Trend Report

A BroAd Stroke overview
of Product
PAck Aging todAy

The consumer marketplace is becoming more
crowded and more competitive on a daily basis. As a
result, capturing the attention, the imagination and
the loyalty of the customer is both more important
and more difficult than it has ever been before.

Many manufacturers and retailers are looking to
their packaging to help them stand apart in these
close quarters. And what has traditionally been a
protective, tamper-proof cushioning device is now
being asked to work harder, longer and with greater
sensitivity for the environment.

Whether seen on shelf, in store, online or in
hand, packaging has an important job beyond
playing bodyguard.

It is an essential vehicle for the brand.

Tech Packaging Trends
Considering that competition among portable Of course, product packaging is as diverse as
devices is some of the fiercest, it is little surprise consumer products themselves, and just like the
that this category has evolved significantly things we buy online and at the mall, some are
over recent years. What was once a six-paneled better – sometimes much, much better –
specification sheet is becoming a bastion of than others.
minimalism, where less – a single image, a logo and
a name – is expected to do it all. This is where the Landor Trend Report comes in.
We’ve collected examples of some of the most
This is partly due to universal standards: No longer inspired, most innovative packaging from a range
does the customer have to scrutinize small-point of categories for your review, and provided our own
type on the back of the box while wondering what insights as pioneers in the field of how suitable
edition they’re using at home. These days, if it’s on some of these trends are for the Verizon brand and
the market, it’s expected to work with everything in its product portfolio.
the store.

Of course, another reason is the adoption of
traditional luxury design cues by brands further
down the ladder. By co-opting minimal text, high-
quality photography and super-rich one-color
layouts, mid-range brands are trying to give their
products a sense of exclusivity and cachet.

SuStAinABLe StructureS

P er SonAL eXPreSSionS

tAiL ored interActionS

Product P edeStAL
Look for these icons to indicate the trends for each product.

SuStAinABLe STRUCTURES

5 | PACKAGING TREND REPORT 2010

reuSe, reuSe, reuSe

The shift toward sustainable packaging materials,
such as paper, bamboo and similar sources, is not
so much a trend as it is a mandatory. This is largely
because of the demand of consumers who have
grown up with greater environmental awareness
and who prefer not sending more plastic to landfills
and incinerators.

For manufacturers, there are benefits in addition
to accommodating conscientious consumers. The
past several years have seen a wide variety of
sustainable materials come to market, many of
which can be advantageous in terms of cost and
especially innovation. When good design meets the
right sustainable material, the package may never
be thrown out, and rather become a functional
device on its own.


SuStAinABL e StructureS

The PUMA Phone
SOLAR CeLL PHONe
Precision imprints with a
smaller footprint.


SuStAinABLe: inSide And outSide
The Puma solar cell phone is a prime example arrangement to heighten anticipation and
of new forms finding new functions through emphasize the quality of the product’s
sustainable materials. Made from paper pulp, its engineering.
hinged design takes inspiration from outside the
category. An approximation of a briefcase or tool BECAusE OF ThE PACKAGE’s INNOVATIVE CONsTRuCTION
set with dedicated recesses for each component, AND ITs usEFuLNEss As A sTORAGE DEVICE, CONsuMERs
the full system, upon opening, is presented ARE ENTICED TO KEEP IT AND AVOID PLACING IT IN ThE
to the customer in a carefully choreographed RECyCLING BIN.



SPRInT
ReCLAIM CeLL PHONe
high-tech device meets a natural
expression and recycled materials.

PUMA
SHOe BAG
Literally “outside the box”
and good to keep around.


SennheISeR
HeADPHONeS
special-edition, environment-
loving packaging.

eBAY BoX
ReUSABLe SHIPPING BOX
A new set of reusable boxes as part of a pilot
program to make shipping a little greener.



MoDKAT
LITTeR SCOOP
second-use packaging:
Plastic tag turns into a dust pan.

PACT
UNDeRWeAR
Organic & sustainable
underwear says it all.


recommendAtion
Verizon Wireless has already taken an eco-friendly IMPlICATIonS
tack with its packaging through its choice of
Although Verizon Wireless packaging has already
materials and processes. however, because of adopted eco-friendly measures, there remain
established consumer expectations and wide opportunities to increase the percentage
exposure to eco-friendly practices, such as using recommendAtion
of sustainable materials used. Additionally,
by revisiting and rethinking pack structures
uncoated recycled paper stock and vegetable themselves, Verizon Wireless has the potential
to make great inroads in this trend of secondary
dyes, there is little benefit in trumpeting its use meeting sustainability.
dedication to using renewable materials.

ThE REAL OPPORTuNITy FOR susTAINABLE PACKAGING
Is ExTENDING ThE usEFuLNEss OF ThE sTRuCTuREs
ThEMsELVEs.


Per SonAL ExpRE SSionS


Attention PLeASe.
using packaging design for fun brand expressions is
nothing new, but tech products have traditionally been
information- and photo-heavy as manufacturers have
had to assuage concerns over things like compatibility.

At this point, it’s usually assumed that devices are
universally compatible and engineered for ease
of use. With technical specifications no longer a
primary design element, this information has been
moved to the in-box documentation, increasing the
available live space dramatically.
Product hero imagery has logically rushed in to fill
the void. Larger, higher quality images celebrate
design and heighten consumer desire. however, one
innovative approach has been to rethink the visual
design of the pack: rather than use the space
to communicate the functional benefit, which
the consumer is probably already familiar with,
why not use it to express a distinctly emotional
benefit? This has led to bold or unexpected human
expressions that reflect the brand personality.
Catching the consumer by surprise or reflecting a
positive internal perception is highly effective at
raising brand awareness and brand loyalty.


PerSonAL eXPreSSionS

eARBUDeez
HeADPHONeS
Faced with a choice.


HeAdPHoneS witH PerSonALity.
One highly successful example is the line of making his or her selection, the consumer partakes
Audiovox Earbudeez. For a product that is usually in a meaningful exchange as they consider their
encased in an impenetrable clamshell package, personal view of themselves.
Earbudeez takes a different approach that speaks
directly to the consumer. Through visual design and CONsIDERING hOW PERsONAL ONE’s MusIC usuALLy Is,
slight variations in the earbud positioning, playful, GIVING hEADPhONEs A PERsONALITy sIMPLy AMPLIFIEs
expressive faces alight the primary panel. When ThE OVERALL ExPERIENCE.



PAnASonIC
HeADPHONeS


tHe SHAPe of tH ingS.
Panasonic takes minimalism one step further ThE LACK OF ANy suPPORTING VIsuALs OR PRODuCT sPECs
with its headphone packaging. The shape of ACTuALLy MAKEs A LOuD sTATEMENT TO ThE CusTOMER:
the product and its position in the primary panel WE KNOW ThAT yOu KNOW WhAT ThEsE DO.
suggest a music note, all that is needed to
communicate its purpose and its personality. As a result, for a package with very little to look
at, Panasonic almost assuredly captures the
customer’s full attention.



Bell TV
TV DVR
“you know what the TV looks like, so we’re showing you
what you are going to look like.”

BoXSAl
PICNIC IN A BOX
Maybe the outside doesn’t have to explain what’s on the
inside, because one look and you’ll never forget.


Ge lIGhT BUlBS
CONCePT PACKAGING
stay out of the dark and the dull.

MIllI
BULLeT RUNNING SHOeS
speed as metaphor.



GAUSS
LIGHT BULBS
Night vision.

AIAIAI
HeADPHONeS & eARBUDS
Music isn’t the only thing getting
plugged in.


recommendAtion
This approach is usually device specific, reserved IMPlICATIonS
for high-profile products. however, it is more often
turning up on accessory packaging to signal a Because of the need for standardized boxes,
product’s – and a brand’s – approachability. manufacturing costs could go up, as this
design approach could demand additional color
BECAusE OF ThE sIMPLICITy OF ThE MEssAGE, IT CAN stations to be used in printing.
ACCOMMODATE NEARLy ANy OFFERING, AND As VERIzON
WIRELEss REVIsITs PACKAGING, IT Is RECOMMENDED
ThAT ThIs APPROACh BE ExPLORED. IN A CATEGORy WhOsE
DEsIGNs ARE OFTEN uNIFORM, ThIs CAN BE AN EFFECTIVE
AND hIGhLy MEMORABLE WAy OF sTANDING OuT.


tAiLored inTER aCTionS


eXtrA dimenS ionS

Between advances in industrial design and the vast
choices of available materials and reproduction
methods, the device package is a prime target for
additional meaning beyond the protection of a product.

While thoughtful, artfully designed packaging is
nothing new, it has generally been reserved for
luxury products where that “extra special touch” is
expected due to the price. Only fairly recently has
this style of packaging descended the ladder to
items outside the premium category.

Lower costs have increased the viability of specialty
packaging designs for more manufacturers, opening
the door to greater opportunity to enhance the
connection between product/brand and the consumer.


tAiLored inter Ac tionS

AMAzon KInDle
e-BOOK ReADeR
The tailor of Amazon


tHere iS notHing L ike A good Book.
One example of tailored packaging in a non-premium raised lettering, and after opening the package, one
category is Amazon Kindle. EVERy AsPECT OF ThE finds the product itself in a pure white environment,
PACKAGING ExPERIENCE WAs CAREFuLLy CONsIDERED to both subtly and overtly reference the standard
DuRING ITs DEsIGN. print experience of reading black letters against a
white background.
While the exterior appears to be a standard brown
Amazon shipping box, upon opening it, the consumer Not missing an opportunity, the Kindle story itself
encounters a black interior and a black structure – begins on the outside of the pack:
black packaging being traditionally associated with Once upon a time . . .
premium products. The exterior varnish features



Other approaches include using structure
and placement of additional items such
as manuals, QRGs and secondary product
components to assist the user in better
understanding the product. For example,
a 1-2-3 construction can be a valuable
instructional detail to aid in activation
or assembly.

There are limitless possibilities for instilling
packaging with calculated details such as
these. What they all have in common
is a meaningful insight into how to enhance
the user experience.

nooK
e-BOOK ReADeR
surprise details say,
“you can’t judge a book by its cover.”


WII
VIDeO GAMe SYSTeM
What could be a complicated setup is made
easy through thoughtful design.

VUe
TIMe PIeCe
unique enclosure system invites
interaction and reuse.



MAC PACKAGe
KeYBOARD
Precision fit of components
emphasizes product construction.

URBAneARS
HeADPHONeS
Reverse point of entry easily
accessed through simple folding flaps.


lITl InCASe
LAPTOP PROTeCTIVe TeCHNOLOGIeS
Out-of-category materials add interest and Alternating high visibility orange with
personality. black lends a premium feel to a largely
functional product.

MARShAll BIzeRTe
HeADPHONeS DVD AND BOOK
The purely functional re-thought as a Neatly bundled old and new media give
unique expression. shelves presence.



noKIA Phone VooDoo
CeLL PHONe LAPTOP
One box with multiple possibilities. Expertly fitted with the user in mind.

Glo helGo ABC
INTeRACTIVe BIBLe LIGHT BULBS
The Good Book in a new way. Fragile is no excuse for boring.


recommendAtion
Because of the specialized processes necessary IMPlICATIonS
for these types of packaging innovations, any across-
For the vast majority of packaging, this trend
the-board implementation is not recommended. should have no impact, as tailored structures are
reserved almost exclusively for flagship products.
hOWEVER, FOR FLAGshIP DEVICEs, IT Is sTRONGLy
suGGEsTED ThERE BE sOME sORT OF ADDITIONAL
DETAIL ThAT REAChEs OuT TO ThE usER.

IN FACT, MANy NOW ExPECT IT As MANuFACTuRERs
CONTINuE TO LOOK TO AMPLIFy ThE CONsuMER ExPERIENCE
ThROuGh suCh COMPLEMENTARy TOuChEs. IM


Product pEDESTaL


HigHLigHting
Product

Packaging as a means to highlight product
design is another trend being encountered more
frequently. In some ways the absence of packaging,
these types of structures strive to make the
product itself the hero.

There are many variations of this packaging type
including clear plastic molded around the product.
Others include representational renderings or high-
quality photographs of the product applied to a
traditional paneled structure.


Product pEDESTaL

IPoD
PORTABLe MeDIA PLAYeR
Product as hero.


wHAt you See iS wHAt you get.
One brand that is implementing this packaging type a connection with the consumer and telling them
successfully is Apple with its casing for the Magic what they want to know.
Mouse. Glass-like, high-quality plastic molded to
TO BE suCCEssFuL, hOWEVER, ThEsE PACKAGING TyPEs
a sympathetic shape surrounds the device, which
MusT BE ExECuTED WELL, AND ThE DECIsION MusT BE
means absolutely zero visual interference. This
MADE TO usE MINIMAL COPy AND OThER COMMON suPPORT
is literally as close as one can get to the actual
ELEMENTs. When faced with packaging mandatories,
product without touching the actual product. In
such as legal requirements, whatever live space
this instance, the design of the Magic Mouse is
is available must be used economically, which can
the hero and is solely responsible for establishing
entail additional design time.


Produc t pEDESTaL

APPle
ACCeSSORIeS PACKAGING


JAWBone
BLUeTOOTH HeADSeT


Product p EDESTaL

InCASe
SLIDeR CASe

ARMoR MoUnT
MOUNTS


zUne
MeDIA PLAYeR

nIXon
HeADPHONeS

40 | PACKAGING TREND REPORT 2010 40

P roduct p EDESTa L

XBoX 360
ACCeSSORIeS


AIAIAI SAMSUnG
eAR BUDS CeLL PHONe

TIMeX
WATCH


Product pEDESTaL

TABleTKIoSK hTC
TABLeT CeLL PHONe

noKIA DYSon
CeLL PHONe AIR MULTIPLIeR


recommendAtion
This packaging type is largely a novelty and is IMPlICATIonS
best used for products with a high level of
None until presented with a viable
design and engineering. product candidate.

In the future, it is entirely likely that Verizon
Wireless will bring to market a product that would
benefit from a non-traditional packaging approach
such as these.


tHAnk you

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