Brand Packaging May-June 2011

People love glass, and for good reason. Chefs know it protects flavor and freshness. Moms know glass is healthy, safe food packaging. Environmentalists know it’s 100% recyclable, forever. And CEOs know glass says quality. Honest, pure, iconic glass. What’s not to love? GlassIsLife.com

© Owens-Illinois, Inc.

Edson Auricchio, CEO of OLÉ Foods

Linus, age 2

TM

Nic Lecloux, Co-Founder of true fruits

Stefano Agostini, Chairman and CEO of Sanpellegrino S.p.A.

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CONTENTS Volume 15 > Number 04

COVER STORY

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BRAND INNOVATORS 2011 Our annual look at the people who are defining brand packaging today

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SWIMMING UPSTREAM How package design research can revolutionize innovation

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BRAND (re)NEW > STARMARK TAKES THE LEAD The pet gear brand uses a redesign to reposition itself in the marketplace

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THE WHITE SPACE > PRINGLES, REBRANDED FOR TODAY Three design firms show us how they'd change the look and feel of this classic brand

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ORIGINAL RESEARCH > CANDY & GUM Shopper research reveals why peanut M&M's is the design to beat

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FRITO-LAY GOES AU NATURAL How the snack food company is remaking its portfolio for today’s consumer

DEPARTMENTS 06 EDITORIAL

> LOOKING FOR MORE ON A TOPIC? go to www.brandpackaging.com

08 NEXT+ NOW 46 JUST OUT 50 THE BOTTOM LINE The ROI of Balance water's redesign

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RIGHT TIME, RIGHT PLACE

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editor-in-chief PAULINE HAMMERBECK [email protected] associate editor JENNIFER WELBEL [email protected] contributing editor KATE BERTRAND CONNOLLY art director CHRISTOPHER PIRRONE

>

ADVISORY BOARD

PAULINE HAMMERBECK EDITOR IN CHIEF [email protected] twitter: @phammerbeck

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o be working in this industry at this point in time is so rewarding. We’re watching as packaging’s role evolves from product protector and sales driver to a touchpoint for emotional connections, collaborative experiences and, even, a mark of your social leanings.

And, in this issue, our annual BrandInnovators issue, we’re championing those who are at the forefront of these dramatic changes. There’s more than design inspiration here. Our honorees are taking risks, driving strategy and pushing the limits of packaging within their organizations at a time when one wrong move can spell death for a brand. So congratulations to this year’s group of BrandInnovators:

principal, Brandimage, Desgrippes and laga HOWARD ALPORT chairman, pratt inst. graduate school of package design DON ARIEV president/ceo, brandscope GARY CHIAPPETTA president, the consumer research network, inc. MONA DOYLE principal of integrale GRETCHEN GOGESCH vice dean and director, undergraduate division, the wharton school BARBARA E. KAHN dean lindsay design DEAN LINDSAY chairman, department of food marketing, st. joseph’s university JOHN B. LORD, PH.D. president, source/inc. WILLIAM J. O’CONNOR jft studios FRANK TOBOLSKI assistant professor, school of packaging, michigan state university DIANA TWEDE, PH.D. director, food & brand lab,university of illinois BRIAN WANSINK, PH.D.

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ADVERTISING group publisher: packaging group, MIKE BARR (630) 801-4152 [email protected] associate publisher, SAM WILSON (847) 405-4075 [email protected] senior development manager, SENNA M. SHEHADEH (248) 227-1029 [email protected] advertising/production manager, JEFF BAGWELL (248) 244-6481 [email protected]

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BNP CUSTOM MEDIA GROUP business development manager, CHRISTOPHER WILSON (248) 244-8264 [email protected]

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AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT audience development manager PEGGY PEREZ multimedia coordinator STACEY NOOCHA audience audit coordinator CAROLYN M. ALEXANDER for subscription information or service, please contact Customer Service at: Phone: (847) 763-9534 Fax: (847) 763-9538 E-mail: [email protected] www.brandpackaging.com

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LIST RENTAL postal contact KEVIN COLLOPY 800-223-2194 x684 [email protected] email contact MICHAEL COSTANTINO 800-223-2194 x748 [email protected]

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CORPORATE DIRECTORS publishing TIMOTHY A. FAUSCH publishing JOHN R. SCHREI corporate strategy RITA M. FOUMIA marketing ARIANE CLAIRE production VINCENT M. MICONI finance LISA L. PAULUS creative MICHAEL T. POWELL directories NIKKI SMITH human resources MARLENE J. WITTHOFT conferences & events EMILY PATTEN clear seas research BETH A. SUROWIEC

> PUMA chief marketing officer Antonio Bertone > Amazon technology vp, worldwide operations, Dr. Nadia Shouraboura > Target creative director Tim Murray > Kimberly-Clark brand design director Jennifer Westemeyer There’s growing realization among CPG companies that design—and more specifically package design—has an important role to play for brands. But we know there are also inherent challenges in that “discovery.” A big part of our mission in putting out this annual list is making the case for collaboration between marketing and design, celebrating ‘what’s working,’ helping you sell it to company executives and inspiring other teams within your organization to do the same. This is the right time, the right moment, for us all to take on that mantel and make the case for the business and brand-innovating value of strategic package design. BP

OCTOBER 6-7, 2011 W Chicago–City Center PackagingThatSells.com

> HOW TO CONTACT BRANDPACKAGING PHONE (847) 405-4000 FAX (847) 405-4100 MAIL 155 pfingsten rd., suite 205, deerfield, il 60015

INTERNET http://www.brandpackaging.com

BRANDPACKAGING (ISSN 1558-3570) is published 8 times annually, Jan/Feb, Mar, Apr, May/Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep/Oct and Nov by BNP Media II, L.L.C., 2401 W. Big Beaver Rd., Suite 700, Troy, MI 48084-3333. Telephone: (248) 362-3700, Fax: (248) 362-0317. No charge for subscriptions to qualified individuals. Annual rate for subscriptions to nonqualified individuals in the U.S.A.: $115.00 USD. Annual rate for subscriptions to nonqualified individuals in Canada: $149.00 USD (includes GST & postage); all other countries: $165.00 (int’l mail) payable in U.S. funds. Printed in the U.S.A. Copyright 2011, by BNP Media II, L.L.C. All rights reserved. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the consent of the publisher. The publisher is not responsible for product claims and representations. Periodicals Postage Paid at Troy, MI and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: BRANDPACKAGING, P.O. Box 1080, Skokie, IL 60076. CHANGE OF ADDRESS: Send old address label along with new address to BRANDPACKAGING, P.O. Box 1080, Skokie, IL 60076. CANADA POST: Publications Mail Agreement #40612608. GST account: 131263923. Send returns (Canada) to Pitney Bowes, P.O.Box 25542, London, ON, N6C 6B2. FOR SINGLE COPIES OR BACK ISSUES: contact Ann Kalb at (248) 244-6499 or [email protected].

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Pure. Simple. Perfectly protected. At xpedx, we extend design strategy beyond the physical package, by helping you find smarter ways to market your products and generate profitable sales — concept to production, distribution to consumption. We call it Packaging ExpertiseSM: Bundling together innovations in design, materials, equipment, workflow and logistics to lower costs, improve quality, promote sustainability and optimize the supply chain.

Are you prepared to go to market? Call 513 248-7858 today for a Packaging ExpertiseSM Kit

xpedx, an International Paper Company © 2011

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+NOW

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VACS FROM THE SEA Swedish appliance maker Electrolux has developed five fully-functional vacuum cleaners made from plastic waste recovered from the world’s oceans. Each of the five vacuums represents the ocean from which the debris was collected. The Mediterranean edition, for instance, is composed of PET bottles, food containers and beverage cans collected from French beaches. Electrolux says the vacuums represent a paradox: oceans are full of plastic waste, yet on land there is a shortage for producing more sustainable appliances. More at www.electrolux.com/vacfromthesea.

THE CRISP SOUND OF PRINGLES Procter & Gamble is doling out tiny speakers that fit on the top of any Pringles canister. The speaker uses the empty canister to amplify sound when it’s attached to an iPod or other music device. According to Kristin Herrmann-Ratz, Pringles brand manager, the summer-long promotion is a way for the brand to help consumers make “good times even better.” “Pringles is about unexpected fun,” she says. The speakers are free by mail for consumers who purchase any four Super Stack flavors.

HEARD! “We’re gonna make the cans ns anyway. an ny way. Why Why shouldn’t shouldn’t we have them tell the stories off our bbrands?” d ?” —Wendy Clark, Coca-Cola’s SVP of integrated marketing and communications, in AdAge

FRIDGE RIIDGE ANTHROPOLOGY ANTHROPOLO What does your refrigerator say about you? That’s the question photographer Stéphanie de Rougé is posing as part of a project where she shoots the contents of people’s refrigerators. The goal is to record how people in big, “often hostile” cities preserve their intimacy and where they hide their secrets. “I opened more than 45 fridges and discovered quite amazing worlds, much more elaborate and revealing than I had expected,” she said. How did she know she was on to something? When people started refusing to show her their fridges. Blandine, Juliette and Gabrielle, 2010, Rye, New York; Credit: Stéphanie de Rougé, www.stephaniederouge.com

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IF YOU ARE A BRAND INNOVATOR, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? FIND OUT WHY HP INDIGO PRINT MATTERS.

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COFFEE CUP ENDS THE “TIP AND DUMP” To-go coffee is typically served full, to the brim, which leaves milk and cream lovers no choice but to dump a few ounces in the trash. If you consider that it takes about 40 gallons of water to produce each cup of coffee, you understand that the practice results in thousands of gallons of water waste with each instance. Enter a new, deceivingly simple solution: a coffee cup with hash marks along the side that make it easy for customers to indicate exactly how much room they need for milk. The concept cup is in beta at Crossroads Café in San Francisco. If implemented widely, the creators say, the idea could reduce the environmental impact of the coffee industry overall. (Consulting and materials sourcing: Excellent Packaging & Supply, www.excellentpackaging.com; Concept: Sector Labs, www.sectorlabs.com)

BEACH LITTER? THERE’S AN APP FOR THAT To raise awareness of all the bottles, cans and other marine debris that wash up on US beaches, the University of Georgia and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have developed a free cell phone app that lets anyone with a smart phone report the type and location of the waste. Data is submitted to a tracking site, which, the developers suggest, can be used by city officials to make better decisions about waste management — from supplying extra trash cans to providing disposal opportunities for fishing gear. The app also encourages those who are “spotting” the trash to pick it up. The Marine Debris Tracking app is available through iTunes and Android Market. (Debris tracking: www.marinedebris.engr.uga.edu; Photo: Electrolux Vac from the Sea)

HEARD! “If you make a series of small, but sustainable changes, you can make a big difference. A smaller cooler package of Coke is a healthful choice.” —Sandy Douglas, president, Coca-Cola North America

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nnovation n comes in all shapes and sizes. ’ And it can co ome from anyw where. ’ Kimberly-C Clark’s Jennifer Westemeyer pro oved that with h her work on U by Kotex, a feminine caare brand d that is breaking mo ost every cattegory conventtio on. ’ The brand’s deebut mad de the co onsumer goo ods world sitt up and takee note, and it earned Westemeyyer a spot on n this year’s BrandIn nnovators list. ’ Ou ur other ho onorees have beeen eq qually impactfu ul. ’ By eliminatingg the box frrom the co onventionaal sh hoeboxx, PUMA CMO Antoniio Bertone shows us that most everythingg is a can ndidate for reinvention n. ’ Nadiaa Shouraboura’s frustraation-free packaging program for Amazzon provess the en nduring relevance of the classic retail adagge, the cusstomer co omes firstt. ’ And Tim Murrayy demonstrates the ro ole optimism m and haappiness can play in n the wayy brrands reach and conn nect with h consumers. ’ We hop pe you takke their wo ork as inspiratio on to land a spot on ourr BrandInnovaators list neext year. >

> DR. NADIA SHOURABOURA

> ANTONIO BERTONE

technology VP,

chief marketing officer

worldwide operations

PUMA

AMAZON

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PAGE 14 > TIM MURRAY

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> JENNIFER WESTEMEYER

creative director

brand design director

TARGET

KIMBERLY-CLARK

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MEET THE WOMAN WHO’S TAKING ON WRAP RAGE ONE BOX AT A TIME

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t’s unlikely that Nadia Shouraboura’s fellow PhD candidates at Princeton would have imagined her moving on to a role where she’d be receiving photos from a man wearing an outfit made entirely of twist ties. His reason for such an uncanny display? Nothing sinister, just an offbeat way to express his irritation struggling with the coated, metal wires on packages he’d ordered through Amazon, where Shouraboura serves as technology vice president of worldwide operations. The photo was one among many that have informed Frustration-Free Packaging — a global initiative led by Shouraboura to make it easier for customers to liberate products from their packages and combat “wrap rage.” The program is the most public-facing of Shouraboura’s responsibilities. She manages the technology that powers the online retailer’s global supply chain and fulfi llment efforts—where she brings more than 20 years of heavy-hitting technology experience to bear. Born in Soviet Russia, Shouraboura started out as a software developer for industrial robotics in Israel, where her work caught the attention of professors at Princeton. Offered a full scholarship for study and research, Shouraboura earned a PhD in mathematics and then signed on with a series of companies — from JP Morganbacked startups to Fortune 500 companies — to blaze new territory in technology, mobile connectivity and energy trading (where she’s considered a pioneer).

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In 2004, Shouraboura joined Amazon — another company known for its technology innovations — and began applying her finely-honed technical skills to very human realities: simply put, her charge is to delight Amazon customers with the right packaging experience for every order. A big part of that, of course, is the unboxing process — something that Shouraboura says her team is working to “make really effortless” through frustration-free packaging. The initiative itself first took shape back in 2007, when Amazon colleagues were catching up after the Christmas holiday and company founder Jeff Bezos came in with stories of how he spent Christmas morning in agony opening gifts and toys for his children.

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Of course, Amazon is in a unique position to listen to its customers, but, with Shouraboura’s help, the company has been working with manufacturers to bring about significant change. In November 2009, the program boosted the number of Frustration-Free items by launching a certification element— where Amazon engineers analyze a company’s package and either certify it or recommend changes—that makes it easier for manufacturers to take part. “A lot of people are passionate about [the program] across Amazon. It spans our customers, our manufacturers, our partners, as well as many teams within Amazon—from our

WE FOLLOWED THE VOICE OF THE CUSTOMER. WE’LL BE DONE WHEN EVERY ITEM WE SHIP COMES FRUSTRATION FREE.” buyers to our transportation transporta team to our fulfi llment center—everybody.”

“That feeling resonated with almost everybody in the room,” says Shouraboura. “I distinctly remember that moment.” It was such a simple idea, she says, that, “we just .” decided to do something about it.”

And, these days, the 15,000 distinct items certified as frustration-free go bbeyond easy-to-open packaging lacking clamshells and twist ties (blister packs are a no-no too too). There’s now an environmental elem element: Frustration-Free items are cl closely matched with right-sized boxes, which are recyclable, serve as the primary shipping container and contain less packaging material overall.

ed Shouraboura launched a dedicated th team to go after the problem. With es as their own gift-opening experiences the foundation, they approached manufacturers like Mattel, Fisherr Price st-selling and Microsoft and targeted 19 best-selling cts debuted items for a revamp. Those products in November 2008 in packaging devoid of the plastic clamshells and coated wiree ties commonly cited as the source of frustration among colleagues. con ersation Then, thinking that customers might add to the conversation, Shouraboura’s team invited consumers to share their packaging experiences. And they stumbled on a goldmine. “There was amazing feedback,” says Shouraboura. She spent hours pouring over the comments and the images that frequently accompanied them. Many were creative, like “twist-tie man” and those who mockingly sent images of giant package-busting scissors and chainsaws. One customer, who had actually ordered scissors from Amazon, asked whether he needed to order another pair to free the original product from its protective armor.

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“Out of great customer feedback—and out of their jokes—we made a direction for the program,” Shouraboura says. “We followed the voice of the customer.”

““The focus has always been on maki making the customer experience better, but bu what we learned over time is that the custo customer experience is much better if we make it really simple for our customers to get rid of the packaging packaging,”” says Shouraboura. “It puts a burden on customers if they have to dispose of all that.” There are likely other similarly valuable insights among the six million packages that Shouraboura reports have been rated year to date. And while some would consider that figure—and the 15,000 distinct frustration-free items—a success, she clearly has greater ambitions. “We have a ways to go,” Shouraboura says. “We’ll be done when every item we ship comes frustration free.” BP

www.brandpackaging.com

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buying commodities, but we didn’t want it to look expensive. It was a tricky balancing act,” Murray says.

for Smith & Hawken. In 2004, Murray joined Target as a creative manager and, in 2009, was promoted to creative director. Today, he also leads the company’s Creative Vision Group. In late 2008, Murray began working with Wolf Ollins to assess and revise the architecture for Target’s diverse, owned brand portfolio. “[Target] had developed about 200 different owned brands, which were really more like labeling systems, many of them, than actual packaged goods brands,” Murray says. “Wolf Ollins helped us to winnow them down to a much smaller number and through that process, they identified an opportunity for our commodities brand.” At that point, what was internally

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That design challenge is further complicated by the constant tug of war between business and design. “I think that the biggest challenge, and this has been throughout my career, is convincing our business partners of the value that creativity brings to the organization, and that we belong at the table in the decision making, from beginning to end,” says Murray. As a result, he constantly strives for synergy. “I try to really understand the business problem that they are trying to solve, and then I hope to help them see that, while I am looking at it from a different perspective, we are both striving toward a common goal.” The shared objective? Murray says it’s the goal of satisfying the guest—and that’s where he directs his energies. “By being able to get inside her head and walk [in] her shoes, that helps everybody focus on the right thing—making her life easier and more rewarding,” he says. “If we can all focus on that, then we have common ground to do what’s right for her.” Murray is the first to acknowledge that this process is not easy, but he affirms that it is always enlightening. “We have people within

WE WANTED TO CREATE A NEW PACKAGING SYSTEM THAT ELEVATED THE GUEST’S EVERYDAY EXPERIENCE OF BUYING COMMODITIES, BUT WE DIDN’T WANT IT TO LOOK EXPENSIVE. IT WAS A TRICKY BALANCING ACT.”

called the Target brand mirrored the national brand equivalent product in color. Although it had a bullseye on the front and a wave pattern, it didn’t stand alone as a consumer brand. “It was an opportunity for us to create a standalone brand that would build deeper loyalty with our guests and increase sales,” Murray says. After the brand was distilled down to the idea of elevating the everyday, Murray turned to packaging to communicate the new positioning. “Packaging has the last word. It is the part of the brand that is taken into her home and that she has the opportunity to interact with totally outside of the Target store experience,” he says. “We have a moment there where we can continue to communicate to her, either viscerally or directly, through the way that we contain the product.” Rather than go down the national brand path of loud graphics and bright designs, Murray and his team chose to keep it simple and clean with a classic white background and color-coded arrows. In some cases, they also used photography to identify the product (e.g., a lamb character for baby formula). “We wanted to create a new packaging system that elevated the guest’s everyday experience of

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the company who have a very strong point of view about promoting packaging innovation. And we have very strong merchants and business people who are looking at the metrics associated with loyalty and sales of particular brands. And they come to the table with different points of view,” he says. “[But] the magic comes out of that process—the friction creates sparks that can, if carefully managed, put something on the shelf that satisfies it all: the guest, the business side and the design aesthetic.” Since Up & Up’s launch, the brand has had double digit, yearover-year growth, and Target hopes to continue that success by pushing the brand into new categories. Beyond Up & Up, Murray is constantly consulting with the owned brands team and with Target merchants to ensure that the packaging design systems keep Target’s owned brands in common categories (e.g., Archer Farms and Market Pantry in food or Target’s Home brand and Room Essentials line in home furnishings) teased apart. And as he continues to stretch the boundaries of what store brands can be, Murray looks forward to what he calls “a constant process of enlightenment, collaboration and compromise.” BP

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soccer shoe. But Bertone and the team at Puma turned to Sander to imbue fashion into the brand. The result was an edgy, retro-inspired footwear collection that marked Puma as one of the first brands to marry sports with fashion. It was a turning point for Puma—and sports apparel overall. “[The partnership] really began the sportlifestyle category, which has become part of the Puma DNA,” Bertone says. Since then, Puma has collaborated with other prominent designers like Alexander McQueen, Sergio Rossi and Hussein Chalayan. And, Bertone has leveraged that success to continue pushing the brand into new territory. For example, Puma entered its own sailing yacht into the Volvo Ocean Race; it sponsored the Jamaican Track & Field Team; and it collaborated with designer Cedella Marley (Bob Marley’s daughter) to create athlete uniforms and gear for the 2012

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Although packaging is not a typical focus for most apparel companies, it is a crucial element for Bertone. “Packaging has a major impact,” he says. “It’s an opportunity to speak to your consumers. It reflects your personality, values and aesthetics.” And just as Puma’s partnership with Jil Sander revolutionized the role of fashion in sports, the “Clever Little Bag” has changed how apparel companies are looking at packaging. That knack for reinvention is clearly innate, but Bertone suggests that it also comes from looking outside the sports

PACKAGING HAS A MAJOR IMPACT ON A BRAND. IT’S AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO YOUR CONSUMERS. IT REFLECTS YOUR PERSONALITY, VALUES AND AESTHETICS.”

Olympics. “We continually try to surprise and engage our consumer and give them something unexpected at every turn,” he says. That mindset is what guided Bertone’s most rt wit ith h recent project—an effort with at has resulted resul ulted designer Yves Behar that ckaging system m in a game changing packaging tle Bag”. The initia iati tive v dubbed the “Clever Little initiative n the Puma.Safe progra am, marks the next phase in program, which began in 1999 as a guidepost for developing ices and systems and has added more sustainable practices “sustainability” to the brand’s core. Instead of simply using recycled materials or reducing the amount of materials in the conventional shoebox, the “Clever Little Bag” eliminates the box entirely. It consists of a recycled paperboard sheet that folds to form four walls, which are then held in place by a non-woven polypropylene bag. “If we are going to make a major brand statement, like eliminating the iconic shoebox, we wanted to maximize the environmental

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savings through production, transport and [for] end consumers,” Bertone says. “[It] was the best solution from a lifecycle analysis standpoint. But it also sends a message to consumers—to empower them in their choices and how they can contribute as well in their daily lives.”

performanc industry for performance inspi inspiration. “I’ve always be interested in been a architecture,” he says. “[So] two years ago, we launched Puma City, a cantilever structure made from 24 shipping containers and transformed into a mobile retail and event space that trav travelled with the Puma Ocea ean n Racing Ra Ocean Team.” He also en nco cou urages creative creati ideas from any level encourages empl em ployee or department employee department. “Marketing doesn’t necessarily only come up with ggreat ideas,” he says. necessarily “You have to be willing to listen to the guys in accounting sometimes too.” With the teams at Puma already working on the next iteration of packaging updates for 2012, Bertone is committed to keeping Puma relevant to consumers. “It’s about delivering a memorable brand experience, over and over again,” he says, “and pushing the boundaries of both marketing and design.” BP

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www.wspackaging.com

1-877-977-5177

[email protected]

USING BOLD DESIGN STRATEGY TO REVIVE CONSUMER RELATIONSHIPS, THIS BRAND DESIGN DIRECTOR HAS TURNED A STALE CATEGORY INTO A VIBRANT SUCCESS

J

ennifer Westemeyer has spent the majority of her career working as a design strategist for brands in what some might consider “delicate” subject areas: adult incontinence, diapers, light bladder leakage and, most recently, feminine care--categories that aren’t necessarily regarded as hotbeds of design.

But when she joined Kimberly-Clark as brand design director in April 2008, Westemeyer began fashioning a design strategy for a line of Kotex tampons, pads and liners that would redefine the category, solve company business challenges and cause the broader world of packaged goods to sit up and take note. U by Kotex debuted in 2010 with matte black cartons and a fresh, candid voice that stood out among decades-old category conventions—think pastel packaging, ad spots with women in white dresses twirling on the beach and obscure references to “that time of the month.” Inspired by fashion and cosmetics, the brand’s colorfully accented packaging represented a paradigm shift in the category from period “management” to personal care. Coupled with a frank marketing tone—including the unheard of tactic of actual product demonstrations (through videos on the company’s website)—U by Kotex set out to break the stigma associated with periods and bring a dose of relevance to a category that, until now, had stood at odds with women’s contemporary lives. “We were looking to really push the limits and step out on a limb,” says Westemeyer. This summer, U by Kotex will extend into new territory with a tween line that caters to the smaller bodies and unique design preferences of pre-teens and a limited-edition U by Kotex series with styles that invite consumers to connect with the brand in a way that more closely matches their own. “Over the last year, we’ve really realized that we can use design as a lever to pull to get us ahead,” Westemeyer says. Clearly, her work on U by Kotex is a good study on the business impact of design. Kotex had invented the

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Congratulations to

JENNIFER WESTEMEYER

Brand Design Director, Kimberly-Clark On Being Selected for Brand Packaging’s

From the team at CBX. You nspire us everyday. cbx.com

disposable feminine hygiene category back in 1920, but the brand had stagnated in recent years due to competitive pressures and perceptions that it was dated and dusty.

Westemeyer says such “consumer-centric” research results in a rich assortment of behaviors, facial expressions and body language to consider when developing designs.

“When I joined Kimberly-Clark, the opportunity that I saw was the fact that Kotex was in trouble. The state of the business allowed us to take risks and not be afraid to fail,” says Westemeyer. “I wanted to be part of that. To me, design success is taking those sleeper brands and really making them shine.”

“It’s not just sticking packaging up on a wall and asking consumers to respond to it,” she says. “It’s those key nuggets, those bits of information that you can observe and apply through design that make [a brand] matter.”

Prior to Kimberly-Clark, Jennifer worked for Cincinnati-based LPK as a senior design director on the Pampers and Kandoo accounts, and she owned a small brand design firm in Chicago catering to clients in technology, retail and manufacturing. Having lived on the agency side of the business for most of her career, Westemeyer joined Kimberly-Clark to lead design strategy

“

Of course, learning about consumers is ever changing, but Westemeyer says it’s inspiring. And it’s key in helping KimberlyClark, like other companies, work through the challenges of adopting more strategic design—as evidenced by the U by Kotex project. “We had spent a lot of money on research—finding out what we wanted to do, what Kotex wants to be when she grows up. And there were instances where our teams wanted to cut back because of costs,”

WHEN YOU APPEAL TO SOMEBODY’S SENSES, IT’S LIKE REACHING IN AND GRABBING THEIR HEART, MIND AND SOUL.” says Westemeyer. “But from a design perspective, we had to kick loud and say, ‘Hey, we need to invest in this brand if we want to make this. We want this to be an experience that she will remember.’” Holding their ground on the vision that detailed design would authentically convey the brand expression—and enjoying the success that followed—Westemeyer and her colleagues have established the U by Kotex launch as an internal benchmark of sorts.

for Kotex, Poise and Depend. She says she looked forward to getting deeper into consumer knowledge and driving home “those personal experiences” through design. “When you appeal to somebody’s senses, it’s like reaching in and grabbing their heart, mind and soul,” she explains. But for design to deliver those types of encounters, Westemeyer says a brand needs to uncover “unexpected” insights. “Get out from behind the glass,” she suggests, a reference to the overuse of focus groups. Instead, she proposes tactics that are more observational in nature. “Give a consumer an iPhone, and let her track her life,” she says. “You start to notice things about the way she talks, the way she moves, the way she describes [things], but also what she’s not sharing with you vocally.”

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“It was uncomfortable for a lot of people at times, but we were determined to make it work,” she says. “Now, other brands within [Kimberly-Clark] are saying, ‘I want to be that, I want to do what they’re doing over there’ and they’re creating excitement about design.” And, not surprisingly, that excitement carries up through the organization to the top. In an April 2011 earnings call with analysts, Kimberly-Clark CEO Thomas Falk held up U by Kotex as a key company success, saying the company was getting “good returns” on its innovation and marketing investments in feminine care, where initiatives on U by Kotex (and Poise and Depend, Westemeyer’s other brands) “continue to deliver volume and share growth.” “Being able to impact a business the way I have in U by Kotex, seeing the numbers come out and seeing that we [were] 70 percent share in the first month, that gets me excited,” says Westemeyer, “Because I know we’ve done something right by understanding our consumers.” BP

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MAY/JUN11

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SWIMMING

UP

By Leigh Bachman

STREAM

How Package Design Research Can Revolutionize Innovation

M

any CPG companies and their agencies view package design research as a routine step at the end of a project: a “check-the-box” item to be ticked off prior to launch. After all, they reason, the design itself is usually the output of a larger brand strategy — a repositioning or a line extension — so the research is more supplemental than strategic. Shrewd marketers, however, know that package design is integral to the branding process. By extension, then, package design research is important. Yet few people realize how far upstream package design research can swim. Think about it: If package design is integral to the overall branding process, it stands to reason that it is also integral to the innovation process. And if package design is so important to innovation, by transitive property, package design research must be as well. Skeptical? Let me explain. Package design research is frequently used to guide product innovation, but there is a real—and often, overlooked— opportunity in brand and design-driven innovation.

BRAND-DRIVEN INNOVATION Often eclipsed by its more glamorous, product-focused cousin, brand-driven innovation can use package design research to verify that it is instinctively delighting consumers.

Brand Driven Innovation Brand Architecture Hypothesis

Brand Architecture Validation

Ideation

Colorforms

Packcepts

Prototyping

Concept Validation

Concept Illustration

Package Design Research

Asset Deconstruction

Prototyping

Standard Qual/ Quant Design Testing

PRODUCT-DRIVEN INNOVATION It’s difficult to deny that developing a pipeline of innovative, consumer-centric products is critical to a company’s long-term growth. Package design research is used every day to support such product-driven innovation. Have you ever employed prototyping to help determine if that groundbreaking idea is feasible? Similarly, have you ever used package design to visually (and perhaps, tangibly) communicate an innovation during concept research? Exactly. Moving on…

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Brand Asset Identification

Ideation

Design Validation

Design Driven Innovation +

The real — and often, overlooked — opportunity for package design research lies in brand-driven and design-driven innovation.

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Consider the all-important area of brand architecture: As the blueprint for your business strategy — designating your brand’s playing field and defining its offerings for consumers — brand architecture is critical to innovation. Package design research, in turn, can inform brand architecture. For example, after developing brand architecture models, a typical next step is to expose consumers to concepts. You can ask consumers to design a package that might bring each concept to life through a research approach called “colorforms” (similar to the popular design playsets that allow children to place simple, versatile shapes in virtually endless, artistic combinations). The goal is not to design the actual packaging; it is to understand how consumers view the proposed innovations. By analyzing their design choices, you can determine whether the innovations reside near the brand’s core; whether they feel on strategy or off; whether they delight the consumer or seem irrelevant; and whether they move the brand forward or merely deliver more of the same. Package design research can also validate the brand architecture. For instance, you can use packcepts — preliminary, simplified package design concepts — to represent the brand architecture. As with colorforms, the goal is to use consumers’ responses to the packcepts to understand whether the architecture and innovations are on target.

DESIGN-DRIVEN INNOVATION While today’s use of package design research to support branddriven innovation may be less than optimal, it is all but absent in design-driven innovation. This has to change, because the payoff can be immense: Design-driven innovation can help you move beyond product and functional benefits to deliver emotional benefits that elevate your brand. The first way package design research can help is by identifying the design assets (e.g., color, shape, icon) your brand possesses and which new or evolved ones could build equity. Deconstructing brand assets and seeing whether consumers connect with them in a flash card approach — either in qualitative or quantitative research— can be enlightening. Package design research that uses prototyping can also drive design innovation. While the research moderator is eliciting the unconscious desires of consumers, a designer can be visualizing those desires in 2D and 3D designs. This exercise can be done in real time, even in a back room, and fed to consumers in a later session to get their immediate response and continue the innovation process.

MAKING IT HAPPEN Of course, using package design research to drive innovation may sound great in theory, but how can you make it happen?

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+

Package design research can inform design-driven innovation to help a brand move beyond functional, product benefits to emotional benefits that delight consumers. Here, Interbrand cross-discipline team members consider findings from consumer, shopper and trends research to inspire package design concepts for a client.

Learn: Get smart about package design research by studying the existing methodologies and those emerging every day. If you’re clear on your objectives and accept the critical role package design plays in driving the brand-consumer relationship, you should be able to identify the right research methodology. Collaborate: “Research professionals” should not be the sole owners of package design research and its applications. Engage all of your internal and external partners — marketing, market research, product development — in the process. Make sure that brand delivery teams are working in lock-step with innovation teams. Identify the right opportunity: Everyone is trying to make a sales window, but if you knew that package design research could improve your ROI wouldn’t you make appropriate financial and time commitments for its use? Clients, find the right agency partner — not every firm is equipped to incorporate research upstream. Agencies, find the right client — not every company is ready to embrace design research throughout the innovation process. Yet when the opportunities and participants align, the results can be revolutionary. BP

Leigh Bachman is executive director of strategy and research at Interbrand. Contact Leigh at [email protected] or 513.421.2210.

www.brandpackaging.com

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BRAND (re)NEW STARMARK

By Jennifer Welbel

TAKESTHELEAD

> The story: For the past decade, the Starmark AcademyAnimal Behavior Center has been a leader in dog training and education. Its 360-acre Austin, Texas campus offers an internationally accredited trainer academy, extensive boarding facilities and a variety of obedience options. In 2004, the company expanded and began selling its dog training products and behavioral toys nationwide under the Starmark brand. The lineup now includes over 50 products, ining gear to treats. ranging from interactive toys and training

> The challenge: Despite producing high quality products, Starmark was getting lost in the crowded pet gear category. “They had been bumping along for several years with really great innovative products, but it just wasn’t telling their unique story at shelf,” says Barney Hughes, president of Hughes Design Group, the agency responsible for the redesign. The reason being that the Starmark brand and positioning “failed to communicate,” according to Hughes. The product name was the lead communicator on pack, and the brand mark and company name were hidden in the corner.

> The solution: Starmark turned to Hughes Design Group for a redesign that would better define the brand. The design firm began by conducting a category audit to understand the brand and its competition. The audit showed that consumers identified the products as premium and professional grade. “[But] the Starmark packaging was presented as novelty…pet toys,” says Hughes. “They are much more than that. We needed to prove that they are a brand with authority, heritage and quality.” To do so, Hughes Design Group created a new brand mark—a star in the shape of a paw print—and tagline, “Training and behavioral solutions.”

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They then developed four segmentation strategies (mental stimulation, interactive play, classic training tools and treats) to enhance product meaning and use. The categories are differentiated by vertical color-coded tabs; each color carries over to the brand name and brand mark. The original grass background was also replaced with solid black to unify the brand and help the products stand out. “The black BEFORE background isolates, showcases and unifies the product, while, l t it] to a premium authority,” att th the same ti time, [[elevates Hughes says.

(

)

In addition, each product features a unique dog on the package, which correlates to the size of the animal the product is meant for—small, medium or large. A biography of each dog can be found on the back of the package, along with the Starmark brand story and training details. “Dog people are pretty proud of their dog, so all of the dogs on the different packages are real dogs with real names and real stories,” says Hughes.

> The results: Although it just launched at the Global Pet Expo in March, the packaging is reportedly receiving a great response. “It’s approachable with just a touch of authority,” Hughes says. And as a result, he says, the brand is now able to successfully distinguish itself from competitors. BP

CREDITS PACKAGE DESIGN

Hughes Design Group, www.hugheslink.com

www.brandpackaging.com

MAY/JUN11

>

Hughes Design Group created a new brand mark — a star in the shape of a paw print — and tagline, “Training and behavioral solutions.”

>

Each product features a unique dog on the front of the package and its biography on the back.

>

The vertical color-coded tabs help to differentiate the four product categories.

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)

AFTER

EDITOR’S NOTE: Interested in submitting new/redesigned packages? Email [email protected] with project background, images and supplier credits for consideration.

MAY/JUN MAY/ MA Y/JU JJUN N11

www.brandpackaging.com

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WHITE

THE

SPACE

> Pr ingles , REBRANDEDFOR

Current PRINGLES Design

TODAY P

ringles has been a household name for more than 40 years. @ Yet, despite the brand’s longevity, many consumers view the famous stacked chips as outdated — a brand in need of a drastic overhaul. @ In light of the recent announcement that Proctor & Gamble is selling Pringles to Diamond Foods (the transaction will be completed by the end of 2011), we asked three design firms how they would change the look and feel of the brand. @ Their responses mark the debut of THE WHITE SPACE, a new department where we’ll explore packaging concepts to help you seize the white space — the unmet needs and untapped opportunities — in the marketplace.

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www.brandpackaging.com

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> ZUNDA GROUP CONTACT

> JACKIE DELISE VICE PRESIDENT ZUNDA GROUP WWW.ZUNDAGROUP.COM

The current Pringles structure, while iconic, makes the chips almost impossible to access half-way through. Since the majority of consumers eat them straight out of the can, this can inhibit enjoyment. Our new proposed structure is more ergonomic and functions with a simple twist of the bottom, which raises the chips to the top. This also eliminates the need to tilt or force your hand inside. We added a lid as well, allowing it to double as a serving cup. Consumers can now experience “hassle free” snacking and enjoy Pringles all the more, having removed the structural barriers. Next, we refreshed key iconic design elements of the brand on the canister. The Julius character is highly recognizable, but he is dated and does not reinforce the brand’s essence, taste appeal or general happiness for snacking. By contemporizing his character, the visual persona is more animated and youthful. The dual face panel allows two containers, when merchandised side by side, to create a dominant brand block that is visually arresting. We further recommend developing him into an animated character that comes alive on promotional and advertising materials. Julius now visually embodies the personality and character associated with the brand, and he has become a much more approachable spokesperson that exudes the idea of snacking enjoyment.

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www.brandpackaging.com

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WHITE

THE

SPACE

> THE GOLDSTEIN GROUP PACKAGE DESIGN

> TERRI GOLDSTEIN, STRATEGIC DIRECTOR AND DARCY BOLKER, CREATIVE DIRECTOR THE GOLDSTEIN GROUP WWW.THEGOLDSTEINGROUP.NET SOCIAL MEDIA

> PIEHEAD PRODUCTIONS WWW.PIEHEAD.COM STRUCTURE

> CARSON AHLMAN DESIGN WWW.CARSONAHLMANDESIGN.COM

We designed an indulgent black billboard, which allows flavor colors to pop and provides a backdrop for the brand’s attributes of structure, chip form and flavor. This approach also sets the stage for a new sub-brand, harnessing consumers’ desire for sweet and salty snack-ability. The new clamshell features an interlocking freshness seal snap and internal rib pattern, which provides protection and easy access to every crisp. The oval shape also reinforces the chip shape while minimizing the package size and reducing material, shipping and merchandising volume. Each flavor SKU is colorcoded with translucent material, allowing for an internal view. In addition, by including hang-holes for peg display, the new package can stand up for on-shelf merchandising, further increasing merchandising options. When rebranding Pringles, it was also important to acknowledge the direct connection that social media offers. Rather than just focusing on the change, a social media campaign can create an interactive experience for the consumer to explore the new appearance. Pringles’ consumers and brand targets can participate in social activities, like sharing or gaming, which further strengthen consumers’ connection to the product.

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www.brandpackaging.com

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WHITE

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SPACE

> LITTLE BIG BRANDS PACKAGE DESIGN

> LITTLE BIG BRANDS WWW.LITTLEBIGBRANDS.COM STRUCTURE

> CHARGE ID WWW.CHARGEDESIGN.COM

Our goal was to give Pringles a fresh look while maintaining its heritage and firmly positioning the brand as a category innovator. To do so, we retained the cylinder shape but split it in two, which is more intuitive to the snacking experience, allows for flavor innovation (half and half or complimentary flavors) and potentially reduces breakage. We also chose smarter materials for resource reduction and audience appeal. For the structure, we developed a sugar-cane frame, which requires low mold investments with a process similar to thermoforming. The duo-part lid is injection molded PETG or polypropylene, and the seal strip is broken prior to flipping each section. Side tabs also make separation convenient. New graphics preserve the strong color coding, but with an added “pub chip” feel. The logo lockup maintains the similar rounded head, while the mustache and bow tie have been combined into a ‘stashe’ that has more equity. The logotype is quirky like the chip, and the chip shape can be seen throughout the design. All elements work synergistically, maintaining the brand’s sporty convenience and sense of humor. BP

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www.brandpackaging.com

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hatching fresh

{ideas}

BRAND STRATEGY | PACKAGE DESIGN | STRUCTURE | VISUAL LANGUAGE | NAMING www.ciulla-assoc.com

OR

I

G N I K CH C R A TRA RESE

AL N I G

E Y E

UNSEEN IS UNSOLD SHOPPER RESEARCH REVEALS WHY PEANUT M&M'S IS THE DESIGN TO BEAT IN THE CANDY AISLE By Jonathan Asher

S

ingle-serve candy is perhaps the ultimate impulse category. Purchases are rarely pre-planned, and sales are almost entirely driven by what happens during those five to 10 seconds a shopper spends scanning the candy rack at checkout.

In other categories, packaging may be given more opportunity to “tell a story” or convey key claims. But here, it’s about which packages win shoppers’ attention first. With this in mind, we recently used our eye-tracking methodology to document how shoppers view the candy and gum rack and to determine which packages are successfully breaking through (and which are getting lost) in shelf clutter.

WHY PEANUT M&M'S IS THE DESIGN TO BEAT So, who’s doing it well? Our research provided a very clear answer to this question: Peanut M&M’s. Its packaging consistently outperformed all others on two critical dimensions: overall visibility (the percent of shoppers noting the package) and speed of noting (the percent of shoppers noting the package within two seconds). Peanut M&M’s packaging most consistently broke through the clutter to generate purchase consideration, and it most frequently pre-empted competitors at the shelf (these are metrics that we’ve validated as having a direct connection to sales). Why is Peanut M&M’s packaging so successful? One might be tempted to cite familiarity, given the popularity of the brand. However, our experience suggests that a more accurate answer is contrast. Across studies, we’ve seen that shelf visibility is not a function of what shoppers actively choose or want to look at.

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Instead, it is primarily a physiological, subconscious process driven by contrast. In the case of Peanut M&M’s, the obvious drivers of contrast appear to be the yellow color in a sea of brown packs and the strong M&M’s logo. And while this package benefits from favorable shelf positioning (discussed further below), it also outperforms other brands (like Reese’s) with comparable shelf placement and facings. Though, while Peanut M&M’s has the strongest shelf impact, several other candy packages also “over-performed” relative to competition, including Dove chocolate (perhaps tied to bright branding treatment) and Ferraro Rocher (likely a result of its distinctive packaging structure). From here, we turned to gum specifically, where we were able to compare different design strategies, such as the color-coding of flavors and color-blocking by brand (a technique used by Wrigley’s “5”, which uses black across SKUs). Interestingly, we found that the color-coded brands (most notably Stride and Orbit) generated higher levels of attention. This runs counter to our research in larger categories, where we’ve seen that “owning a color” is typically more impactful at

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A candy display (top) and an eye-tracking heatmap of the same (bottom). With the yellow and red areas representing the most-viewed areas, the heatmap reveals M&M's and Dove as the strongest performers.

the shelf. Our suspicion is that the “wall of black” created by Wrigley’s 5 gum may be far stronger in the context of multipacks or larger displays than in the smaller shelf allowance for single-serve packs.

SHELF IMPACT By creating alternative versions of the candy rack displays, we were able to better understand the impact shelf facings and positioning have on visibility. To understand the value of extra “real estate,” for instance, we created three versions, which varied the number of facings for 3 Musketeers. Not surprisingly, we found that an additional shelf facing was valuable: A second facing literally doubled overall visibility levels for 3 Musketeers (from 11 percent to 22 percent) and also dramatically increased the percentage of shoppers who saw the brand in their first two seconds at the display (from 2 percent to 11 percent). When a third facing was added, visibility increased further (to 31 percent), but we also began to see signs of diminishing returns, as speed of noting did not improve. To better gauge the role of placement, we shifted brands within the display and analyzed findings by shelf. These findings reaffirmed the importance of shelf location: approximately half of shoppers’ viewing time was spent on the middle three shelves in the display (eye-level and arm-level), with 50 to 60 percent of shoppers noting products when they were placed on the middle shelves. When the same products were placed on the bottom shelves, they were typically seen by only 30 percent of shoppers. The implication is clear: While packaging design is critical, shelf placement and “real estate” also have a major impact on visibility. Even the strongest package will have difficulty gaining attention if it has one facing on the bottom shelf. Of course, visibility is only one part of the purchasing equation. It’s very possible to create a disruptive design and garner visibility, but then send the wrong message and miss out on closing the sale. Nonetheless, visibility is a necessary first step or initial hurdle to overcome. If a package isn’t seen, it never creates the opportunity to sell—something that’s already short-lived in cluttered “graband-go” categories like candy and gum. BP

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Jonathan Asher is senior vice president of Perception Research Services (www.prsresearch.com), a company that conducts more than 800 consumer research studies annually to help marketers win at retail. Jonathan can be reached at [email protected] or 201.346.1600.

www.brandpackaging.com

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FRITO-LAY

GOES

By Michael Connors

Au Natural How the Snack Food Company is Remaking its Portfolio for Today’s Consumer

O

ne of the largest food companies in the world, Frito-Lay has been incorporating healthy innovations into its snacks for years. From eliminating trans fats and reducing salt to cultivating potato varieties that absorb less oil, the company has made steady progress in updating its brands to be better for consumers without giving up the great taste people love and expect.

+

Tostitos redesigned its packaging to reflect a new all-natural positioning, using the window on the bag that reveals the chips as a key communication tool.

But Frito-Lay’s most significant change came at the end of 2010 when the company announced plans to make 50 percent of its product portfolio with all-natural ingredients. Beginning with Lay’s flavored potato chips, Frito-Lay turned to our team to reflect that shift on its packaging.

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LISTENING TO CONSUMERS The risk of alienating brand loyalists is high when considering any kind of transition, especially for an iconic brand like Lay’s. In these instances — more than any other — it’s critical to evaluate and listen to consumer input upfront. We began by using qualitative testing to understand both the core packaging brand equities and to explore a range of visual and verbal concepts that conveyed the idea of “all-natural.” Although previous qualitative research studies showed that all-natural translated as "not as tasty," our 2010 research showed that consumer perceptions of all-natural products have evolved greatly because of such factors as increasing nutrition awareness driven by government mandates, increasing transparency from the 24/7 feedback loop of social media and big retailers like Walmart jumping on the natural/organic bandwagon. Consumers now understand that all-natural can mean quality ingredients and good taste. Our goal was to walk the fi ne line between communicating the innovation and over emphasizing the all-natural claim. We determined that the best approach for Lay’s was to maintain as much equity as possible but to evolve the brand’s natural cues through a more realistic treatment of photography, slightly altered bag colors and a simplified layout. We then quantitatively tested the fi nal package designs using eyetracking studies.

A NEW WAY OF SNACKING What first began as a Lay’s redesign project soon turned into a partnership to reflect the new all-natural positioning across much of Frito-Lay’s snack portfolio by the end of 2011. This involved more than six dozen varieties, including all flavors of

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+ A stamp and band graphic prominently conveys the all-natural message but allows each brand to retain its equities.

Lay’s potato chips, Tostitos tortilla chips, SunChips multigrain snacks, Baked! snacks and Rold Gold pretzels. Frito-Lay recognized an opportunity to shift consumer perception of salty snacks and drive change in the category by using the scale of its portfolio. The scope of change was massive, but the implications were clear: With the visibility created by the largest integrated marketing campaign in Frito-Lay’s history, competitors would need to scramble to follow the company’s lead. Several projects were rolled into one and we were soon updating brands and redesigning Lay’s, Tostitos, SunChips and Rold Gold packaging simultaneously to better reflect the all-natural messaging they would carry. We collaborated closely with the Frito-Lay brand teams to hold true to the differentiating character of each individual brand while working from some common tenants: simplicity, the iconic equity and positioning of each brand, clarity of messaging and evolving natural cues.

COMMUNICATING THE EXPERIENCE Over the years, packaging trends for natural products have evolved from stereotypical cues like tan papers and scratchboard illustrations to lots of white and, now, to more sophisticated color palettes and uncluttered designs. Today, “natural” is communicated through simple, honest design and open layouts.

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We kept true to this with the Frito-Lay portfolio — approaching each brand’s packaging a bit differently, respecting its strengths and identifying its challenges. While the Lay’s redesign remained similar to its original version, Tostitos benefited from an extensive redesign that used natural textures and colors to emphasize and reinforce the product experience. The window revealing the product — so critical to shopping in the tortilla chip category — became the key communication tool. On the classic line, the window evolved into the opening of a chip basket with a bowl of salsa next to it. On the proprietary shapes like Scoops!, the window became the chip itself, half immersed in a bowl of dip. Rold Gold was designed to appeal honestly and simply to loyal pretzel lovers. We also created packaging for a new extension, the Rold Gold Bakery. The line includes baked-in flavors inspired by bakeshop favorites like cinnamon raisin and the everything bagel, so we incorporated a unique background pattern, warm colors and “post-applied label” to dial up the natural story and product experience. We got back to basics on Frito-Lay’s flagship natural brand, SunChips. The markedly simple design accentuated the strength of the brand and warmth of the glowing sun. We used a subtle, woven background to set off the chips and real food cues to emphasize both flavor and the whole grain attributes of these light multigrain snacks.

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+ Packaging for the Rold Gold Bakery line extension features a “post-applied label” to dial up the natural story and product experience.

TRANSFORMING THE SNACK AISLE While consumers are now willing to embrace the benefits of all-natural, the challenge was to shift their perceptions of how that fits into the snack aisle itself. To do so, we needed to create an all-natural message that could be communicated in a consistent, prominent and motivating way across the entire portfolio. One of the main goals was to create a sense of blocking on shelf, so we explored solutions at the top, sides and bottom of the bag that ranged from ingredients photography to bold graphics. We ultimately landed on a simple, but very prominent, graphic: an all-natural stamp and band, which could work across all the brands’ packaging without overwhelming communication of each product experience. Our new graphic could be placed on any of the packages consistently, in a way that’s as straightforward and easy to understand as it is quick to read. There was understandable apprehension about making such a strong and bold statement on the front of these iconic packages. Would consumers still recognize their favorite brands? Would they be able to find their flavors? Would the snacks still read as tasty and fun to eat? Ultimately, we found that the new designs could do all of the above. In fact, the new designs resulted in significant increases in perceptions of taste and purchase intent compared to the previous packaging.

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All signs point to consumers seeking a wider range of products made with all-natural ingredients. Frito-Lay has led the way for the category, defying convention to continue to update existing products and innovate new products, while giving all of us more ways to enjoy all-natural snacks. BP

Michael Connors is the vice president of design for Seattlebased design firm Hornall Anderson. Michael brings more than 25 years of extensive expertise collaborating with clients such as Frito-Lay, Quaker, Tropicana, Pedigree, T-Mobile, Janus, ConAgra, CitationAir, PayPal, California Closets, Amgen, and Getty Images; and introducing them to the world in emotionally compelling ways through branding, graphic design and advertising.

Hornall Anderson (part of Omnicom Group, Inc. – NYSE: OMC) specializes in the design and execution of "customer experiences" within built and virtual environments, as well as through print and packaged goods. From iconic buildings like Madison Square Garden, Sydney Opera House and the Empire State Building to Fortune 500 companies like Starbucks, Pepsi-Co. and Microsoft, some of the world's most remarkable brands have trusted Hornall Anderson to develop and capture a powerful narrative to help create an emotional connection with its customers. www.hornallanderson.com

www.brandpackaging.com

MAY/JUN11

TIME TO SUBMIT!

9

DESIGN GALLERY

BRANDPACKAGING has been championing strategic design with our annual DESIGN GALLERY book for nearly a decade. And something seems to have finally clicked. Marketers are now realizing that packaging is a far better medium for making strong emotional connections with consumers. So take your bow and submit your best work for consideration in our next edition of DESIGN GALLERY — an indispensible resource and source of packaging inspiration for brand owners and their package design and development teams.

DEADLINE FOR ENTRIES

SUBMIT ENTRIES AT

http://submissions.brandpackaging.com

07.10.11

JUST OUT > USA

NATURALLY CLEAN LAUNCHED: MARCH 2011

Seventh Generation introduces a liquid laundry detergent bottle made from minimal plastic and 100 percent recycled paperboard and newspaper. The brand’s Natural 4X Laundry Detergent features a recyclable, lightweight plastic pouch inside a compostable outer shell, which is made from 70 percent recycled paperboard fibers and 30 percent old newspaper fibers. Designed for standard and high-efficiency machines, the new formula is twice as concentrated as the company’s 2X formula. Plus, its entire packaging system (fiber bottle, pouch, spout and cap) uses 66 percent less plastic than a typical laundry detergent bottle. (Package design: Ecologic Brands, www.ecologicbrands.com)

>

UK

V WATER’S NEW LOOK LAUNCHED: APRIL 2011

A functional water brand acquired by PepsiCo in 2008, V Water has been relaunched under the SoBe brand. The new design retains V Water’s white background but the mountain visual has been replaced with SoBe brand equities, including lizards, scales and the SoBe logo. The two lizards on pack flow together to represent an infinity sign that “relates to the fact that V Water can lift your mood and keep you going through the day,” says Arron Egan, senior designer at Blue Marlin, the firm responsible for the redesign. The bottle itself also features a new cork screw design that can be seen across the range of six flavors. (Package design: Blue Marlin, www.bluemarlinbd.com)

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USA

FOR HEINZ, OLD IS NEW LAUNCHED: MAY 2011

Heinz Tomato Ketchup is launching limited-edition glass bottles. Originally introduced in 1876, the glass bottles were available in stores until the ‘90s when they were replaced with a squeezable plastic version. The collector’s bottles will feature a unique label design that was influenced by a vintage packet of tomato seeds. “In response to consumer demand and to inspire memories of and relive good times from summers past, we wanted to bring back the glass bottle with a limited-edition design that gives a nod to the product’s 135-year history,” said Noel Geoffroy, vice president of Heinz brands. The 14oz bottles will be available through August at select stores, including Walmart and Safeway. (Package design: The DuPuis Group, www.dupuisgroup.com)

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USA

CLIF FAMILY CLIMBS TO THE TOP LAUNCHED: APRIL 2011

The Clif Family Winery introduces its new Climber Pouch—a portable, flexible package that can hold the equivalent of two 750ml bottles of wine. Designed for the active wine enthusiast, the package is durable and lightweight and has a one-way plastic spout. The ‘all-terrain wine transport’ also reportedly results in 90 percent less waste and has an 80 percent lower carbon footprint than two glass bottles. The Climber Pouch is available in Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon—each version features an image of a mountain climber on a cliff. (Pouch: Astrapouch North America, www.astrapouch-na.com; Package design: CF Napa, www.cfnapa.com)

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USA

THAT’S A MIO LAUNCHED: MARCH 2011

Kraft launches its first new brand in about 15 years, MiO (Italian and Spanish for mine). The liquid water enhancer is featured in an innovative squeeze bottle that resembles an oversized water droplet. Designed for individuals who want to “personalize their beverage whenever and wherever they want,” each 1.62oz bottle provides 24 eight-fluid-ounce servings that can be mixed into water. MiO is available in berry pomegranate, strawberry watermelon, fruit punch, mango peach, sweet tea and peach tea.

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CONTINENTAL US

WRIGLEY GETS PERSONAL LAUNCHED: MARCH 2011

Wrigley introduces its first-ever custom package, MyExtra. MyExtraGum.com is an online service that allows consumers to create personalized packs of the sugar-free gum. By going to the site, users can select a theme (birthday, weddings, anniversaries, etc.), and then upload personal photos and messages. “[MyExtra] allows us to help fans of Extra gum celebrate and share important moments in their lives, whether they are creating gifts, favors or personal keepsakes,” said Julie Goldman, Wrigley Director - Global Upstream Innovation. The custom 15-stick slim packs retail for $4.99 and are available in peppermint, spearmint and sweet watermelon varieties—it takes up to three weeks to ship and print. (Package design: Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company, www.wrigley.com)

EDITOR’S NOTE: Interested in submitting new/redesigned packages? Email Jennifer Welbel, [email protected] with project background, images and supplier credits for consideration.

MAY/JUN11

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JUST OUT > COCA-COLA To celebrate Coca-Cola’s 125th anniversary this summer, markets around the world are launching commemorative bottle and can designs. Here, a few of our favorites.

USA Designed to evoke a sense of nostalgia, the United States released an 8oz contour-shaped glass bottle. The limited-edition design, sold in six packs, features “125 years” label panels with bubbles bursting from the bottle. In May, the brand also introduced a 1.25L bottle that is rendered in the brand’s classic contour shape; print and radio ads will be used to draw the connection between 1.25 liters and 125 years. (Package design: Coca-Cola, www. coca-cola.com )

UK Across the pond, Coca-Cola fans will find a set of four original glass bottle designs packaged in a wooden crate. The reproductions include a replica of the earliest Coca-Cola bottle, the Hutchinson, which dates back to 1899 and features the iconic “Coca-Cola” script; the crown-capped, straight-sided bottle, complete with diamond-shaped paper labels, created in 1907; the brand’s Prototype bottle patented in 1915 (the result of a challenge to bottlers to create a structure that could be recognized by feel in the dark or identified lying broken on the ground); and the famous contour bottle created in 1916. The set is availablee exclusively at Selfridges. (Package design: Coca-Cola, www.coca-cola.co.uk)

HONG HO NG K KONG ONG ON G Inspired by the brand’s 125 years of happiness theme, renowned British graphic artist James Jarvis created a set of six limited-edition cans. Each design features Jarvis’ signature Martin character relishing in a different idea of happiness—refreshment, making new friends, sharing happiness, summer enjoyment, celebration and uplifting. (Package design: James Jarvis, www.studiojarvis.com)

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MAY/JUN11

Chart Your Course to Real

S U CC E SS At Clear Seas Research we develop customized research solutions to identify:

The outlook for new/existing products Customer needs and expectations Optimal product price points Marketing messages with impact Your position in the industry Areas of customer satisfaction Opportunities for new solutions/products . . . and much more

CLEAR SEAS RESEARCH. Making the Complex Clear.

Find out how we can customize a research solution to help your bottom line. 248.786.1683 [email protected] www.clearseasresearch.com

An industry-focused market research company

As a CASRO member, we subscribe to the Code of Standards and Ethics for Survey Research established by the Council of American Survey Research Organizations.

THE BOTTOM

LINE

> n unflavored spring water with Australian bush flower essences, Balance water needed a new identity to help it make the leap from a niche brand to a mainstream, functional drink that could take on the likes of SmartWater.

A

Frequently merchandised next to plain bottled water, the brand simply looked like a more expensive alternative without any explanation of the ingredient benefits or the brand itself. Brand design agency Blue Marlin created a new, cleaner design that ref lects the purity of the product and conveys the idea that it isn't just bottled water, but wellness water. More accessible language and graphics also convey the simplified positioning of each variant. The refresh was implemented in the US and Australia with a $61,000 design budget.

THE BOTTOM LINE: Balance water’s biggest account, Duane Reade, reported an 800 percent sales increase in the three months following the November 2009 redesign. The brand also picked up 180 US accounts and gained distribution in its home market of Australia. Balance founder Martin Chalk says the design paid for itself within 12 weeks — results that, because there was no marketing or advertising support — can be attributed solely to design. “It changed more than our labels,” says Chalk. “It changed our company.” BP

CREDITS

EDITOR’S NOTE: Submit a project for consideration in The Bottom Line. Email [email protected] with details on the effectiveness of your design.

REBRANDING

Blue Marlin, www.bluemarlinbd.com

INDEX OF ADVERTISERS BRANDPACKAGING PACKAGING THAT SELLS CONFERENCE ........ 22, 23

Owens Illinois ...............................................................................Inside Front Cover, 3

CBX, Inc. ............................................................................................................................ 27

Pantone .............................................................................................................................. 29

Ciulla Associates........................................................................................................ 4, 39

Printpack ............................................................................................................................ 51

Dragon Rouge .................................................................................................................. 21

R+D Leverage ................................................................................................ Back Cover

Exopack .............................................................................................................................. 15

Roland DGA....................................................................................................................... 17

HLP Clear Packaging Products ................................................................................... 11

WS Packaging ................................................................................................................. 25

Innovative Labeling Solutions ..............................................................................9, 37

Xpedx ....................................................................................................................................7

This index is for the convenience of our readers. Every care is taken to make it accurate. BRANDPACKAGING assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions.

READER & MARKETING SERVICES LETTERS Pauline Hammerbeck [email protected] 155 Pfingsten Road, Suite 205 Deerfield, IL 60015 PRINT & INTERNET ADVERTISING

WHERE DESIGN AND STRATEGY MEET BNP Media 155 Pfingsten Rd. Suite 205 Deerfield, IL 60015 (847) 405-4000 Fax: (847) 405-4100 www.bnpmedia.com

GROUP PUBLISHER

Mike Barr [email protected] (630) 801-4152 ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER

Sam Wilson [email protected] (847) 405-4075

BRANDRESOURCES Diana Rotman [email protected] (847) 405-4116 REPRINTS Jill L. DeVries [email protected] Phone: (248) 244-1726 Fax: (248) 244-3934 CUSTOM MEDIA Christopher Wilson [email protected] Phone: (248) 244-8264 Fax: (248) 283-6528

SENIOR DEVELOPMENT MANAGER

Senna M. Shehadeh [email protected] (248) 227-1029

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MAY/JUN11

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