LARS G WALLENTIN
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The world’s greatest book about packaging communication IV www.packagingsense.com Author: Lars G Wallentin Book design: MEDUSADESIGN, Vevey. Patrick Gaudard, Renaud Mignot, Claire Bijotat, Jean-Claude Haymoz Paper: 130 g Amber Graphic Cover: 240 g Amber Graphic Print: Göteborgs Tryckeriet, Göteborg 2017
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Content Introduction: Read my Pack
Page 8
The wordy Oatly
Page 10
Tasty communication
Page 14
Listen to me please!
Page 22
Arla was first!
Page 26
Five advice to make the panel interesting to read
Page 30
Don’t test your new pack designs
Page 32
Brand vs. Company in the food and drink world
Page 36
My favourite monthly
Page 42
Don’t sell design… sell products!
Page 46
More about creativity
Page 50
Typography should try to express something
Page 58
The reality check
Page 62
Common sense
Page 66
The Ritual
Page 70
Add convenience (and you will sell more)
Page 74
The need for a magnifying glass
Page 78
The ultimate information panel on a food and drink package
Page 80
Where are you from?
Page 84
When it’s ICONIC
Page 88
Important texts
Page 90
Ecolean
Page 94
The SIG Story
Page 96
Medusadesign - Design inspires
Page 98
The Design Ladder
Page 100
Numbers that count
Page 104
Featherweight packaging
Page 110
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RE AD MY
PACK Why this title? For the simple reason that the rear panel of a pack has always interested me as much as the front… I was even nicknamed “Mr Back Panel” during my Nestlé years! Furthermore, I have not dealt a lot with what I call the “service panel” in my former books. It’s only in the third book you could read “If it’s printed, it must be legible”! On my website www.packagingsense.com you might have read some articles on the subject. These articles have now all been updated and improved for the fourth book. The overriding reason is my wish that one day the industry, the designers, as well as the brand managers will have read this book and will approach package design as an opportunity to COMMUNICATE with the consumer. Food and drink packages should basically do 4 things:
1. 2. 3. 4.
protect the product sell the product, i.e. be attractive be ergonomic inform about the content
INTRODUCTION: READ MY PACK
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Today’s package designers do quite a good job when it comes to protection. Themes like new materials, recyclability, etc. are on the checklist of every packaging engineer and most packaging designer. So basically, no problem. The second criteria is also handled quite well today. Just look at the winners of the Pentawards, quite remarkable designs! The third criteria, i.e. easy to handle, to open, reclose, etc. could no doubt be better, but here also, there is constant progress among the ‘Big Boys’ like SIG Combibloc, Tetra Pak, Elopak, Ecolean, etc. It’s the fourth criteria, i.e. communication, where the industry falls short. Today, we actually go backwards, as we want to tell the consumer everything at the same time which results in too small, illegible texts. Why do I bring up this question today? Because I just read that the US will have a new legislation on calorie data to hopefully reduce obesity! In this connection, my question to the FDA is the following: “Have you designed the information so that it is effective?” My 50 years in the business have taught me that you do not change habits with just rational information. You will not change people’s attitudes when you just inform. Will it help to fight obesity if you just add calorie content on beer and other alcoholic beverages? I don’t think so. By the way, the word “design” is more a verb than a noun. With great designing, we, i.e. the industry and the designers, could do far better than we do today, especially if we were freed from pointless legislation as for instance in the US, where the height of letters (size) has priority over readability. And why have net weight on the front, when practically no consumer buys a product according to weight or volume, but to servings or numbers. To print the GDA in front on food and drink packages is, in my opinion, not necessary, as this information basically appears in another layout on the back as nutritional information. If you still wish to have it, why not on the side? Now that we have QR codes, websites, etc., it’s time to rethink the communication on the pack in order to have fewer, thus bigger texts that are readable which then puts emphasis on what is really important. Furthermore, back panels must have a layout as in the daily newspapers to stimulate reading. Not many back or side panels do this, apart from some exceptions such as Special K, innocent, Tropicana or ARLA which is mentioned in this book.
Photo: Christiane
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THE
WORDY
OATLY
THE WORDY OATLY
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Were it not for a total lack of appetite appeal, I would have selected the design for the Swedish oat drink as my favourite pack. But, as often in pack design, it seems difficult for designers to get it all right. I say this because it is my strong belief that a food (not necessarily a drink) brand must attract the consumer with a mouth-watering illustration, unless it is supported with heavy advertising as for instance a Mars bar or Coca-Cola. Yes, a picture is still worth a thousand words. “Hearing something a hundred times isn’t better than seeing it once”… idioms such as this one, popularly attributed to Confucius or “a good sketch is better than a long speech (Napoleon) are quite valid in pack design as consumers do not take the time to read. The Oatly packs in English (in Sweden, English is today called the second mother tongue) are excellent examples of what I’d like to promote with this book. The front tells us that:
1. it’s Swedish (which, in this category, means quality) 2. it’s not milk, nor is it soy 3. it’s the original (whatever that means…) The back which is called ‘the boring side’, but which is very important, tells us:
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“If this side bores you, please read no further. Flip the carton around and have a wonderful day. Otherwise, please do enjoy.” The side panels carry great texts. I now have an advice to Oatly: “add some great appetite appeal photo on the front and you are off to even higher sales figures!”
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TASTY COMMUNICATION One day, I was asked by a Swedish Food Journal to give my views on how to best communicate taste on pack design. The title in Swedish was “Do you speak a food language?� Before I start, I should like to say that I am one of the lucky few who, during my education and later, in my professional life, had to work both verbally (as a journalist) and visually (as a designer). My advice will be divided in 4 categories:
1. 2. 3. 4.
the visual language, i.e. appetite appeal the symbolic language the verbal language the layout and how to maximise food appeal on a pack
TASTY COMMUNICATION
APPETITE APPEAL The Tesco orange box and the Swiss Kambly biscuit tin say it well: “a picture is worth a thousand words” which was coined as early as in 1911 in a US newspaper article about publicity. Mon Chéri and the bag of bread are here to show that, in order to have taste, you must come closest possible to the product. Small food illustrations do not taste!
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THE VERBAL LANGUAGE McDonald’s is, in my opinion, the master and I could give many examples. I’ll select just one on their cartons for Big Macs. Another way of telling a story are descriptive brands (Gusto Italiano, Utterly Butterly and Seriously strong).
TASTY COMMUNICATION
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If “chocolat” is good, “aux pépites de chocolat” is certainly more tasty! Monoprix has an assortment where each pack says exactly what it is. I would say that, if you have a powerful communication, you do not even need a brand, as in the case of “sans arêtes” Sardines. It is important to have the best words on the pack design. It is even more important on point-of-sale and in advetising. Snickers’ “affamé” (hungry) says it all and so does Le Parfait bread spread “spread it quickly, but savour it slowly”.
THE SYMBOLIC LANGUAGE It is very powerful to use a symbolic language. Can strength be better expressed than on the Tabasco ad? I doubt! Kellogg’s Crunchy Nut and Nestlé’s CRUNCH show that there are several ways of expressing crunchiness.
LAYOUT Here is where most designers and brand managers get it wrong. Most of them believe that the logotype must be on top when in fact it is the product that should be there. The illustration will always stand out better if it is in the foreground, as on the Chinese fruit cake pack or in the case of McDonald’s BIG TASTY. The design I prefer by far is the Swedish version of KitKat, i.e. Cloetta’s KEX which is not so crunchy, nor chocolatey, but I doubt a design can express the product and its taste in a better way. Now that’s my opinion and as the saying goes: “De gustibus non est disputandum” (there is no disputing about taste).
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LISTEN TO
ME
PLEASE
LISTEN TO ME PLEASE
The other day, I went to our family doctor for a check-up. Well, all was fine, I just needed to lower my blood pressure a little, so he prescribed a new medicine for me which I fetched at the pharmacy. At no moment did I question my doctor’s advice, although he is quite young. I see him as a specialist and I believe that it is good to listen and to follow the advice from specialists, in whatever profession. Well, is it so? Unfortunately not. I’ve been involved in the design of some 50’000 packages after my 50 years as a specialist with an extensive education in graphic design, typography, printing, knowledge of materials, etc. So why do so many young brand managers believe they know better and tell me what size and position the logotype should have, what typography should be used, when it is my job to propose, in full knowledge, the best way to achieve shelf impact, brand building and clarity of communication? Here I have to add that, when I work with mature marketing entrepreneurs, they do not question my advice, whereas too many young brand managers at multinational or retail companies seem to know better.
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Why is this so? May I give my version? I believe that marketing education is lacking one potential subject and that is to explain what DESIGN can do to achieve optimal communication, avoiding personal comments as “I like” or “I don’t like” which are totally subjective. May I give you a recent example? A brand manager received 3 design proposals from his agency. He liked one of the designs very much, but he knew that it was not in the target group, so he used the grid on the next page in order to judge the 3 designs objectively. And he came to a different conclusion! The lesson to be learned for unexperienced marketing people is to either trust the specialist or use an objective judgement system, be it the one I use or any other one. This being said, I still think that great, powerful, creative design work cannot be measured. I believe the solution is to listen to great communicators and design masters. Just ask for instance, Philippe Starck or Dieter Rams what they think. Steve Jobs and Jacob Jensen would certainly be of the same opinion if they were still of this world!
I BELIEVE THAT MARKETING EDUCATION IS LACKING ONE POTENTIAL SUBJECT AND THAT IS TO EXPLAIN WHAT DESIGN CAN DO TO ACHIEVE OPTIMAL COMMUNICATION
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LISTEN TO ME PLEASE
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ARL A WAS
F I R S T!
ARLA WAS FIRST
1975 Arla introduces, for the first time, different back panel designs for their flexo printed Tetra Pak 1-liter milk cartons. The target they wished to reach with the texts was mainly 7-13 years old children and their parents and so it is still today. Looking at these panels over the years, they reflect the changes in our society. This is why I often refer to such package design as folk art. There are no photos on the packages, as they are mainly printed in flexography, but there are very often live drawing illustrations. Today, Arla offers 12 different ‘pages’ each month, i.e. about 150 different messages during a year. The themes are educational, ecological, social, agricultural, etc. The Red Cross, for instance, has also been part of this very special information media. There is never any advertising, nor are there any political or religious messages. There can be references to services like the fire brigades, or to Swedish cultural events, olympic games and stories about all sorts of animals, etc. There is never a brand on the back, but cross advertising for Arla’s own milk products. As the texts are written in a simple way, these pages are very popular among immigrants to learn the Swedish language. These days, when we read about ‘alternative facts’, it has to be mentioned that all texts on Arla packs are highly trustworthy. For those who have never heard about Arla, it is a cooperative owned by Swedish, Danish, British and German farmers.
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ADVICE E TO MAK
L E N A P G N I T S E R INTE RE AD
THE
TO
1. Divide clearly pure legal information from interesting product information 2. Always design a provoking / eye-catching / surprising / short headline! 3. Use the post-it idea ( here as round bulls eyes ) to make certain texts stand out 4. If two languages, use two different colours 5. If you have a special message for certain consumers only, as for instance lactose-free, highlight it on the back (not on the front ).
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DON’T
T S E T YOUR NEW NS DESIG PACK
DON’T TEST YOUR NEW PACK DESIGNS
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No two consumers in the world have the same opinion, nor is there any consumer who knows your positioning… so all you can test is whether or not a consumer likes a design.
By the way, we all know what the various materials express: plastic is less ‘noble’ than glass, an aluminium can feels colder than a glass bottle, etc.
This being said, I am in no way against testing, as that is one way of measuring certain forms, colours, icons, etc. in relation to communication.
Once you’ve got feedback as to your brand logotype and/or icon, the illustration, the best-selling call-to-action, a good designer knows how to put it all together to obtain a design with
So what then should you test? First of all, start with one thing at a time. If you have designed a new brand logotype, ask the consumer’s opinion about it when it is not yet on the pack, but in isolation, with no disturbing elements around. You may then find out things you would not have seen by yourself, as you might be too close to your own project. Another thing you can test quite easily is the appetite appeal of an illustration, also here in isolation. You may, as above, test one illustration against 2-3 others, as you then get a more elaborate answer. Don’t test copy, as your copywriter knows very well the value of the words used and don’t test the type of pack if you already have decided which production line you will use (for economical and practical reasons).
• • • • •
optical size impression easy readability maximal contrast correct hierarchy respecting legal requirements, etc.
Learning: Measure likes or dislikes to individual parts of a design by asking the consumers,
BUT NEVER ASK THEIR OPINION ABOUT THE FULL PACK DESIGN.
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BRANDVS.COMPANY IN THE FOOD AND DRINK
WORLD
BRAND VS. COMPANY IN THE FOOD AND DRINK WORLD
I’ve had the great advantage and pleasure to work for almost 40 years for Nestlé. During that time, I have regularly been asked to explain the difference between a brand and a company or, in other words, between a product brand and a corporation. As any marketeer well knows, brands in general can be classified in categories that use different terminologies such as
• • • • • • •
sub brand product brand range brand corporate brand strategic brand descriptive brand endorsing brand, etc.
They appear on the front as logotypes and can be of various sizes or strength. Any marketeer also knows the difference between the two brand approaches: a) b)
Nestlé or Unilever, for instance, often use a corporate and a product brand, ex. Mousline from Maggi (dual branding); Mars, for instance, never use a corporate brand (single branding).
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The reason why I write this article is that I found, the other day, a very interesting example: Tetley tea from TATA GLOBAL BEVERAGES with Tetley as a logotype on the front and TATA both as a corporate logotype and the product division “TATA GLOBAL BEVERAGES” on the back. This makes me believe that the management at TATA, as well as (to a certain extent) Nestlé and Unilever have not yet found the best balance between a product brand and the company behind it. I’d like to explain that a product brand which in the consumer’s eye is a creation to express a certain positioning stands, in this case, for taste, but it can also stand for other product experiences such as crunchy, salty, sweet, i.e. real values or perceived values like young (Coca-Cola) or extreme (Red Bull).
BRAND VS. COMPANY IN THE FOOD AND DRINK WORLD
However, a corporate identity, showing the company behind a brand as for instance Nestlé with their nest symbol and TATA with their “T” symbol stand for values such as trust, quality, local, global, i.e. values which can be both real or perceived and different to the above product values. In the years to come, I hope we will no doubt see a stronger and explanatory information of the company on the back panel (avoiding complicated dual or triple branding on the front), as consumers want to know who is behind a certain brand and which values this company has. No doubt Nestlé will increase their nest and explain what “nutrition, health and wellness” mean and Unilever their “U”, explaining to the consumers what their company believes in.
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MY FAVOURITE
MONTHLY
MY FAVOURITE MONTHLY
The first time I heard about Tyler Brûlé was when his agency designed the identity for SWISS, the company that was created after the sad SWISSAIR bankruptcy. I then learned more about Tyler Brûlé as he had created the Wallpaper magazine and made this, if not a big success, a respected journal in the design world. For those who have, like me, followed the quite fascinating career of Tyler Brûlé, they know that he was shot twice by a sniper in Kabul in 1994. During his long hospital stay, he read quite a lot about fashion and design. As a typical entrepreneur, he took a loan in 1996 and launched Wallpaper, the style and fashion magazine which was sold a year later to Time Inc. He also started a branding and advertising agency that developped, among other things, the SWISS identity. In 2006, Tyler Brûlé created Monocle which was launched in February 2007 and which has since then been constantly improved, adding even a round-the-clock radio station and lately also a few cafés. Tyler Brûlé has great taste and this in all sorts of fields, be it fashion, typography, design, food, etc. In my teaching, I therefore often refer to Monocle, when I try to promote interesting service panels on packages and this for the following 11 reasons:
1. an easy-to-read Roman serif font typography 2. interesting, catching and short headlines 3. column length never more than 6 cm, unless in headlines 4. harmonious mix between illustrations and photos
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5. advertisements you wish to read from respected companies in the watch, fashion and design world, such as ROLEX, Parmigiani, USM, SieMatic or Drake Stores 6. white, mat paper, always with maximal contrast, even if the text has a toned background 7. short, very short articles as in the free daily paper like Metro 8. sans-serif typefaces used with moderation 9. a basic grid, but with highly creative solutions for each page to optimise readability 10. balanced mixture between justified text groups and flush left, ragged right 11. a certain airiness, i.e. the part of blank space used in page layout to enable the text and other typesetting to ‘breathe’ As this book is about reading, it goes without saying that I will not comment on the content, but the articles are highly informative. This is a matter of what you, as a reader, is interested in. De gustibus non est disputandum.
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DON’T SELL
DESSEILLGN,
PRODUCTS
DON’T SELL DESIGN, SELL PRODUCTS
As I go through airports and their various shops and as I discuss design with different designers, one thing strikes me more than anything else: the pack designs could be so much more efficient if the designer were more attentive to the fact that the main role of pack design is to sell a product and not a design! In our profession dealing with art and the aesthetical side of communication, we are often tempted to put more importance on the design as such, forgetting that we are in the business of SELLING A PRODUCT. Our main task is to try to convince a consumer to buy a given product and not necessarily through high aesthetics. This means that the USP, the RTB or maximal appetite appeal must explain why this product deserves to be bought more than another. The best way to do that is to show the product and it is here things often go wrong! I’m convinced that, if the Portuguese chocolate bar recently bought in Porto would also show chocolate (and had better expressed that it is dark), sales would increase.
I also believe that if the two Albert Ménès packs had shown small illustrations as Duc d’O, they would sell more.
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This being said, there are products packed in what I would call ‘category design’ like for instance sardines where I would make an exception, as the illustration would most likely have no influence on purchase. The same can be said about certain sweets, when the type of pack (here a tin) will not allow for a high resolution illustration.
DON’T SELL DESIGN, SELL PRODUCTS
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If the “Bonne Maman” tin is, in my opinion, both good communication and good art, I believe that the bag-inbox wine SMART DOG would have gained having somewhere a stronger reference to wine.
The point I’m trying to make is: don’t sell design, sell a product, or why not both, as Italian pack designs very often do!
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MAOBOURT E
CREATIVITY A dictionary will tell you that creativity is the ability to make new things or to think up new ideas. Also, we should never forget that what leads to creativity is knowledge. In other words, the more you know, the more creative you can be. I know it sounds pretentious, but I believe that I’m more creative today than when I was younger. I have collected far more knowledge thanks to being curious!
MORE ABOUT CREATIVITY
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Where do we need more creativity in pack design or, rather, in which area are we missing it? Going back to my friend Robert Monaghan who said that package design is like a decathlon, here are the 10 areas in which we need to have maximum knowledge:
1. 2. 3. 4.
materials graphic design photography and product illustration printing/die cutting/molding, i.e. all technical areas of pack production 5. typography and readability 6. ergonomics and functionality, i.e. opening, reclosing, etc. 7. marketing in general and segmentation in particular, i.e. sociology 8. copy writing 9. retailing basics, i.e. the hot spots on the shelves and product classification 10. secondary packaging, as for instance shippers, shelf-ready displays, etc. It goes without saying that you do not have to be an expert in all these fields, but you must have the basic knowledge and know to which specialists to go to for information. In order to stand out on the shelf, your pack must obviously look different and yet, still obey to the category norms to be quickly understood.
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Take the special edition of the Lion Bar Easter egg‌ how do you design such a cardboard pack to be erected by machine and not by hand in order to keep costs down?
Another example, this time from the highly creative bag-in-box sector, is how to imitate wood in order to simulate the traditional wooden box for wine bottles.
MORE ABOUT CREATIVITY
Should you have a paper label, a plastic label or print directly on the glass? The result is very different.
How far can you form a standing pouch to give a unique shape in order to appeal to children?
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Of course all your competitors can learn this and it is therefore very important that you master the ability to learn faster, as it is often the only sustainable competitive advantage you can have. Here is a list of what attitude and behaviour you need to become more creative:
1. Ask more and better questions. By asking a good question, you almost have the answer. 2. Trust the unexpected. 3. Learn the guidelines and company policy; follow their meaning, but not more. 4. Question the briefing. Know how to forget it and leave the door open for a surprise. If you don’t surprise, you do nothing. 5. Create a more relaxed environment where laughing and smiling are main ingredients. Be serious in what you do, but not in your attitude and behaviour. Fun uses the same ingredients as creativity. 6. Limitation encourages creativity, so do not see it as a disadvantage. 7. Creativity is the destination, but courage is the journey. 8. Provocation is an essential part of creativity‌ use it with moderation. 9. If you are not passionate about your task, you have no chance. 10. As a creative person, you are committed to risk.
MORE ABOUT CREATIVITY
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11. Creativity, according to Toscani, implies an absence of security, a willingness to do the opposite of what established value systems suggest. 12. You must have a certain ability to communicate your imagination. 13. Creative people are doers. They recognise a good idea right away. They add their own personality in the relentless execution of the idea. 14. Creativity is the ability to generate something unique, functional, beautiful and it must generate value for the society. 15. You have more time to be crazy and creative if everything is very organised (Mathias Ruegg). 16. Your organisation’s most valuable assets are people’s intuition (Tim Brown). 17. Once the mind gets curious, no law can stop it (Larry King). 18. Those who do not want to imitate anything, produce nothing (Salvador Dali). 19. To be creative requires divergent thinking, thus generating many unique ideas and then you need convergent thinking to combine these ideas into the best result. 20. Reasonable men adapt themselves to the world; unreasonable men adapt the world to themselves. That’s why all progress depends on unreasonable men (G.B. Shaw).
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TASTY COMMUNICATION
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Y TYPOTRGYRTOAEXPPH RESS SHOULD SOMETHING (an article on readability inspired by the Tetra Pak House Magazine No 70)
TYPOGRAPHY SHOULD TRY TO EXPRESS SOMETHING
However, what is even more important is the readability of the texts that appear on a pack. When designing letters, a number of rules need to be observed in order to obtain a text that is balanced and easy to read. Harmonious proportions are also required between the text, illustrations and the size of margins. The visual characteristics of a text have much to do with whether it is easy or difficult to read. Some of the factors involved are the size of the letters, the type face, the length of lines and the distance between them, the width of columns and headings. The ability to read is acquired by experience, that is, by learning to recognise, assess and decide what we see. Photocomposition has given us thousands of different typefaces. But the fact remains that for ease of reading, it is prudent to use Roman forms such as Times or Baskerville. By and large, however, the most readable type is the one to which the reader is most accustomed. There is a broad range of typefaces – some of them exceedingly elaborate and, unfortunately, difficult to read. A text written entirely in capitals is more difficult to read than the same text in lower-case letters. In the former case, the reader has problems in taking in complete words and has to read them letter by letter. A rhythmic relationship between the letters of the alphabet, regardless of how they are combined, is the primary requirement for a balanced word picture. Letters that are too close together have a tangled appearance, making it difficult to decipher long words. More space between letters reduces the problem of troublesome combinations (for instance LA, VT, KJ), but the word is liable to fall apart. The latter is not necessarily a drawback – the word can acquire a decorative appearance. The reason I decided to write this book was to try to show that texts on packaging are as essential as illustrations, logotypes, flashes, patterns, etc. I hope I have succeeded.
• • •
A text printed in black is likely to be most legible. Negative printing (white on a coloured ground) demands a very high standard of reproduction and printing. This is particularly the case with Roman letters, the thin parts of which are liable to be lost.
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“GIGANTIC” is certainly a great name for a very big Pizza. Tesco’s lettering for “Greek style” is another good example how to amplify a communication. The ‘modified’ typefaces for Bombe, Tunnel, , Champagne and Déchiré, although a bit dated, are also good examples.
TYPOGRAPHY SHOULD TRY TO EXPRESS SOMETHING
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Even Chinese or Japanese signs can be tampered with. The square part of the kanji sign is transformed into a bowl.
To improve communication, a letter in a logotype can temporarily be replaced (YORKIE) or letters can be added (Pringoooals). TOBLERONE is particularly good at this.
I HOPE THESE SMALL ADVICE WILL HELP THE DESIGNER OR BRAND MANAGER TO SPEND EQUAL TIME BETWEEN THE VISUAL AND VERBAL COMMUNICATION ON PACK AGING.
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THE REALITY
CHECK I have recently updated my “advice to a brand manager”, as I noticed that I had, at stage 3, forgotten the importance of the reality check! The reason why I bring it up in this chapter is the following: with the arrival of the design computer, indeed a facilitating tool, there is more than ever the tendency that a design is being judged on a computer screen and not in reality. By the way, one thing I learned quite early during my Nestlé years was to constantly update guidelines which is what I am doing with the “5 step formula”. I would hate to hear that young designers and brand managers make the same mistakes the previous generation did. The McDonald’s ad, compared to the other two, is an excellent example of an outdoor ad that can be read and understood from a distance. I’m sure that the designers who did the other two ads never checked how legible the message would be in reality, i.e. understood when passing by, driving your car. They were OK in the design studio, but not outside in a busy environment. So, folks… do it BIG or stay in bed!
stage
THE REALITY ain CHECK m e h t e b S LWAY A l l i w h in a c i d l h i w u e B g . a g k n i c y a ep and bu r o f g n i k o selling o l l u s f i r r e e w m o u p s a n o appeal, e t i t e p p a y r xtraordina tc. e , s u l p l a n o i nutrit your t u P . K C E ITY CH L A E R a o d . 20-30m a t a d o o t s l context, i.e r is unde t i o s d a r o o our outd
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th 4 stage
t to all i E T U B I R DIST d n a t x e t them e y r k o a t a m n a o l t p . x c e t isors, e a short v d a l a g e l , e opl ng, sales pe concept. th 5 stage
ing
s a liv i y t i t n e d i t c r produ o d n a r b A . sly Y continuou hange. c y l t n a t s n o c on channels X X X
ey are h t f I . m o r f they o choose n t o i s t n i s o i o t p u l o r o s p e one h t t i m e you many b u s e r d therefo n a d e e n u o y es. v i t a n r e t l a 3 m of 2-
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COMMON
SENSE
COMMON SENSE
Most brand managers in Europe believe that full nutritional information in a table form is a must… wrong! Nor is it necessary in the US, depending on the size of the pack. Sun-Maid raisins is a good example. Also, it becomes a bit absurd when, on water bottles, one finds a lot of zeros (no calories, for instance). It is therefore refreshing to see one of the latest Coca-Cola designs I found in the UK which says “fat, saturates, protein, salt – negligible amount”. Wow, common sense! What is important to the consumer on a coke is information about calories, i.e. energy and sugar content that everybody understands and this should be clearly marked.
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Is this the beginning of common sense? I hope so! More detailed information can anyhow be given, for instance, through the QR code! I am not against complete information when it has a sense, as for instance on the S.Pellegrino and Acqua Panna labels.
COMMON SENSE
But I’m totally against filling panels with so much text that you can’t read it, especially if you have a certain age… See the 3 sides on Aquafresh!
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THE
RITUAL It took me a long time… in fact almost 30 years of my career as design adviser, to discover the fantastic power of one of the strongest media, “the ritual”. The ritual creates a strong bond between the brand and the consumer, be it with the product itself or through packaging. Some of the best examples I know of (there are certainly many more) are:
• • • • • •
how to drink a Corona how to pour a Schneider Weisse how to enjoy an Oreo cookie how to open and read a Baci how to open Apéricubes etc.
THE RITUAL
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If you manage to develop a pack in such a way that it is outstanding, unique and original through easy handling or even fun handling, it will give you a memorable advantage! I can see the surprised faces in my public when I teach and unfold, in front of them, an ApĂŠricube and eat it or when I put the slice of lime into the Corona bottle and drink this great beer, not to forget when I lick an Oreo biscuit and dip it into milk!
As for the Schneider Weisse, for those who have never heard of this beer, here is how you drink it: Rinse a beer glass in cold water. Hold it at a slight angle and pour. To get the full taste, you leave a swallow of beer in the bottle. Roll the bottle between your hands and pour the rest.
U O Y E M I T T X SO NE A PACK FOR A DEVELOP DUCT, THINK NEW PRO R I T U A L!
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D D A CONVENIENCE (AND YOU WILL SELL MORE)
ADD CONVENIENCE (AND YOU WILL SELL MORE)
One of many things I learned from Peter Brabeck (ex CEO and Chairman at Nestlé) was to put as much effort into keeping your existing customers and having them hopefully consume more of your products than looking out for new consumers. There are many ways of achieving increased consumption, as, for instance, constant improvements of a product (taste profile or crunchiness) in order to keep it top of mind or make big investments in advertising. Another way is to build in more convenience into your pack and, as a possibility, concentrate on easy openings. I have two examples to show you:
Bonne Maman Petits beurre If the pack is more convenient, i.e. easy to open and reclose (without looking as overpacking) and if the product size is smaller, making us feel less ‘guilty’, you will nibble more often… and consume more! At least that’s what happens to me!
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ApÊricube If management really wants to have a pack that is easy to open, it can be done. I believe that among the millions of cubes that are produced daily, there is not one that opens badly. I have used this product during many years as an example in my teaching and can confirm: easy opening can’t be done better! So eat more cubes! That’s what I intend to do!
I hope these two cases have convinced the reader that to concentrate on improving convenience is worth the investment!
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A R O F D E E N THE IFYING N G A M
S S A L G
For many, package design means surface design, structural design, graphical design, but unfortunately not communication design. That’s a pity! Because package design is mainly about communication, communication of:
• • • •
branding (that gives trust) appetite appeal or product appeal usage instructions useful information about the product, such as ingredients, calorie content or vegetarian cuisine
So why then is the information on the side or back panels of such low design quality, when the front is usually highly creative and attractive? Because most package designers do not really care, nor do most brand managers. Now please do not tell me that there is not enough space or too much text!
• if you treat the information as a page in a daily journal • if you follow common sense and not (very often) outdated guidelines • if you understand the meaning of hierarchy • if you ask the consumer what she really needs as information • if you print texts ‘en suite’ and not in table forms which take up space or with unnecessary frames • if you reduce the amount of text to what is legally accepted and get rid of ‘marketing chatter’ then my wife does not need to take out the magnifying glass when she wants to know the ingredients in a food product!
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THE ULTIMATE INFORMATION
POAN ANFOEODL AND DRINK
PACK AGE This panel should on purpose not be called the “back panel” as the word “back” immediately leads us to believe that something is less important. Another possible word could be “dialogue panel”, as the main purpose of this panel (be it side, top, bottom or back) is to achieve a dialogue with the consumer.
THE ULTIMATE INFORMATION PANEL ON A FOOD AND DRINK PACKAGE
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It is difficult to make a checklist of what has to be communicated and in which order (hierarchy) as it all depends on
• if the package has one or several languages; • if it is a high involvement product, as for instance prepared fish or meat; • if it is a low involvement product such as a soft drink or a snack bar; • if the package is a carton, a label or a bottle, etc. However, there are a few suggestions that can be useful to any designer or marketing person when designing this panel, whatever you call it. First, delete what is not necessary! The fewer elements/information we have, the bigger, i.e. clearer we can make those which the consumer really needs. Therefore, it is suggested to
• not repeat the brand, as the consumer has picked up the product and knows what brand it is; • not repeat the product denomination for the same reason. If the product is one which needs preparation or special handling, this is the most important information and should therefore have the biggest type size in order to be easily read, even in the supermarket’s busy environment. The position can be anywhere, if highlighted, but obviously the preferred position is on top. A good idea is to personalise the back panel by adding, even before the preparation, an introduction text such as “Hello! welcome to a tasty experience!” or “Thank you for having chosen our product!” or “To enjoy this soup, take your time!” in order to open a kind of dialogue to strengthen the emotional bond with the buyer. Why then should the preparation text be first or biggest? For the simple reason that, if not properly prepared, there will be no repurchase! In a world where prepared or ready to consume products can be considered as too industrial, it is important to install a dialogue with the consumer to overcome a possible negative opinion. This is done by highlighting as much as possible the consumer service address (telephone, e-mail or website). It is best done by using symbols such as a mobile phone or, why not, a smiling face? Some products need big and clear nutritional information, an explanation of the product’s key nutrients or just the nutritional values in table form. On other products, this information can be small and just next to the ingredients list (obligatory), as very few consumers do need this information on products such as sweets, desserts or softdrinks. Let common sense prevail and challenge existing so-called guidelines. Tips of how to combine with other products or how to add further pleasure by adding cream, a drop of olive oil or a touch of wine are very appreciated on certain products.
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As prepacked food and drinks in their packages are often seen as polluting the environment, it is essential to somewhere give clear instructions how to best get rid of the package, be it for recycling or just in the garbage. As each region, city or country have different legislation or collecting systems, it is difficult to give specific advice, but a sentence like “be a good citizen, dispose of thoughtfully� is no doubt of value. It goes without saying that there are various legal symbols or texts that have to be added to the above, but as they do not interest the consumer, make it small, but legally correct. I’d like to see on all packages a kind of quality seal which tells the consumer that packaging is not something negative (ill.). In fact, the best service panel for a food pack is a panel that communicates
1. how to best enjoy the product; 2. how to best establish a contact with the consumer; 3. how to best explain nutrition; 4. how to best group less interesting information; 5. how to best dispose of the package.
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WHERE ARE YOU
F R O M?
WHERE ARE YOU FROM?
Walking up the Bahnhofstrasse in Zurich the other day, I passed the Davidoff Cigar shop. It struck me, once more, that one of the most visible trends in marketing, these days, is to inform the consumer about the origin of a brand or rather a company. It is clear, for me, that adding… of Geneva is more positive than just writing Davidoff. There are 3 reasons for this:
1. Geneva has a positive image (it’s Swiss, it’s the home of the UN, the WHO, etc. and it’s known for quality watches); 2. it stands for quality, as new consumers might believe that Davidoff is Russian. In fact, it is a Ukranian immigrant coming to Geneva as a child at the beginning of last century that became the greatest cigar specialist worldwide; 3. in a world with more and more misinformation, it is a positive point to state where you come from! By the way, I bought a bottle of water in Zurich and what did it say: “local water”.
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As the trend to buy local is stronger than ever, I thought it would be worth mentioning a few examples. This week, our local Lidl will promote 15-20 products with the local language, SwissGerman, and give them personal names, such as Ueli’s Delikatessen, Gabriel im Engelbergertal, Rudolf’s Original or Frieda’s Traum. During our holidays in Ireland, I found O’Donnells crisps “of Tipperary” and Irish Hereford Premium Beef Steak Mince produced in “County Cork”.
My Swedish friend Bosse Wallteg informed me about Mjölk “från Wermlands Mejeri”, i.e. milk from County Värmland.
WHERE ARE YOU FROM?
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In France, you’ll find, since some time, Patrimoine Gourmand that promotes regional specialities such as Sardines “de Saint-Gilles Croix-de-Vie au Pays de la Loire”.
We all know that the South of France is a real garden. Thus the Fraises “de Carpentras” and “Savourez le Vaucluse”.
However, what strikes me with these local products is that only half the job is done, as the local issue appears only on the front (no doubt as a sales message) and is not followed up on the back. I believe that selling is about strengthenig the bond between the consumer/buyer/user and the brand/company that makes a product. This bond can only be strong if you give reasons for choosing the product in question. Food products, which I mainly deal with, are about taste, quality, convenience, etc. The back panel text can and should amplify this. Furthermore, thanks to digital printing technology, the text can be changed, i.e. updated and improved endlessly. I see that very few brands profit from this, the reason being probably that it gives more work to the brand manager and the designer! I find this a pity, as there is so much to be said to amplify the advantage of being local… freshness, for instance, ecology, etc.
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WHEN
IT’S ICONIC ... you may still make it contemporary. I’ve chosen an Italian and a Japanese label in order to explain what I mean. Some designs have, with time, become so unique that they have become icons and that they are, in principle, untouchable. You know the expression “don’t change a winning team” or “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”. There are quite a few iconic designs like the Coca-Cola logotype, the French Herta Knacki, the red or blue gingham/ vichy pattern on the Bonne Maman packs or the Swedish Kalles Kaviar tube that do not need any improvement.
WHEN IT’S ICONIC
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However, and that is why I wish many CEO’s or brand managers would read this article, even an iconic design can be tampered with in order to stay in tune with today’s consumers. S.Pellegrino does this exceptionally well, as can be seen on a few chosen examples and so does the Kirin Ichiban beer where some typical Japanese Spring flowers have been added.
I am not speaking of promotional ideas only, but also of special editions for celebrations such as Christmas, the Chinese New Year or even the Japanese Spring. Today, famous brands such as Coca-Cola are almost expected to offer the consumers something new to look at, while maintaining, of course, the brand’s graphical identity!
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IMPORTANT
TEXTS
IMPORTANT TEXTS
Working on this book, I realise that hardly any pack on the world scene carry the following two texts and this for the simple reason that neither package designers nor brand managers see packaging as advertising. Here they are:
A. a missing text on the front panel is often the brand’s slogan or tagline, call it what you like, and B. a text which never appears on the back is the text that leads further to a very efficient marketing tool, i.e. word of mouth. If we start with the front panel, let me first explain that the inclusion of a tagline next to the brand on thousands, if not millions of packs is extremely efficient! A great slogan/tagline is memorable, gives the key benefit, differentiates the brand and last, but not least, gives a positive feeling about the brand. The logotype is the visual, the slogan is the verbal representation of a brand. So why not use both?
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To give the reader a few other examples than the obvious “Just Do It”, “Think different.”, “Connecting People” or “Keeps going and going and going”, here are my two favourites from the food world: “Melts in your mouth, not in your hands” for M&Ms which is product related and Purina’s very efficient emotional wording “Your Pet, Our Passion”. Some readers will now argue and say “there is no space for more text”. To them, I answer: “that’s why we have designers”! A talented designer will find the space, don’t worry! Regarding the text on the back panel, I’ll give the reader two alternatives which any professional designer will nicely fit in and make visible/ readable:
• “We hope you will be pleased with our product and be encouraged to tell your friends about it. Thank you!” and • “We are very happy you chose this product. We do hope you do not keep your satisfaction just to yourself. Thank you!” Please note the importance of the words “Your” and “Our” in Purina’s slogan “Your Pet, Our Passion”.
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ECOLEAN
ECOLEAN
When I asked Ecolean if they would be willing to sponsor again, their prompt answer was “of course!” Needless to say, it warmed my heart! As the reader will readily understand, no editor is willing to invest in such a particular subject such as Packaging Communication and I have to ask the industry for help… thus my great thankfulness to companies like Ecolean, Bobst, Combibloc, Iggesund, etc. Ecolean, a fairly new invention, is already ahead of time when it comes to the technical, the environmental and the material side. Why? Because you can’t make a lighter plastic pack which, at the same time, is convenient for the consumer thanks to its handle. The Ecolean stand-up pouch is both handy and easy to dispose of. I strongly believe that packaging is both a matter of economy and environmental impact. If you compare Ecolean packages with
• reclosable carton bottles • aseptic cartons • HDPE or PET bottles and when you take into consideration manufacturing, production waste, pollution and greenhouse gases, Ecolean packages come out on top. Its smart, geometrical shape is more unique than cardboard bottles thanks to the air filled handle and when flattened out, it is not thicker than an envelope! I also like the company slogan “welcome to a lighter world”. Ecolean packages can be recycled as plastics or recovered as energy by incineration, depending on local waste handling. I live quite close to an incineration plant and I would obviously throw my pouch into the garbage bag! Thank you Ecolean and good luck, especially in the new markets that you will conquer!
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THE
SIG
STORY
THE SIG STORY
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… is as special as the Nokia story where a factory of rubber boots ended up making mobile phones! The story started back in 1853 with SIG (Schweizerische Industrie Gesellschaft) making railway carriages, tool design and construction, etc. to finally turning into the production of smaller items like beverage cartons and filling equipments. In fact, the SIG Combibloc beverage carton dates back to the invention of “Perga”, Europe’s first beverage carton (1929), but it took off only in the late seventies when the company decided to enter into aseptic packaging technology. To make a very long story short in order to fit this book on packaging communication, I’d like to quote two of SIG’s mantras:
• “Every consumer in the world with a SIG pack in their hand and a smile on their face, every single day” (a big dream like my own “do it BIG or stay in bed”) • “Way Beyond Good” which reminds us of Winston Churchill saying “I’m easily satisfied with the very best” Yes, SIG cartons, printed in rotogravure, do stand out on the shelves! The reason why I am happy to have SIG as a sponsor is that they have always produced/ printed designs with an extraordinary appetite appeal quality. I am especially thinking of the Polish brand Tymbark for which I once worked. The word quality is, I believe, the key word at SIG for the following reasons:
• create a pack made of 100% renewable materials • develop cartons with the lowest environmental foot print • manufacture flexible machines with high hygiene and a big range of different formats • offer aseptic filling for both beverages and food to retain high quality content over a prolonged period, even without refrigeration and preservatives • constantly improve, as for instance the “combidome” which combines the best features of a carton pack with the best features of a bottle. “combidome” is the world’s only aseptic carton bottle for both low-acid beverages as milk and high-acid beverages as juices I could write a lot about the technical side, but as this book is about communication, I think the reader should just admire the attractive designs printed on SIG cartons found in over 65 countries the world over. Last year, SIG produced some 33 billion packs, so there is a big chance for you to find one!
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MEDUSADESIGN
DESIGPNIRES INS
MEDUSADESIGN - DESIGN INSPIRES
Patrick Gaudard, a longtime friend of mine with whom I have designed hundreds of packs, started off his career in the Etienne Delessert studio as an illustrator where he learned the basics, i.e. drawing. Last year, he started a new agency, together with Renaud Mignot: Medusadesign and their credo is “Design inspires”. Although we have mainly done pack designs together, I asked Patrick if he was interested in designing my 4th book and, as he has design in his blood, i.e. he can design just about anything, the answer was “of course!” I say this because someone once said, with right, that if an agency understands the power of BIG IDEAS, it can shift it to all media forms… I believe this book is a BIG IDEA! Medusadesign composed the cover, took care of the layout, chose the various typefaces, etc. I’m sure you will agree: they did a great job!
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THE DESIGN
LADDER I have no idea where I found, many years ago, the explanation about what design can do to a corporation. I just hope there is no copyright and I thank the one who said it, as it is a telling way to highlight the power of design. When I use the word design, I use it first of all as a verb, “to design” and this in its widest sense. Not only for products such as cars, electronics, etc. (and here I think mainly of Dieter Rams’ 10 principles for good design), but mostly of design as a selling tool, where the word communication is key.
THE DESIGN LADDER
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The higher a company is placed on the DESIGN LADDER, the better its gross performance
DESIGN AS STRATEGY Design has been adopted as a central aspect of the company’s business base, used as a means of encouraging innovation, e. g. the car and fashion industry.
DESIGN AS PROCESS Design is not an end result, but rather a work method adopted at an early stage of product development and requiring the involvement of several different disciplines, including design e. g. Procter & Gamble.
DESIGN AS STYLING Design is seen as the final styling of a product. The task may or may not be undertaken by professional designers e.g. those who see design only as aesthetics.
NO USE OF DESIGN In these companies, design is a hidden aspect of product development. It is generally the task of nondesign disciplines to develop the functionality and aesthetics of a product.
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As I mainly deal with FMCG companies, I am often surprised to see how managers speak highly of design, but do not use it as an effective part of the marketing mix. In my three books on packaging communication, you’ll find numerous examples of how an attractive design, i.e. layout, illustration and call-toaction text have an immediate impact on sales. To make my point about good design, I’ve selected a Pepsi and a Nestlé product, Tropicana and Fitness, for the following reasons: Layout: good designs overlap certain elements. In these cases the food illustration on Tropicana and the Fitness brand on the body. Good designs often also let the illustration overlap on side panels, i.e. be cut on the front which highlights the slim waist of the woman. Good design has few elements. Fitness does not need any explanation. Orange Mango stands out as other texts are withdrawn.
THE DESIGN LADDER
Logotypes: Both brands have characteristic/ personalised easy readable logotypes. Colours: both packages have fresh and clean colours which is essential in the food and drink industry. This is achieved by proper food styling and lighting. Texts: If the NestlĂŠ product basically does not need any explanation as Fitness says it all, Tropicana has chosen several keywords such as pure, premium, pressed, creations, 100%, not to forget the date marking on top. As both packs are carton packs with 6 sides (!), they would gain in simplicity if the GDAs were printed on the sides. On the Tropicana, the texts 0% concentrate, 1L, Flash Pasteurised, Keep refrigerated should be moved over to the back or side panels. Small texts like these are not read anyhow, but could be made bigger on the back if considered important. Well, after having read my book, maybe these advice could be taken into consideration.
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NUMBERS
THAT
COUNT
One way of developing a new brand is to choose a number, be it a year, just a figure or a number with a special signification. As I live in Europe, I have selected some local brands, but I suppose there are similar ones in Asia, as well as in the Americas.
NUMBERS THAT COUNT
I’d like to start with what I believe is the most well known one, the Kronenbourg 1664. This is the preferred beer brand in France and 1664, first used as a number alone since 1988, obviously dates back to the year Kronenbourg was founded as a brewery. In fact, Kronenbourg 1664 was created in 1952 in honour of the crowning of Queen Elizabeth II, therefore its ‘royal dressing’. There are many stories about this brand as, for instance, the breakfast in Bruxelles shared by François Mitterand, Jacques Chirac, Helmut Kohl and Tony Blair when François Mitterand asked his neighbours which was, for them, the turning point in history, whereupon Jacques Chirac was quick to answer 1664, Kronenbourg!
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6ème SENS Also a French brand from the Gérard Bertrand winery in the South of France, more precisely the Pays d’Oc. Under this brand, you’ll find white wines like Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Viognier and reds like Syrah, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache, as well as rosé wines. A great, unique storytelling design that is, as any good design: unforgettable. Not to forget either the yearly Jazz Festival at L’Hospitalet, where Norah Jones will be the star artist this year. Didn’t somebody once say that great wines and jazz go hand in hand? See photo on page 9
NUMBERS THAT COUNT
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414 … which stands for the tax roll number of the Scansano region and which has become one of Italy’s much appreciated wines from the Tuscany region, even if still in the shadow of Chianti, Montalcino or Montepulciano. Morellino is the local name for the popular Sangiovese grape.
Le 1921 Another French brand from Ortolan, promoting the FrancheComté region was one of the first brands in the new popular trend to ‘buy local’. It celebrates the memory of its origin year 1921 and their slogan reads “L’amour du fromage depuis 1921”.
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No 1 to No 6 The brand John & John is German and designed in Hamburg by Peter Schmidt. It highlights the six numbers which makes the design more unique and has a greater impact than the John & John brand. It follows my advice that an icon (in this case No 4) is stronger than a brand logotype. As the crisps market is a typical impulse buy category, the DESIGN will always play a big role.
1291 Switzerland was established year 1291 by forming a loose Confederation of 3 cantons, Uri, Schwyz and Unterwalden, which grew over time and now has as many as 26. The original name in Latin is Confoederatio Helvetica, thus the name Helvetia on the stamps, for instance. When the Swiss brewery Feldschlรถsschen wanted to add a new variety, what could be more natural than to use this date as a brand, as Kronenbourg did with their 1664?
NUMBERS THAT COUNT
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FEATHERWEIGHT
PACKAGING These days, when we fight against heavy materials and try to reduce the CO2 impact on the environment, I think it is time to promote one of the lightest of all packaging material, the thin orange wrappers first developped in Sicily, now also used in other countries, as for instance Spain. It weights 0.6 grams! I’ve often said that packaging is a kind of folk art and the orange wrappers are, no doubt, high on the list, as the designs are great examples of a certain culture. These square sheets of paper do not only hold the brand logotype, but also highly decorative drawings. You have certainly read on www.packagingsense.com about my fascination for a ritual related to a product or its packaging. The act of unwrapping the fruit certainly adds to the enjoyment of its consumption, like the Baci chocolates or the Amaretti di Saronno with their crisp pastel papers.
FEATHERWEIGHT PACKAGING
If you have not heard about the Amaretti Flying wrapper trick, one more ritual, here it is: Flatten the cookie paper, roll it into an open tube, set it on a plate, carefully light the top and, when almost burned, the paper will glide silently upwards to the ceiling, whilst you are supposed to make a wish. Fascinating! The biscuit was created in 1719 when the Cardinal of Milan made an unexpected visit to Saronno and two young lovers created a cookie with egg whites, sugar and apricot kernels. The biscuits are now sold mostly in tins, but that is another story‌
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LARS G. WALLENTIN Lars, of Swedish origin, was educated at the Graphic Institute in Stockholm.He moved in 1964 to the Nestlé headquarters where he was responsible, for almost 40 years,for the development of creative designs for all key strategic brands. He became a reference for many young marketing people, as he was teaching design, communication and packaging around the world. Lars, a true European, speaking several of its languages, is an avid jazz fan, former table tennis champion and an amateur photographer. Since he retired, he spends his life writing about design and packaging and consulting various consumer good companies. He is, furthermore, an appreciated speaker on package communication. His motto, which clearly comes through in his teaching, is «Dot it BIG or stay in bed» .
This is my fourth book since I left Nestlé and it is, for me, the most important one. The first book (sold out) dealt mainly with appetite appeal and identity. The second book promoted creativity (“Creativity takes courage”, still available) and the third one highlighted total communication (“WHO sells WHAT to WHOM”, also available). My fourth book is a try to wake up the industry to better communicate verbally on packaging.
THIS BOOK IS SPONSORED BY TWO PROGRESSIVE BEVERAGE PACK PRODUCERS AND DESIGNED BY MY FRIENDS AT MEDUSADESIGN