TheDieline.com: The Leading Package Design Blog

PLEO

"The challenge was to create a new brand (including identity, look and feel, and packaging structure) for the launch of Ugobe’s first Lifeform PLEO. PLEO is an autonomous robot that displays emotions and interacts with its environment. One of the keys to the proposition was ensuring that PLEO was seen as pet-like consumer electronics product and not a toy. We visualized this on the package by having a key image of PLEO walking away from you on the front on the pack, breaking category conventions and communicating autonomy."

Designed by San Francisco based Perspective Branding.

conceptual...

Well, its been seen before, many times, but FLow market seem to have pushed the boat out with this hardly designed minimalist version, packaging that makes a point about consumersism, hmm....haven't heard that one before... You can even buy them online! It's art, yeah.

Toys "R" Us

Packaging for the new line of eco-friendly toys from Toys R Us represents a focus from the toy retailer on providing more responsible toy options for consumers.  The new packaging creates a unique brand identity for the wooden toys and other products in the line.

The toys come packaged in earth-tone colored boxes that bear a special "R" seal. This seal consists of a green version of the iconic Toys"R"Us reversed "R" logo with a green leaf, encircled by the words "Recycle, Renew, Reuse, Re-think," and signifies for parents that the toys are eco-friendly.

Packaging is made from natural paperboard stock and contains at least 70% recycled content.  It was designed internally by Toys R Us.

Sustainable is Good

J A P A N !

I popped over there a little while ago, and packed my suitcase FULL of all the packaging over there. The supermarket isles are an utterly uncomprehendible sea of little faces, eyes, grins all looking at you! Its really split between chaotic very character-full visually packed branding, to the other extreme: elegant, refined, minimal. Its a fascinating place design-wise. Appologies for no credits and crap scanning, its the best I can do! See loads more after the jump...

Y Water

I read an interesting article on this bottled water over on NOTCOT. (Click here for a link to the full article.)

It's a new product in the category of children's beverages. Unlike a lot of sugar-filled drinks, Y Water is water filled with vitamins and minerals. The ingredients are certified organic, the bottles are 100% recyclable, and even the web site is "green hosted" with 100% solar energy. The best part is that the bottles themselves can be used by kids for creative construction projects.

The bottles were designed by industrial designer Yves Behar, of Fuse Project.

Magnetic Packages (they attract and repel)

A few years ago I noticed a neighbor with two scotty dogs, one white and one dark. It reminded of something, but it took me a while to finally put my finger on what it was. When it finally came to me, I got onto eBay and bought me some “Magnetic Spunky Dogs.” This package has been in my desk drawer ever since. A product, made in Hong Kong, it had a humble header card with a staple smack dab through the middle. Hang hole not fully punched out. (As “new old stock” it was apparently never hung up on a hook.) Same artwork front and back. (No UPC's in those days!) Note the ¢ sign rather than a $ sign! With packaging like this, I’m guessing there wasn’t a lot of market research done or a focus group conducted about the design. No PRS eye-tracking here! Not saying I love the layout, but it explains the product well enough.

I recently stumbled onto this nice collection of “dime store” packaging on Kirk Demarais's Secret Fun Spot. (These 10 header cards are from his site.) His collection even includes a Spunky Dogs card. (More about Kirk Demarais and “dime store packaging” after the jump)

Détourner les emballages

 

This is the title of the last book thought by Martine Camillieri, a trained french artist who is becoming a special case in the world of contemporary art.

Her website shows great examples of how packagings can change their functions and use, simply looking at them with a different point of view, combining shapes or just colours to obtain new useful objects.

She says: "I was creative director for large companies, but after twenty years, in 2000 I decided to give myself a second, more liberal and generous chance".

The fact that she decided to dedicate to packaging as a second, new and forerunner chance, gives us all a new hope for the future of our work, maybe in the form of a bottle-truck...

 

Fred & Friends

Lately I've been thinking how much better it is (more honest, anyway) when a package can just let a product speak for itself. That’s part of what I like about this “Salt and Playtime” Salt & Pepper shaker box from Fred & Friends: how it reveals its contents rather than using a product “hero shot” on the outside of an opaque box. More than that, it really “dramatizes” the product by using an inner tray that suspends the 2 blocks in a tumbling position.  “Headgames” toy package (also from Fred & Friend’s) is another good example of this.)

The Little Experience

Found on a recent shopping trip at my local Target, these sets allow kids to build and create their own toys. The packaging is simple and very imaginative, perfect for the nature of this product. The chalk style illustrations are brilliant!