BBDO 80th Anniversary

Classic - no more words required...

Disclaimer: Some images hosted on this blog have been collected from external research associates to be presented as stimulus to those seeking news from the cutting edge of packaging. The imagery is not being presented as our own and copyright still belongs to the owner/creator of said work.

House Industries for Herman Miller Japan

"This time a custom House Industries block set design commissioned by friends at Herman Miller Japan. I thought I’d try to roll all of my favorites into this one…Andy Warhol, Maria Montessori and, of course, the Herman Miller trifecta; Nelson, Eames and Girard."

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Each set includes eight basswood children’s blocks dressed in House Industries numbers, shapes and patterns. The puzzle sides are based on the original Herman Miller furniture box that was used to deliver American modernism. We then packaged the “box” in a miniature corrugated shipping carton. Took us a while to sniff out the tiny brown kraft packing tape, but solving specky details like “tape scale” allows me to sleep at night. It was all made in the USA (Grand Rapids, Michigan) by Uncle Goose and Advance Packaging.

The House for Herman Miller Japan blocks are only available at the new Herman Miller showroom store in Tokyo, Japan."

Disclaimer: Some images hosted on this blog have been collected from external research associates to be presented as stimulus to those seeking news from the cutting edge of packaging. The imagery is not being presented as our own and copyright still belongs to the owner/creator of said work.

Auntie Carols sings your requests!

Yes, Carol and her namesake are, right now, sitting in camera-facing armchairs clutching folders of christmas carol and song lyrics, ready to respond to incoming requests. Watch them live or pick a pre recorded song of choice to listen to with an option of tweeting it or posting it on Facebook.

Carols you can request include O LIttle Town of Bethlehem, We Three Kings, Good King Wenceslas, Once In Royal David's City, and Chrismtas songs such as Santa Claus is Coming To Town, Jingle Bells, Wonderful Christmas Time are also on the list to pick from. Keep watching the scrolling list of songs you can request though as there are some slightly unusual ditties such as Firestarter, 99 Problems, Pull Up To The Bumper, Sexy Back, Get The Party Started. What will you request?

OK, so they're not the best singers in the world, and they won't actually sing Grace Jones' Pull Up To The Bumper for you, but I can't help admiring Carol and Carol, who not only respond to requests to sing carols – but brush off additional incoming messages such as "are you single?" with smiles, a chuckle and a genuine charm that can only truly be mastered by a lady of a certain age who's happy to sit around singing carols all day drinking tea and making idle chit chat to fill the gaps between incoming requests. Bravo ladies!

How about a totally appropriate rendition of Let It Snow (it's coming down thick and fast here in London at the moment)? Thanks!

auntiecarols.co.uk
 
Disclaimer: Some images hosted on this blog have been collected from external research associates to be presented as stimulus to those seeking news from the cutting edge of packaging. The imagery is not being presented as our own and copyright still belongs to the owner/creator of said work.

NFG Christmas Wrapping Paper

New Future Graphic has created this cute film featuring a wrapping paper-machine. The paper patterns shown can then be downloaded for use on your very own gifts online here, and there are fun iPhone and iPad treats too.

Season's greetings (again) from New Future Graphic on Vimeo.

Disclaimer: Some images hosted on this blog have been collected from external research associates to be presented as stimulus to those seeking news from the cutting edge of packaging. The imagery is not being presented as our own and copyright still belongs to the owner/creator of said work.

Google Adwords says Thank You

To mark the tenth anniversary of its flagship advertising product AdWords, Google created a film that could be customised to say thank you to each and every one of its advertisers...

Google Adwords - Thank You from PostPanic on Vimeo.

The film was directed by PostPanic director Mischa Rozema, and stars a team of enthusiastic boffins from a fictional Google research department. The researchers embark on a series of ambitious experiments to spell out the advertisers' names via swarms of bees, thousands of dominoes and a giant laser projector. Each test meets with disaster though so in the end Google's staff opt to say a simple thank you with words.

Rehabstudio created a system that personalised each film, inserting the individual name of each advertiser into the action. AdWords then sent an email to all its customers globally, inviting them to view their bespoke film via a YouTube channel. Shown top is an example of the film featuring PostPanic, while stills below show how the film was customised to show other names.

Disclaimer: Some images hosted on this blog have been collected from external research associates to be presented as stimulus to those seeking news from the cutting edge of packaging. The imagery is not being presented as our own and copyright still belongs to the owner/creator of said work.

The Helvetica Killer

Ah, don't you just love a good debate about Helvetica, especially one with a deliberately inflammatory headline and an outspoken protagonist determined to take on one very large sacred cow. Bruno Maag's attempt to question the vailidity of Helvetica as the world's favourite typeface, and his proposal of an alternative of his own devising, outraged and enraged with 134 comments.

Disclaimer: Some images hosted on this blog have been collected from external research associates to be presented as stimulus to those seeking news from the cutting edge of packaging. The imagery is not being presented as our own and copyright still belongs to the owner/creator of said work.

The Science Museum: Augmented Reality from GR/DD

Our friends at GR/DD have created the latest augmented reality experience at the Science Museum in London.

Take at look at the project below or better still go and check it out!       

The Brief:
The Science Museum in London required an innovative interactive for their revolutionary new atmosphere: exploring climate science gallery, a space in the museum dedicated to improving public understanding of the science behind climate change. This particular interactive needed to present the visitor with a way in which they can manipulate a scene to alter the amount of carbon that was being released into the atmosphere.

The Design:
GR/DD created ‘Carbon Cycle’, a unique Augmented Reality (AR) interactive that presents the visitor with the process in which natural and man made activities add and off-set the amount of carbon in the Earth’s atmosphere and the consequences of this. By placing different representative AR tags onto the physical island grid, visitors can add cement factories, farms, roads and much more. Multiple tags are read by the camera which then enables the interactive to accurately place digital versions onto the on-screen island, complete with animation, sound and further science information. Visitors can add as many or as little objects (tags) as they like to their island and move them around at any time to customise it to their hearts content.

Two other interactives created by GR/DD for the atmosphere gallery include ‘Past Climate Change’, a time traveling journey exploring the different eras of Earth’s life, and ‘Greenhouse Effect’, a fun arcade style game that demonstrates how the greenhouse effect works.

For further information, hi-res visuals or interest in any other projects please contact:
Tim Smith on 020 7729 4222 or tsmith@grdd.co.uk

For visitor information on the atmosphere gallery please visit the Science Museum’s website or call 0870 870 4868

Disclaimer: Some images hosted on this blog have been collected from external research associates to be presented as stimulus to those seeking news from the cutting edge of packaging. The imagery is not being presented as our own and copyright still belongs to the owner/creator of said work.

Floppy Disk Sticky Note

"There was a time, about 15 years ago, when none of us had heard of DVDs or USBs or external HDDs - when the only portable storage we had was a square piece of plastic, which was fine, because no one really had any files to carry around. Why would you ever need  any more than 3.5" of space for recording information?"

"We’ve taken this contrived logic and applied it to stationery! A pack of 3 sticky note pads, perfectly replicating the original 3.5" floppy disks of the 80's and 90's. If it can't fit on a Floppy Disk Note, it's not worth remembering! (strictly speaking, if it can't fit on a floppy note, it's probably quite difficult to describe, and so is worth remembering,  but 8 track sticky notes would be cumbersome, and the name doesn't sound nearly silly enough). Oversized sticky notes with printed 'floppy disk' design. Pack of 3 pads."

Designed by Burak Kaynak

Disclaimer: Some images hosted on this blog have been collected from external research associates to be presented as stimulus to those seeking news from the cutting edge of packaging. The imagery is not being presented as our own and copyright still belongs to the owner/creator of said work.

Hashi Chopsticks

My Hashi Chopsticks are a really nice reusable chopstick set the comes in equally-stylish packaging. A clear tube is capped with matching colored plugs. You can choose from seven colors.

As simple as this product is, what is striking is the attention to design and how that extends through the packaging as well. Would these chopsticks be as interesting in a blister pack? I suspect not. The reusable, well-designed packaging actually elevates the product's desirability. More importantly, it's a measure of  sustainable design: packaging that's reusable, beautiful and 100% functional.

I think this is the ideal that all packaging should strive for.

Disclaimer: Some images hosted on this blog have been collected from external research associates to be presented as stimulus to those seeking news from the cutting edge of packaging. The imagery is not being presented as our own and copyright still belongs to the owner/creator of said work.

Crumpled City Maps - Stunning!

Berlin based graphic designer Alvvino designed the packaging for Crumpled City Maps. Check them out below!

Disclaimer: Some images hosted on this blog have been collected from external research associates to be presented as stimulus to those seeking news from the cutting edge of packaging. The imagery is not being presented as our own and copyright still belongs to the owner/creator of said work.

Zealong

"The objective was to develop an identity and packaging design for the first Oolong tea to be grown outside of Asia. The idea centered around a new blend of tradition from the youngest country on earth. Oolong from New Zealand had the potential to command premium prices in Asia, due to New Zealand’s cleaner, greener, growing environment."

"The owners needed a unique name that would work in both Asia and New Zealand and a luxurious identity and packaging design that would appeal to a new, younger generation of cash-rich Asian consumers. The name Zealong is an obvious fusion of country of origin and product. The ‘Z’ in the name is echoed in the packaging concept – a rich black gift box that opens on the diagonal to reveal a bright, fresh and contemporary interior reflecting a new attitude and the pure green source." Designed by Designworks.

Disclaimer: Some images hosted on this blog have been collected from external research associates to be presented as stimulus to those seeking news from the cutting edge of packaging. The imagery is not being presented as our own and copyright still belongs to the owner/creator of said work.

Mlk

"Challenge: To differenciate the product on the store shelf and to distinguish it from the products of by the big dairy producers." Designed by Depot WPF branding agency.

Idea: "We understood that the indentity of MLK © brand has to be different from the big mega-producers. As for the illustrations, we used natural farming patterns - a family farm, where the products are produced in a traditional way. Illustrations are hand-made (with a pencil) which enables to stress the hand-made production process. In addition, a pencil technique makes the image "soft" - and is overall most suitable tool for solving this task", as comments the Creative Director of Depot WPF and the Author of the creative idea Alexey Fadeev.

«MLK © is a lifestyle, a way of thinking and way of eating of the 21st century. It is truly the whole world of innovations. The development strategy stipulates the launch of a huge quantity of products, beginning with a milk line. I'm sure that Milk is a bomb which is going to make us glad and curious time and again!», as comments one of the creators of the Project, President of the Branding Agency Depot WPF, Co-founder of Russian Association of branding companies Alexey Andreev.

Realizations: In order to create the concept the design team went to the real farm in order to find the possible visaul identity elements for the future brand. The brand visual identity consists of black and white graphic patterns which were taken from the real environment of the small milk farm. The patterns of the real farm were used in order to reflect the naturalness of the dairy production and the products.

Disclaimer: Some images hosted on this blog have been collected from external research associates to be presented as stimulus to those seeking news from the cutting edge of packaging. The imagery is not being presented as our own and copyright still belongs to the owner/creator of said work.

Will Anderson, Cyberpac, speaks at the latest Suffolk Chamber of Commerce networking meeting.

Suffolk Chamber of Commerce continues to offer the best business networking in the region, with its programme of monthly lunches held at prestigious venues throughout the county. 

Returning to Ipswich High School for Girls at Woolverstone Hall, Chief Executive, John Dugmore commented, “the Chamber is fortunate in having such magnificent venues in membership and access to excellent keynote speakers, with a message for all the business community.”

Dr Dan Poulter, MP for Central Suffolk & North Ipswich and Will Anderson of Anglian Award winners Cyberpac, provided the keynote speeches at the October Networking Lunch sponsored by Business Link and attended by over one hundred delegates.

An urgent call to Westminster meant an early departure for Dr Poulter, but not before he reiterated his commitment to improving the region’s broadband provision.  He is hopeful that Suffolk will be one of the pilot areas for rural broadband provision which could lead to the government providing up to £12.5 million to develop broadband in the county – providing that business can match that figure.  “It is right that people should be able to access broadband at home wherever they live – not just in large towns” Dr Poulter said.

Rather than being the ‘warm up’ act for Dr Poulter, as he expected, Will Anderson of Cyberpac followed a delicious two course lunch provided by JLS Catering.  Armed with some of the packaging for which Cyberpac is justly well known, Will introduced delegates to the concept of water soluble plastic and compostable plastic packaging. 

Considering the ‘plastic soup’ of waste floating in the Pacific Ocean and the threat of dissolved substances from plastic, many of which are believed to be toxic to humans and animals, Cyberpac’s innovation is particularly crucial.

To close the event, Marie Frazer, Client Relationship Manager for the Suffolk Chamber stressed the Chamber’s commitment to enhanced business networking.  Marie organises a ‘Would like to Meet’ service at the lunches and forty delegates this month took advantage of this newly introduced service.  Delegate lists are distributed in advance of the event and guests simply pinpoint the person with whom they wish to network, Marie then arranges a seating plan and it’s down to you to take your business networking a step further.

Disclaimer: Some images hosted on this blog have been collected from external research associates to be presented as stimulus to those seeking news from the cutting edge of packaging. The imagery is not being presented as our own and copyright still belongs to the owner/creator of said work.