Greetings!
It was great to see so many of you at the FUSE Conference last month. There is a feeling of optimism
in the air, and I think we all left Chicago feeling as though we have weathered
the storm and are ready to embrace the lessons that we have learned
as packaging designers for big brand, high-stakes, high-volume fast moving
consumer goods. I was particularly
encouraged to hear so many of the other speakers talk about the values that I outlined in The Circle of Trust: Brand Values for the New Economy. Historically, it has been during times of
great stress that have allowed mankind to pull back and reset its moral
compass. Indeed it is the values that
come to life during the worst of times that we must maintain during the best of
times. Be sure to look for my next Fast Company blog posting discussing this trend and let me know your thoughts. Once again, I was selected to be a judge at the prestigious 22nd DuPont Awards for Packaging Innovation, the industry's longest running, independently
judged global awards honoring packaging materials processes, technology and
service innovations. If your package
will be receiving a DuPont Award, congratulations to you on this enormous achievement. I was honored to help select the winners among so many outstanding submissions.
Best regards,
Peter |
BRANDWEEK: Why These Complex Times Demand Simpler Packaging
After the economy came crashing down in late 2008, consumers instinctively gravitated toward things that were more stripped down. The quest for simplicity was even reflected in those consumers' choices of packaged goods. The cluttered look of the boom times gave way to more spartan designs that harkened back to an earlier era. At least, that's Peter Clarke's take. The CEO and founder of Product Ventures, a Fairfield, Conn., design firm that has created packaging for Heinz, Folgers and Febreze, among other brands, Clarke said he expects the simplicity trend to continue as well as
sustainability. In fact, within five years or so, Clarke expects that it will be common in the U.S. to see carbon footprint data alongside nutritional information on most packaging. Clarke discussed that and other movements in vogue in packaging design with Brandweek.
Read More |
"Best of Show" Awarded to SimilacŪ SimplePac™ on May 18th at the
2010 AmeriStar Awards Dinner
Product
Ventures' design for the SimilacŪ SimplePac™ package was honored last
night at
the IOPP AmeriStar Awards as "Best of Show". The revolutionary new
packaging for pediatric formula was the result of Product Ventures'
consumer-driven process including extensive ethnographic research and
consumer-driven iterative prototyping. Mom's unmet packaging needs were
embodied into the new packaging solution including; a hinged lid and
pinch-grip
container for one-handed use, a scoop holster to eliminate the
frustration of
digging through the powder and an optimally proportioned container with
rounded
corners that match the contour of the scope so that moms can get the
last bit
of formula out.
|
Keynote Speaker at Hasbro's "Who in the World" Series
How coincidental that
as I have found myself in recent months immersed in the toy and game aisles, I
was asked by Hasbro to provide my structural packaging viewpoints on their
industry. As many of you have read about, in November we brought back
from Russia my seven year old daughter Inga just in time for the holidays and
have been unwrapping toys and games ever since we returned home. Before I
was even asked to speak, I have been assessing the challenges and opportunities
within this category. I found it particularly interesting that the
packaging for toys and the packaging for games seems to be very different from one another. Toy packaging is
focused on providing transparency,
showcasing the product, and enabling the in-store "try-me" aspect of the toy. Typically the packaging is disposed of after the
purchase. Game packaging on the other hand, presents
broad graphic communication and the packages are usually kept for long-term use and storage. I was delighted to
provide my thoughts and analysis to this category of consumer product
goods.
For other speaking engagements please be
in touch with Barbara Marks, Vice-President, Marketing at bmarks@productventures.com. |
Product Ventures Wins Prestigious Red Dot Award for OreckŪ ProShield™ Air Purifier
This remarkably designed air purifier was developed to allow for both vertical and horizontal positioning. Approximately 1,636 companies from 57 countries submitted a total of 4,252 entries.
Read the News Release
|
Packaging Strategies:
A Rise in Values, A Need For Right-Sizing
Unbiased Global Packaging Intelligence and Analysis
Keynote Speaker, Peter Clarke of Product Ventures warned of a significant erosion in brand trust at the 2010 Package Design and Development Summit.
Watch the Presentation |
It was only a matter of time...
In 2008 the FDA said that the use of BPA in baby bottles was
safe. Earlier this year the FDA's position was that " FDA is supporting the
industry's actions to stop producing BPA-containing bottles and infant feeding
cups for the U.S. market". In addition, the FDA is facilitating the development of
alternatives to BPA for the linings of infant formula cans".
Seems like the opinions of the FDA are changing. Whether or not
levels of BPA extracted from baby bottles are found in the long run to be safe
or toxic, I wouldn't want to take the risk of exposing my child to increased
levels of chemicals in the food they consume. If there is a way I can
circumvent the consumption of products containing any levels of BPA, I'd pursue
it.
The same things will soon happen with canned foods. We're
exposed to more chemicals on a daily basis as a result of our environment than
I care to think about. Why would you knowingly go on consuming products which
are known to have been possibly contaminated with any level of BPA, whether it
proves to be harmful or not?
It was only a matter of time ....For Questions or Inquiries contact: |
