The staying power of packaging

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In today’s age, imagery is fleeting. If you don’t check Facebook every 15 minutes you miss a post, article, or funny cat video. With print media, it’s the same way. I know I have stacks of magazines and online subscriptions that I skim or sometimes never even get to. But packaging is a medium that has longevity, staying power.

The other day, while doing my Costco shopping, I strolled down the canned aisle and came across a pallet of Stagg Chili. I smiled and took this funny picture because I became nostalgic. I worked on the Stagg Chili account in 1995. It was at that time that we did the “big redesign”. We transformed a basic straight logo into a 3-dimensional arched gold emblem. In addition, we chose to combine photo realistic illustration of ingredients with a real photo of the chili. The rich black background, gold emblem and textural changes between illustration and photography made for a striking label. Twenty years later, the labels had not changed much. I am sure it has been tweaked over time to make room for nutritional updates, and regulatory changes but all in all the brand, the equity of label, is intact.

I encourage you to look around your own pantry and keep an eye open as you walk the shelves to look for brands and packages that have maintained their overall brand look and feel over the decades. There are many of them and we will definitely share more! For now, I will revel in my nostalgic walk down memory lane with Stagg Chili.

PLMA Trade Show 2014

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The Strategia Team just returned from Chicago! This week, we exhibited at the Private Label Manufacturers Association trade show in Rosemont, IL. This is one of our favorite industry events and this year’s show exceeded our expectations.

Despite snowy weather, more than 1,200 companies from 35 countries exhibited their products and walked the trade show floor. This past show was one of the largest to date, with over 2,400 exhibit booths and 5,000 attendees all gathered in the Rosemont Convention Center.

This year, we unveiled our latest booth design. The booth was created to resemble a design firm lounge with comfortable chairs, colorful accents, and plenty of space to display work samples.

The PLMA opening breakfast ceremony kicked off the week with a bang. We were fortunate to listen and learn from Martha Stewart, Founder of Martha Stewart Living, who was the keynote speaker for the breakfast. Our Founder and CEO, Deborah Ginsburg, serves on the Board of Directors for PLMA and was able to personally meet Martha before her presentation! (Don’t worry, we got pictures).

Our nights were just as busy as our days on the floor. We squeezed in some fun between show receptions, after parties, and dinner reservations. On Monday night, we held a team dinner at Gibson’s restaurant, where we indulged in steak and ice cream cake while toasting to a successful day. It’s always nice spending time as a team and catching up with longtime industry friends and colleagues. We’re already looking forward to next year!

Were you at PLMA? What did you think of the show? We would love to hear from you so please comment below with your thoughts and opinions!

If you’d like to see more pictures from the show, check out our Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/strategiadesign.

The Power of Words

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Words – so small yet so powerful. Red Bull is facing serious consequences for their choice of words in advertising. The famous slogan, “Red Bull gives you wings,” is under scrutiny for the implied benefits that consumers receive from drinking their products. Buyers were misled by the slogan, arguing that they believed they would see improvements in performance, concentration, and reaction speed after drinking the product. The slogan and advertised benefits have been labeled as deceptive and fraudulent, which led to the $13 million settlement that Red Bull will owe to American consumers.

Marketing is meant to inspire and elevate a brand, no pun intended. We have always given marketers a certain amount of leeway when it comes to interpreting their message. However, the interpretation of this marketing message is just too literal. Do consumers actually think that Red Bull will give them wings? If it did, trust me they would be making billions and not selling energy drink products. The answer is “of course not.” Emphasizing words like “wings” and “boost” implies some sort of physical effect or enhancement. But isn’t that the point of drinking anything caffeinated, whether it be coffee, soda, or an energy drink?

It’s clear that this case isn’t black and white. It falls somewhere in the gray zone where personal interpretations of advertising can vary. Perhaps some people believe that Red Bull is deceiving customers by failing to live up to an impossible promise but it also might be a ploy to get a quick dollar. However, I take it for what it is: a product that may give me a little more energy to get through my day.

We’re curious to see how this lawsuit will (or will not) affect their brand. After all, publicity is publicity, loyal consumers will probably just shake their head and take another swig, but will it set precedent for other such claims and how will it effect advertising and marketing claims overall?

What do you think about the lawsuit? Will you continue to buy Red Bull products? We’d love to hear from you. You can comment here, on Twitter, or Facebook!

Packaging Spotlight: Legit Organics

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New products hit the market on a daily basis but every so often, a product comes along that warrants attention. Legit Organics, headquartered in Ashland, Oregon, recently released a line of organic candy products targeted toward a young, modern audience. Organic candy is an innovative development, but what we’re caught on is the unique branding, logo and package design. The traditional candy market has a very distinct look and style but Legit Organics stands apart from the rest- for better or for worse.

We asked a few graphic designers and consumers to give us their take on the new packaging. Their answers may surprise you (or make you laugh out loud):

  • “I love the logo, and even the gold and black presentation. The flow of the type reads ‘dreamy and far out man’. The color presentation says it’s a little more adult than smoking in your parent’s basement. I get premium and unafraid organic, something that I feel is lacking in the marketplace. Too many organic products focus only on the Birkenstock hippie market but everyone I know eats organic something, none of them wear ugly sandals or live in a commune.”
  • “The lettering is beautiful, interesting and very clear to read. All of the reflection and highlighting speaks to manmade, processed, glitz & drama- not natural. The background subjects are very urban and evoke excitement. It is reminiscent of motorcycle/sports car brand marks or even nightclubs and the product illustration evokes strong appetite appeal.”
  • “I don’t think it comes across as a candy product. It’s visually appealing but I don’t connect the fonts and images with the product and market it represents. Yes, it is innovative and original but if it weren’t for the picture of the candy I would never know it was a chocolate bar- and probably wouldn’t buy it.”
  • “The packages are very nicely designed. With that said, these really aren’t my cup of Cristal. The R&B slant on (read: pandering to) urban nightlife is a little played. I know R&B is the thing, but everyone from energy shots to electronic cigarettes are vying to call it their own, applying it to late night munchies seems a little too silly to be taken seriously. I sure hope they have some B-list celebrities endorse them.”
  • “I feel like the overall look is a complete disconnect from the organic roots of the product. Nothing about clubbing at 2 in the morning says healthy to me. The style feels throwback 80’s, which feels a little dated but then again I’m from the generation they are reliving here. They’ll probably sell like crazy.”

Regardless of personal opinion, Legit Organics is making a splash in the candy market that may ultimately change consumer perception of organic products. By creating an organic label that feels cool, rich, and bold, they are paving the way for other companies to experiment with organic labels in new and different ways. We’re excited and curious to see how the market receives their product!