TheDieline.com

Stiegl beer packaging by Richard Perez

I like the replication of the staircase icon within the actual label placement on the bottle in this project. Here's what Richard says about the design:

"Objective:
Update identity and packaging for one of Austria’s oldest beers for distribution in North America.
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Description:
Introducing a beer into an already saturated market a difficult task, but when the beer brand has such a rich history it’s a little easier to distinguish it from the competition.
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Retaining the brand's extensive elements; bold blackletter logo treatment, the staircase icon, and deep crimson red kept the familiarity within the brand. But updating and incorporating new elements such as the diagonal rising label mirrors that upward motion of the staircase logo, brings some contemporary feel to the traditional brew."

salt + pepper

A cool concept created by Antrepo Design, a D size battery S&P shaker. These are the last members of " the I'm not product series" ( other part of series: TunerTime, Minutuner, TimeTuner. )

Material used is stainless steel and glass, the power indicators on the sides correlate to the amount of spices left in the shakers, before refill time. The color options are Red&Turquoise or Black&white.

byAMT Studio Jewelry Packaging

 

byAMT Studio is a product design studio based in Brooklyn, NY. Alissia (who is the designer behind byAMT) sent me these great photos of the packaging she designed for her awesome rings. (We 'met' on twitter!)

In her words: "The white packaging is made from museum board, letter pressed, glued together (layers of the museum board), die cut and last but not least, edged with either white or gold "bands" like a book. They're all kept together with a set of rubber bands.

The black packaging is also museum board, not glued just kept in loose layers, so depending on the thickness of the ring there are more or less layers of the museum board. Each piece is laser cut and the text and ring shape are laser etched. Again these are kept together with rubber bands."

What I liked so much about this packaging is that the artist designed it herself - the structure/shape really ties into the core design of her jewelry concept. The rings are like flat silhouette 'cutouts' that are cast from precious metals (gold, silver or platinum). Their flat nature make them more suited for packing sideways, rather than the traditional 'face up' orientation of ordinary ring boxes.

 

Hangerpak

This is what I call a packaging that kills 2 birds with one stone - It is a box and also acts as a hanger! Concept cleverly thought of by Steve Haslip, a graphic designer from Wivelsfield Green, England.

"The concept was fairly simple: I buy t-shirts online and they always come wrinkled and I always run out of coat-hangers. So I designed a sustainable, reusable way to send and keep your t-shirts. As you open the package you create a coat hanger. The packaging could be made from recycled material whether it is card or plastic and the only waste is the green tear-away tab. The t-shirt seen here is from Threadless. This project won a FIRST prize in the D&AD Student Awards 2007 category 'What else do you do?'."

via : packagingsoftheworld

lite2go

Knoend, an ecodesign studio in San Francisco created this product and packaging. Actually, the packaging is the product:

"lite2go is an innovative lamp that eliminates packaging. When the lamp is assembled, the packaging itself becomes the shade for the light bulb and fixture contained within. It is designed to be versatile in use as either a pendant or a table lamp.

It includes an electric cord and a 7w energy efficient CFL bulb so it is a one-step, ready-to-use solution. The lite2go offers surprise and elegance in a simple and lightweight package.

The lamp is 10" x 11" x 10" when assembled.
Materials: Recyclable Polypropylene Shades, 7 W CFL light bulb, standard electric cord and socket, recycled paper label and manual, hemp twine for assembly."

Wooden Matches Block of 100 by Fitzsu

Wooden matches cube designed by Fitzsu Society.  Such a great design with a super 70s color theme and Bauhaus aesthetic.  I love that the package and the matches are self contained.

"Fitzsu is all about elevating your everyday experience by offering accessories that are destined to evoke wonder and spirit. Practitioners of their long-felt philosophy that our minute-to-minute lives are improved by the things with which we surround ourselves, Su Sazama and Fitz travel the globe to find 21st century designs that create the modern experience.

The modern experience is one that creates a sense of harmony in our busy lives, reducing stress and creating enjoyment wherever possible.  A sense of tranquility and reduction of clutter in our private lives balance the stresses and overstimulation we get in our outer worlds.  Friends are invited over to share the special quality of life that you create. As a new adventure, we seek to be transformed by our friends.

It is the careful philosophies of modern designers that enable us to create our unique modern experience through the use of their products. Fitz and Su have developed a sensitivity to what is evocative and functional design through their own lives by experimentation and education. They have traveled and met with designers of the highest caliber and manufacturers of the highest quality. They have designed homes and interiors in development of their philosophy and entertain in modern style. In an effort to always be learning how to enjoy life more, Fitz and Su share their findings with you on this website and in two store location in Los Angeles and Pasadena, California."

Nine Inch Nails: Ghosts I - IV Limited Edition

Nine Inch Nails presents Ghosts I - IV, a brand new 36 track instrumental collection. Almost two hours of new music composed and recorded over an intense ten week period last fall, Ghosts I - IV sprawls Nine Inch Nails across a variety of new terrain.

Trent Reznor explains, "I've been considering and wanting to make this kind of record for years, but by its very nature it wouldn't have made sense until this point. This collection of music is the result of working from a very visual perspective - dressing imagined locations and scenarios with sound and texture; a soundtrack for daydreams. I'm very pleased with the result and the ability to present it directly to you without interference. I hope you enjoy the first four volumes of Ghosts."

The ultra-deluxe limited edition package was limited to 2,500 copies which sold out within 36 hours at $300 each. It includes two CDs, a data DVD with all the multi-tracks for remixing, a 24 bit/96 kHz Blu-ray disc, four 180-gram vinyl records, a 48-page book of photographs and two Giclee prints in high-quality luxurious packaging numbered and signed by Trent Reznor.

This compilation also comes with a digital scrapbook with all the imagery found in the deluxe package which can be found and downloaded here. 

The effort put forth here begs the question of what the future of music packaging will look like. What do you think? I would love to know your thoughts and insight, so be sure to sound off.

Wu Sheng: Poems & Songs

Another Grammy nominee is Tawainese artist Wu Sheng. The release of Poems & Songs is encased in a superbly designed wooden digipak by Qing-Yang Xiao, art director for Ring of Fire Music. From their website: "Wu Sheng emerged as one of the great Taiwanese poets of the 1960s. He delves deep into Taiwanese village life and his writing has inspired a whole new generation of Taiwanese songwriters. This special box set includes a CD of his songs, a CD of his poems and a DVD.