Am I writing with a pen or an ad?

I’m a designer. I am very conscious of my own brand when I’m taking notes in a client meeting or sketching for a vendor. I do not appreciate other brands encroaching on my own. My computer has a logo, my notebook has a logo, my pad of paper has a logo, does my pen really need one, too?

When clients ask me to add their brands to products that people handle daily I can’t help but try to explain the current pen in my hand: The Sanford Uniball Micro. It is beautiful, clean, balanced, trustworthy and virtually free of branding. Only a wonderfully subtle logo and name is etched into its simple metal clip. I would hope that when product designers consider how to identify or recognize a product with a brand mark that they at least put up a little fight. Inform clients that after the product has been purchased, the consumer is not impressed with what brand they are holding or displaying on their desk but how well it performs.

Branding is for packaging and advertising. If you have truly created a wonderful writing experience, then the product will stand out on its own —  e.g., Bic’s classic ballpoint.

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Ready, Set … SOLVE! A look at how Go East staffers find their mojo.

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A look at how Go East staffers find their mojo.

A Red Letter short

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Duane Reade is a chain of drug and convenience stores in and around New York City. Although I had never heard of this store, I am intrigued by their new private-label packaging. Exploring their new positioning, “New York Living Made Easy,” CBX created a clean, simple design that features different, well-known New York images. The primarily black-and-white packaging feels generic, however the big barcode, clean type and splash of color makes it more unique. Based on this packaging, I’d buy their products.

Thanks to the The Dieline for the images.

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Fashion and bandages usually don’t go hand-in-hand. They do now. American fashion designer Cynthia Rowley has created 14 bandages for BAND-AID®. I’d wear some of them. Gold chains? No. Pretty jewels? Yes!

Even though some of the bandages are cute, the metal tin they come in is not. I usually like simple packaging, but this seems too simple. Maybe it’s because the bandages have so much detail. Or maybe it has to do with the color combination. The black with the red logos is too harsh and not soft enough for the pretty bandages it houses.

But since the bandages are fun and some of the proceeds go to charity, go ahead and dress up your cuts. Buy them online for a limited time at CynthiaRowley.com.

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The New York Times recently ran an interesting — and kind of funny — article about consumer “wrap rage.“ Apparently, Amazon has spent two years trying to get the folks who sell products on its site NOT to use clamshell packaging.

What is wrap rage? Anyone who has suffered the humiliation, frustration and, yes, uncontrollable anger, that comes with trying to open a plastic-clamshell encased product knows wrap rage. A person shouldn’t have to wield a knife to gain access to a product they have lawfully purchased.

Amazon.com users agree; packaging is the number one source of angry customer feedback. So the company has asked its partners to rethink their packaging and offer a frustration-free option for consumers.

The article reads a bit like a case study on why companies should solicit feedback and how they can put the resulting data to work for them. In this case, consumers weren’t shooting down stars over service or quality, just the packaging — that’s both good to know and fixable … with the help of a good designer.

Frustration-free packaging (Photo courtesy of Amazon)

Of the companies that took Amazon’s plea seriously, many  found that their new packaging cost them less, was more environmentally friendly and, perhaps more to the immediate point, on average reduced negative feedback by a whopping 73 percent.

And, in a time when consumers increasingly look to each other for purchasing advice, that’s some powerful PR.

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PepsiCo has redesigned the Sierra Mist packaging several times in the past 10 years. The design has evolved from hideous to ugly to okay. Gone is the packaging with the weird, blurry type and tree limbs. The new design is not great but it’s a huge improvement over the last two designs. There’s energy to it and it feels like it belongs with the Pepsi family. I like the lemon/lime graphic peeking through and the bold colors of the Lemon Lime Sierra Mist. However, I’m not crazy about the typeface or the puzzle-piece background. And the Diet packaging has too many elements – too many words and too many colors in the background. Overall, it’s better but I think there’s still room for improvement.

Thanks idsgn for the images.

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As a passionate social media user and a true Minnesotan, it was fun to find the Minnesota State Fair on Twitter. I found their updates to be friendly, timely, relevant and authentic. The Fair’s social media efforts integrated Twitter, Facebook and YouTube, as well as a mobile website — an oft overlooked social media tactic — which is impressive given that the Fair is a 12-day event.

I spoke with Brienna Schuette, marketing and communications manager for the Minnesota State Fair, about their social media efforts. She indicated that, like many organizations, when the Fair first started using social media they did it for fun.

(more…)

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