Packaging News You Can Use

People love weird and interesting stuff so it got me thinking about more unusual packaging I have seen.

Competition is tough and package designers are struggling over how to differentiate there products from the others. Some times in the creative wars it might get a little far afield.

I’ll be the first to admit that I am a sucker for great packaging design. Package design is one of the ways to capture the consumer’s interest. But designers can also lose their perspective when trying to create something new, different or unique. It’s definitely and uphill battle.

There are many niche markets out there so perhaps these examples are specific to them.

In any case I find them bizarre, weird and packaging.

Who remembers all the novels or literature they read in school? One needs to be well educated to make these connections with this packaging. And this is perfume packaging. Oh my!

Bizarre Packaging

via Packaging Of The World

I guess this company thought that cigarette packaging would make their books more appealing.

Kind of strange now that smoking is on the wane. Most countries are now relegated to plain cigarette packaging too.

Strange Packaging

via Huffington Post

I guess in some countries this is considered appealing. Purple pink don’t make it in my book, especially for pizza.

Weird Packaging

via PackagingNews

The alcoholic beverage industry has fierce competition. While the aesthetics are nice who wants to go to all this trouble?

Weird Packaging

via Core77

I used this example before in packaging examples using skulls. This might be all right for Halloween or Day of the Dead (Día de los Muertos) but who wants this in their liquor cabinet?

Weird Packaging

A collagen ball to eat and the green too! This is plain Yuckk!

Bizarre Product and Packaging

via kidcrave

The King himself is very strange. Just watching him on TV gives me nightmares (LOL)

But can you imagine allow your kids to play with this?

Strange Packaging

via the DieLine

Got some strange packaging you want to share? Drop me a line, I’m always interested in learning how bizarre, strange or weird packaging can help you build your brand and how to capitalize on creativity.

Tags: Advertising, bizarre packaging, branding, business, competition, consumer, DIY, eco friendly, eco packaging, engagement, entrepreneur, green, Indie, innovation, marketing, media, microbusiness, mompreneur, online community, package design, packaging basics, packaging design, packaging expert, packaging help, packaging innovation, packaging insights, packaging tips, packaging trends, product development, Rebranding, Repurposed, retail, Small Business, smallbiz, smallbusiness, social media, startup, strange packaging, sustainability, sustainable packaging, Twitter, unusual packaging, weird packaging, WHAM's

What started out as a fun experiment had an outreach of 40,000+ readers. Between the participants and the tweeters a large segment of the packaging community and interested parties was touched (tweeted) making the 1st annual Packaging Jingle Contest a social success.

Thank you peeps who took time to create a packaging jingle (packaging is 3rd largest US industry)

The jingles represent an awesome display of creative talent @ http://is.gd/e2uKo

Over 60 packaging jingles were submitted for the 1st annual competition. So it was hard for our judges to decide who’s jingle was the best but they did pick a winner.

And the Twitter Packaging Jingle winner is @eheebs Elizabeth from tailfordmitchell.com

You can learn more about her @ http://www.tailfordmitchell.com/pdf/Elizabeth.pdf

and Paul Bernard from tailfordmitchell.com

Her jingle was judged to be the most creative to the point and exactly 140 characters.

Drum Roll please:

A package ain’t just a bag or box, to hold your nuts or sell your socks. It must make friends in the store, so people want your product more

and the Twitter Packaging Jingle award goes to Elizabeth for use for 1 year.

Honorable mentions include #41 Cheri Allbritton, Twitter ID @ArveyColumbus #46 Todd Gasparik Twitter ID @smartplanettech and Amrik Tatla #47, all of which can be read at @ http://is.gd/e2uKo

Some jingles were really good but they exceeded the amount of characters allowed by Twitter. Also some people didn’t have a Twitter ID so getting publicity for their participation was moot.

But in any case special thanks to all packaging jingle participants for making the 1st annual packaging jingle contest a success.

Our judges:

Brad Shorr Director of Content Marketing for Straight North, blogger, and packaging industry marketing specialist Brad Shorr. More about Brad can be found @ http://www.straightnorth.com Twitter ID @BradShorr

Mark Spaulding editor of The Converting Curmudgeon Blog, 25+ years of packaging journalism, package-printing industry bon vivant…and dog lover. Twitter ID @CnvCurmudgeon

Award designer Miguel Elasmar Twitter ID @24KLogos
More about Miguel: Miguel E. Elasmar is a results-driven, creative consultant, designer and branding strategist located in the Orlando Florida area, serving the continental U.S., Canada and Latin America.

So until next year keep those creative thinking caps on and keep tweeting.

Tags: Advertising, branding, business, community, competition, consumer, contest, entrepreneur, Indie, innovation, marketing, media, microbusiness, onlinecommunity, package design, packaging basics, packaging design, packaging expert, packaging help, packaging innovation, packaging insights, packaging tips, packaging trends, Small Business, smallbiz, smallbusiness, socialmedaimarketing, socialmedia, Twitter

Competition is tough and package designers are struggling over how to differentiate there products from the others. Some times in the creative wars it might get a little far afield.

I’ll be the first to admit that I am a sucker for great packaging design. Package design is one of the ways to capture the consumer’s interest. But designers can also lose their perspective when trying to create something new, different or unique. It’s definitely and uphill battle.

There are many niche markets out there so perhaps these examples are specific to them.

In any case I find them bizarre and weird packaging.

This tops my list of bizarre. But what makes it even stranger as it’s sold out at a hefty price tag too

A £500 a bottle super-strong ale is to be sold inside the bodies of dead animals.

Photo: Universal News And Sport

Kind of clever but also strange. I guess it appeals to the younger generation.

via Popsop

I know who this appeals to but how big is this market?

What’s in a name? Clearly this is a marketing gimmick. Would you want people knowing you wear Konvict cologne? I guess in some circles its considered cool.

This is a little too “cutsie” for my taste. It might make a fun gift but its still strange.

via Trendhunter

This package fascinates me. A two-headed bottle. What’s the point?

Even better how does it stand up?

via thedieline

This is too weird “beer pouches” and a little suggestive too. I guess that’s akin to the wine bra.

Last but not least this lascivious packaging is intriguing but it’s supposed to be candy for goodness sakes.

Got some strange packaging you want to share? Drop me a line, I’m always interested in learning how bizarre, strange or weird packaging can help you build your brand and how to capitalize on creativity.

Tags: Advertising, bizarre packaging, branding, business, competition, consumer, DIY, eco friendly, eco packaging, engagement, entrepreneur, green, Indie, innovation, marketing, media, microbusiness, mompreneur, online community, package design, packaging basics, packaging design, packaging expert, packaging help, packaging innovation, packaging insights, packaging tips, packaging trends, product development, Rebranding, Repurposed, retail, Small Business, smallbiz, smallbusiness, social media, startup, strange packaging, sustainability, sustainable packaging, Twitter, unusual packaging, weird packaging, WHAM's

• Going Green: Life Box: The Seedy Side of Packaging @ http://is.gd/drC4l This is clever marketing. I’m not sure how mainstream it will become as cost to impregnate the seeds will be a factor. Most brown boxes are priced as commodities.
  But renewable resources are one way to go greener with your packaging. More tips in Is It “Green Or Garbage” 6 steps to a greener package
• Sustainability + Shelf Impact = Profits @ http://is.gd/dqxjI It’s tough out there and competition is fierce. Any marketing advantage can translate into additional profits. The problem is what do consumers really want from environmentally friendly packaging? Is it truly green or just green packaging noise?
• If Most Packaging Could Be Re-Purposed Like Philips Activa Fitness Monitor @ http://bit.ly/91TFiR iPod packaging concept that doubles as a charger @ http://is.gd/dsQd4
  One of the 6 eco packaging R’s: Reduce, reuse, refill, renew, recycle, repurpose. I need to add these examples to my list of repurposed packaging

Tags: Advertising, branding, business, competition, consumer, eco friendly, eco packaging, engagement, entrepreneur, green, Indie, innovation, marketing, media, microbusiness, online community, package design, packaging basics, packaging design, packaging expert, packaging help, packaging innovation, packaging insights, packaging tips, packaging trends, political packaging, product development, Rebranding, Repurposed, retail, Small Business, smallbiz, smallbusiness, social media, startup, sustainability, sustainable packaging, Twitter

Whether you love or hate packaging tell the world why in 140 characters or less @ http://is.gd/dksId
Packaging is the third largest industry in the US. Here’s my packaging jingle to get you started thinking.
Toothpaste squeezes, eggs aren’t cracked, pizza delivered, headache’s better, beer anyone? Packaging a love affair U never knew U had.
Now’s your chance to rail or defend why products are packaged the way they are. But just in case you plan to complain read this first before venting please: Packaging Is Our Friend

• When the Package Is Part of the Product @ http://is.gd/dlxOr. Just think of all the products that couldn’t exist with out the packaging. My favorite two examples are eggs and potato chips (I use these with students and small the hell out of them as an example) of why we need packaging.
• But Santa knows too that Packaging makes the world go round
• Packaging Reduction Can Do More Harm than Good http://bit.ly/9mtxF5 Food waste is a huge issue. Without proper packaging it would be even worse. In fact in some countries in the world food rots because they have no way to successfully packaging it.
  But if you are considering reducing your product packaging you might want to order my ebook 6 Steps To Greener Packaging. It contains and 18 point carbon footprint checklist
• Heinz Australia vows bisphenol A phase out in baby food packaging @ http://is.gd/dkqxD. Health risks come in many ways and new studies appear all the time.  Some pro some con for every controversial aspect of product packaging. he key is to understand what packaging issues may impact you and your products. On point and a little bit of a spoof is “Fear Factor Packaging” email me for a copy.
• Packaging inspiration can come from any where. The key is to know it when you see it and which comes first in Packaging innovation the chicken or the egg
• Burger King’s packaging draws inspiration from Andy Warhol’s Pop Art @ http://ow.ly/280AG Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and what appeals to one consumer may not appeal to another. The key question is who are your packaging your product for

Think some other tips related to this week’s news are important?  How about your comments on these insights? Please let me know what you think and how we can turn packaging tips into packaging success.

At the very least show me that you care about packaging by “liking” this post please.

Tags: Advertising, Andu Warhol, bisphenol A, BPA, branding, Burger King, business, competition, consumer, contest, DIY, eco friendly, eco packaging, engagement, entrepreneur, food waste, green, Indie, innovation, Kleenex, marketing, media, microbusiness, online community, package design, packaging basics, packaging design, packaging expert, packaging help, packaging innovation, packaging insights, packaging jingle, packaging tips, packaging trends, product development, Rebranding, retail, Small Business, smallbiz, smallbusiness, social media, startup, sustainability, sustainable packaging, Twitter