It’s that time of year when we probably all groan and cheer in equal measure at the old traditions – the Christmas Jumper? The Brussel Sprout? The Pantomime? But, it’s also that time of year when shop shelves are groaning under festive packaging mountains and our homes (and the grown ups) groaning at the amount of paper and packaging we somehow need to dispose of.
But, eco issues aside, just how creative are we? Whilst we still want the occasional nod to a festive look, it is undoubtedly becoming harder (with the plethora of product) to stand out on shelf and provide a truly different festive offer. I wanted to share a couple of my favourites for this year and maybe deliver just a little Christmas message about how we design Christmas 2010.
My biggest problem with festive packaging is not the glitz, the glitter or the festive icons, in principle, but the fact that the more totally festive it looks, the shorter the window of opportunity. And this doesn’t make sense when more and more brands are trying to forge a long-terms relationship with their customers. However, the exception to the rule is Kleenex. A box of tissues is, of course, a short-lived commodity and so Kleenex can afford to maximise certain seasonal high spots such as summer and Christmas. This year they have excelled themselves with the most delightful packs by craft and whimsical artwork designer Betz White – www.betzwhite.com.
The new packs totally tap into the Zeitgeist of Christmas 2009 which focuses on the handmade and the crafty rather than the pricey and extravagant. And — although we don’t give tissues as a gift – the design undoubtedly taps into the sense of intimacy, interaction and personal touch that we now expect more than ever from our gifts.
But, we are also looking for brands to deliver over and above the moment and help forge this long-term relationship. M&S has worked with illustrator and print-maker Sanna Annukka who has designed their Swiss Biscuit Collection tin. Sanna’s eclectic style is based on her Finish childhood and love of nature and folklore — www.sanna-annukka.com. Although part of M&S’s festive food range, nothing apart from maybe the red and green colourway shouts Christmas but the design pulls together all elements of the message…a tin, of course, is a great packaging choice as it has longevity and this maybe reflects M&S’s celebration (in a logo stamp in the corner of the tin) of their 125 year anniversary, it is highly personal and individual in style and is offering us a narrative that is about us interacting and engaging …which brings us back to that other great festive story-telling tradition: the pantomime.
Love them or loathe them, most have a moral message at their heart. And, actually, the true definition of Pantomime is ‘communication by means of gesture’. So, in the true spirit of Christmas, let’s all look at not a grand gesture but a heartfelt brand gesture that considers the mood of the time and its people, the environment and the power of design to speak any language. And above all, let’s look at creative packaging solutions that tell the whole story and not just the Christmas story.
Happy 2010.