Eye chart inspires “visionary” package graphics

by Kate Connolly WHAT’S HAPPENING OJO Fortified Eye Care Nectar is a dietary supplement, but package graphics for the product line keep it from looking medicinal. To quickly convey the beverage’s eye-health benefits, graphics on the 8-oz. OJO bottles simulate an eye chart. Not surprisingly, the North American product was developed by an ophthalmologist. Fruit […]

SANDY’S SILVER LINING: MAKING A BUSINESS CASE FOR TWITTER

by David Luttenberger Twitter proved its business case by keeping potentially thousands of CPG and packaging professionals, who were grounded by Sandy and unable to attend PackExpo, in the innovations loop, including Iconoculture VP/Packaging Strategist David Luttenberger. During the four days of PackExpo International 2012, which directly overlapped the approach, brunt and initial aftermath of […]

Consumers trade recyclables for food in Mexico City

by Kate Connolly WHAT’S HAPPENING Mexico City is changing its residents’ recycling behavior by offering incentives in the form of healthy, locally grown food. Here’s how it works: Consumers gather up their recyclable plastic, aluminum, glass, paper and cardboard and take them to the monthly Mercado de Trueque, or Barter Market, in Chapultepec Park. In […]

Don’t can the can: UK Consumers get creative with aluminium

by Kelly Stevens WHAT’S HAPPENING “i luv my can” is a nationwide competition to find the most imaginative and creative use of drinks cans in a bid to increase recycling rates and promote their versatility (Easier.com, 9 June 2011). Launched by TV presenter and recycling queen Miquita Oliver i luv my can is asking those […]

ICONOSPHERE 2011: THE INSIGHTS!

by Josh Kimball Each year, Iconoculture throws a bash where we bring our strategists and clients together to talk about important ideas moving the culture. For Iconosphere 2011 in Miami, we had 18 consumer-insights sessions and two main-stage speakers, author Steven Berlin Johnson and designer Emily Pilloton. Here’s a tiny taste of the concepts the […]

Nooka’s Yogurt watch gives culture new meaning

by Kate Connolly WHAT’S HAPPENING Nooka Inc., a fashion brand known for its wristwatches, teamed up with designer Karim Rashid to create the Yogurt by Karim line of watches. The timepieces are packaged in plastic tubs like those used for food. Made of transparent plastic, the packaging shows off the vibrantly colored watches. Text on […]

A THOUSAND WORDS

by Lisa Pierce An Iconoculture colleague recently tapped me for a project about the use of different languages on packages. That got me thinking about the universal language of pictures and why they’re such a powerful tool for package designers today. First, the U.S. is still a melting pot of races and ethnicities. Immigrants continue […]

OLD-WORLD PACKAGING

by Lisa Pierce This year for summer vacation, my best friend, Flora, is exploring her roots. With dad and son in tow, she traveled to the picturesque mountain town of Alessandria del Carretto in southern Italy — her father’s birthplace. Not much has changed since the town was established, sometime in the 1600s. They’re staying […]

GOOD MOOD RISING

by Lisa Pierce While the Great Recession retreats at a funeral’s pace (let’s bury it already!), we’re seeing signs of happiness all around us as leading companies try to brighten consumers’ lives. Kraft Foods created a smiley logo for their new Hello Jell-O campaign and is putting it on special-edition boxes of the jiggly treat. […]

AND THE WINNER IS…

by Lisa Pierce Don’t roll up that red carpet just yet. Award season isn’t quite over. In a few short weeks, the AmeriStars step into the spotlight. The who what? The AmeriStar competition is billed as the Oscars of the packaging industry by the Institute of Packaging Professionals, the nonprofit org that sponsors the contest. […]

PLAY WITH THE BOX

by Lisa Pierce This Christmas, I was a grandma on a mission, determined to get the best price on those gifts that would make my little goobers squeal with delight. After some intense Internet shopping (thank you, CouponCabin.com) and a couple trips to the stores (including an early stint on Black Friday, something I vowed […]

PERVASIVE, PERSUASIVE PACKAGING

by Lisa Pierce Take a second and think about some of the products you’ve used today. Probably coffee or soda. And toothpaste and shampoo. Maybe cereal or soup, and hand sanitizer. Just like you, other consumers interact with products like these every day — and they do it first through packaging. More and more, shoppers […]