Try out some snack-sized supernovas, enjoy a lozenge of flavored feelings, and get some paper for Uranus. This is packaging that definitely deserves a double-take. The clever and witty products for The Intergalactic Travel Agency, designed by Joel Derksen, blur the lines between products we’re familiar with and products we’ve never even imagined.
“The Intergalactic Travel Agency is a Toronto non-profit with a twist: they sell fake products to fund a writing school for children. The strategy: Keep what’s working from other stores based on the same premise: witty copy and details that bring the implausible idea of an intergalactic travel agency to life, while creating products that have presence on the shelf. The solution: A vibrant design system that combines 3 elements: typography inspired by classic airlines of the past (like Lufthansa), the stars from the logo, and an icon set that communicates the product benefits to its users in clever and slightly-immature ways.”
Derksen approached each item as seriously as possible, making the items that more humorous. The graphics for the products embrace a bit of a retro vibe, almost like illustrations from The Jetsons, and the font choice is simple and straightforward. Products are sold in clear glass jars or silver resealable packaging, much like freeze-dried food that astronauts might consume. Clever writing (like “Feeling delighted may be addictive to travelers from emotionally distant planets”) adds in an element of fun into the fake products, making them goofy and inspiration for a child’s imagination.
