U... Will Stick Out like a SORE THUMB!

Okay. As if it wasn't bad enough that we need these in the first place, they just had to go and make them "more visually stimulating" in order to appeal to women. If you ask me, it's already weird enough when someone notices that you have FHP's* on you... now we have to worry about someone seeing a brightly colored collection of pads and tampons just floating around in our bags.

But, for whatever reason, Kotex is managing to make a TON of money off of these... I mean, it's kind of hard not to when they're charging $5+ for a pack of 16. Yet people everywhere are buying these and carrying them around. And they really ARE noticeable, even when you aren't paying attention. I recall sitting at O'Charlie's not too long ago when I spotted and older woman carrying these-- and OLDER woman! Last time a checked, the demographic they're targeting is teens and young adults, not people who are looking for retirement.

Anyhow, there is a clever aspect behind how painfully noticeable the packaging on these is. In fact, it's just that-- they're noticeable, almost to the extent of being painfully obvious. No other hygiene company is manufacturing vibrantly colored products that make pretty much make no sense... it's just packaging, on a product that is usually kept hidden once purchased, which is immediately discarded upon use. The idea here is that they are noticeable on the shelf. Even the box is well designed; it's black with a very delicate pattern in order to accentuate the many vivid colors inside. Seriously, what teenage girl wouldn't look at these and not say they're at least interesting... (they don't even serve some special purpose from any other FHP provider!). That's what Kotex is going for: an eye-drawing design that hooks people into buying them for the sake of having colored pads and tampons... I guess. Thanks, Kotex, but I think I'll pass-- but I'll definitely give you an "A" for effort.

(Actually, I bought these to use as an example for another class... but I WILL NOT use them. In fact, the particular box that I bought was coupled with 3 free music downloads, which pretty much screams "teenagers, want me!!!". I guess this goes to show that, even if you don't actually use them, they are an ingenious design that effectively sells for one reason or another. Kudos to you, Kotex!)

*FHP = Feminine Hygiene Products

The design of a wine bottle has long been seen as a representation of the producer. You could walk up to nearly any of-age individual on the street and describe to them a bottle that is "black with a yellow kangaroo"... and they would tell you "that's Yellow Tail!" Bingo.

Here are a few examples of not-so-well-known brands who have done an outstanding job of getting their product noticed:


This is Mas Romani wine. It is produced and distributed at the Vinyes Mas Romani Winery in Barcelona, Spain.

Graphic designer Gabriel Morales, from graphic design studio Barcelona Studio Copyright, did a fantastic job of creating a captivating design using simple organic and geometric forms to evoke symmetry. The color scheme of choice effectively enhances the rich colors of the wine, making it more visually appealing to the buyer. This is important because a person who is buying wine, which isn't cheap, typically wants it to be as rich in flavor and aroma as it is in color. After all, the more the wine is said to cost, the more we tend to enjoy it.





Now this is a cool bottle design. This is Honey Moon wine. The bottle and packaging was designed in 2008 with great detail and interest in mind. The bottle neck looks like it's dripping honey, and the cork is a honey stirrer! And as if that wasn't impressive enough, the box it comes in is in the classic hexagonal shape of a honeycomb. Not to mention that the coloring of the packaging handsomely complements the magnificent color of it contents.








Last but not least is Root 1.  I had never heard of this brand before, but rest assured, it has yet another completely awesome package design. While I cannot say for sure whether or not the contents are visible through the bottle, I am confident to say that just seeing this bottle would make me want to buy this wine, whether I thought it would be good or not. The earthy tones used on the label go well with the image printed, which is a tree. As you can see, the tree's root grows down through the text, which has a captivating effect on those like myself, who are more concerned with how the bottle looks than the rather pricey beverage inside. After all, I am only 18.

BAITING THE HOOK: NOT-SO-HOT PRODUCTS

Have you ever noticed how good some manufacturers are at getting you to buy their products based simply on the way it looks? You pick it up, gawk at the mesmerizing graphics or the completely awesome package design, and practically end up throwing money at the cashier for some ingenious work of art that you MUST have...

Well, I have been there and done that.

Take product to the right for example.

This is ALL CITY NRG. I spotted this gem in our neighborhood Big Lots for a whopping $.80 and couldn't resist buying such a decorative beverage. Aside from the fact that the can is an outstanding example of fine graphic design at work, the first thought to enter my head was "Gosh, I bet this stuff is AWESOME!"

WRONG.

It was actually not good... At all. At least, not to me and my taste it wasn't. I ended up dumping the contents out behind the store I work at and rinsing out the can to take home and put on the shelf above my desk.

Another shining example of captivating package design is the 2005 Evian water bottle. Now I never got the chance to actually buy one of these, but I can guarantee you beyond the shadow of a doubt that I would have in a heartbeat. I mean seriously, look at how "majestic" that water bottle looks! The simplicity of it is almost offensive to those who spend forever and a day trying to come up with "the most amazing package design ever".

Instead of creating an image to apply to the container, the designer decided to make the container into the image of a mountain. While this design is extremely inconvenient for pretty much everyone, it was an effective visual aesthetic--- to the extent that it was sold to millions of people across the country, at $4 and some odd cents for 20 fl-oz of water. That's right. Water. You know, the stuff you can find in a public toilet for free. The fact that it is collected from somewhere more acceptable than a public restroom is pretty much the only difference if you really think about it... yet people are still willing to spend the money on it, and I don't doubt that it has more than its share to do with the packaging. Why not settle for a much more affordable and sensible Dasani or Aquafina?

The point that I am trying to make with these examples is that, more often than not, it really doesn't matter what's inside the package. The hook is what's on the product. Otherwise, what would the point of hiring designers to design the packaging for your products be? Sure, they count on logos and branding to help establish their reputation and make it recognizable. But I will tell you this much: I wouldn't buy either of these products more than once. I learned my lesson on the ALL CITY, and I can buy "normal" water by the case cheaper than I can a bottle of Evian. After all, it does spell Naive backwards.