Really Good Packaging Explained: Top Design Professionals Critique 300 Package Designs and Explain What Makes Them Work PDF
Preview Really Good Packaging Explained: Top Design Professionals Critique 300 Package Designs and Explain What Makes Them Work
.~ REALLY GOOD PACKAGING explained © 2009, 2011 Crescent Hill Books, LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission of the copyright owners. All images in this book have been reproduced with the knowledge and prior consent of the artist concerned, and no responsibility is accepted by producer, publisher, or printer for any infringement of copyright or otherwise, arising from the contents of this publication. Every effort has been made to ensure that credits accurately comply with information supplied. We apologize for any inaccuracies that may have occurred and will resolve inaccurate or missing information in a subsequent reprinting of the book. First published in the United State of America by Rockport Publishers, a member of Quayside Publishing Group 100 Cummings Center, Suite 406-L Beverly, MA 01915 Telephone: [9781 282-9590 Fax [9781283-2742 wwwrockpub.com Digital edition: 978-1-61060-184-9 Softcover edition: 978-1-59253-545-3 ISBN-13 978-1-59253-545-3 ISBN-10 1-59253-545-3 10987654321 Design: HVANDERSON DESIGN, Louisville, KY. Produced by Crescent Hill Books, Louisville, KY www.crescenthillbooks.com Printed in China REALLY GOOD PACKAGING explained .. ." ~ m < .m, C 0 '" r -< Top Design Professionals Critique 300 Designs (') r .. II: .. - ~ ~ & Explain What Makes Them Work "'-" ~ (') .. % % 0 C m ., .'.."... ~ .... .. -t Bronwen Edwards Marianne Klimchuk Rob Wallace Sharon Werner 6 The Authors Bronwen Edwards Marianne Klimchuk Rob Wallace Sharon Werner Chapter One 30 Food 92 Chapter Two Beverages Chapter Three 14 0 Home & Garden Chapter Four 168 Health & Beauty Chapter Five 200 General Retail Bonus Chapter 238 Not-as-Good Packaging Explained 254 Just for Fun Author Favorites 27 Index 0 THE AUTHORS Design or Decoration? What makes great packaging design? This is a tough brief. What pearls of fresh wisdom can I impart here on a topic that has been the subject of endless debate? No doubt you have read and absorbed a vast number of opinions on the matter throughout your careers, and no doubt you have views and opinions of your own. This book however, contains examples to aspire to and lessons to learn from. The issue here-as with all creative industries-is that what makes great design is subjective. There are no definites, no secure ground; all work is subject to the personal opinions of a vast, differing audience. There is much debate to be had, but no firm proof, which means that people can believe pretty much what they want to believe. Because of this, some great designs never see the light of day, victims of a client for whom a safe decision is preferable to a brave one. Some people confuse design with decoration. Sadly, there is a lot of decoration around in packaging. Decoration tends to be the most conservative of the design outputs, mainly because of client Great design has an demands. Great design has an extra element: an idea behind it. Injecting a truly original, relevant idea into a design transcends extra element: an idea subjectivity. It incites a striking engagement that is instant, indisputable, and appeals to clients' instincts rather than their behind it. Injecting a tick-lists. truly original, relevant Good design not only captivates an audience's attention, it makes them linger. Great design means that the audience will connect idea into a design with the brand, want to engage with and then remember that package later on. This is often achieved by having a great idea at transcends subjectivity. the start-and at the heart-of whatever you do. Ideas can come from any direction: They can be softly witty, intellectually playful, or something that breaks all boundaries yet is still sharply relevant. The best ideas are easily spotted-when they're someone else's-by that horrible feeling in your stomach when you think, I wish I'd done that. I had a fantastic tutor during my degree who drummed into me the importance of ideas over simply style-led designs-a design must speak for itself. Outside the studio, nobody is going to be there to explain to the consumer the intricacies and deeper meaning of subtle color reference. The best work needs no explanation, so if you're ever in doubt, ask someone who hasn't seen it before if they "get it. .. If you need to talk them through it or convince them of its worth, go back to the drawing board: Your wider audience will be the same. Styles and trends will come and go, but a good idea, beautifully executed, will last forever. 7 REALLY GOOD PACKAGING EXPLAINED with Bronwen Edwards 8 THE AUTHORS My favorite package designs inside this book are ... Gu [page 76) and Honey Pot [page 73). Both have really innovative structures and graphics. You know a package design is really good when ... Irs iconic, redefines a category, or you buy it just to have it, not to consume it. The best thing a client ever said to me was ... ··You·re the expert; I trust you .. · And the worst ... ··Sorry, my wife doesn·t like it." For creative inspiration, I... usually turn to other creative disciplines, such as illustration or advertising-they can spark off interesting thoughts-or stroll through central London, which is always full of vibrancy and creativity. Failing that, I sit in the bath and hope! The smartest thing I ever heard anyone say about package design is ... ··You have to see it to do it.·· The best career advice I ever received was ... ··Styles come and go; ideas live forever"· Most designers probably don't know that... There·s more to life than packaging! 9
The list of books you might like
