Asda
I visited the supermarket Asda recently and as stated on the Graphics blog I treated the store as a packaging museum and I looked around to see what I could find.
Firstly I noticed this DVD case for a children’s cartoon and the way it had been modified through the rounding of its corners and inclusion of a handle to make it safer and easier for a child to carry. I think this is a good idea as its safer for the child, and parents would probably be more inclined to buy that cartoon, than another similar one, purely for the novelty of the case and thought that has gone into it.
The second piece of packaging is a carton containing wine by Andrew Peace. The ‘FuturPak’ gives the consumer 33% more wine and is sold at the same price as a glass bottle. They state that its easier to re-seal, lighter to carry and that fewer resources are used in production, transportation and disposal than glass. The product definitely had shelf presence through its uniquenss and the environmental aspects of the idea are great but the only problem I can see is that if you wanted to buy wine to entertaining guests then a carton may not be the best idea, (but then again it could be a talking point and its not bad to be environmentally friendly) but for other wine purchases and occasions I think this is a strong idea that could be developed upon to create a style of carton that you would be proud to place on a table when entertaining guests.
I also noted the ideas that I had heard before about how as consumers we have become accustomed to what typefaces, colours and packaging styles say about a product, its origins and its price. For example the images above are at a glance all clearly trying to appear environmentally friendly, natural, simple, basic, unprocessed etc, through the simple type, brown hues, recycled appearance.
And similarly the above product uses green to show how natural, safe and healthy it is and the tins below draw on a local market style in its card boxes, typeface and design to convey a sense of locality and in turn trust that the product is safe and authentic.
As consumers we know what we are getting before we read the packaging in detail and we can make good assumptions about its price as well. For example the silver colour and script typeface below along with the products’ minimal design and shiny foil all convey a sense of the product being the best or luxury and we know it will hold a higher price tag.
Promotions feature heavily in all supermarkets and attempt to make consumers buy products they may otherwise not. Location of these promotions is also very important and it appears that they work as the tomato ketchup promotion below, located by the frozen food was considerably emptier than the shelf in the sauces aisle.
Finally, when you reach the till you are again confronted with products to buy as you wait in line. There a drinks, sweets and chocolates, and even paracetamol situated to maximise a consumers possible impulse purchases whether for their own consumption or more likely to appease a child.
Here are some links to some interesting packaging and supermarket articles that are worth a look.