine and modern bottle shaped like a gold ingot, 1 Million is Paco Rabanne's latest perfume for men. Created by designer Noe Duchaufour-Lawrance (www.neonata.fr), the packaging is comprised of a gold-anodized aluminum front plate,...

Pushing the limits of PET.(SPAIN)
January 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Lanjaron Mineral Water is packaged in a premium PET bottle targeted to premium restaurants and high-end hotels, where traditional glass bottles dominate. Sophistication was a must in this competitive landscape, and...

A new look for Bink Wine.(FOLLOWING UP)
January 1, 2009... The wine industry, so rich in heritage, has long been known for its conservative approach to packaging. But thanks to the continued proliferation of wine brands, that is changing, particularly in North America. We most recently reported on this...