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Good Enough to Eat: The Best Easter Packaging of 2013

Here at Bloom, we all enjoyed last weekend’s excuse to consume our body-weights in egg-shaped confectionary and I suspect we weren’t the only ones. According to a recent study reported in Confectionary News, Easter is primarily associated with chocolate for 62% of Brits (compared with just 12% who primarily associate it with Jesus).  

In the midst of our enthusiastic guzzling, however, we did come across a few Easter treats that were literally too good to eat. Here’s our round-up of 2013’s best Easter packaging: 

Best for Children: Smarties Hen House

The hen house’s window reveals a golden egg and a chocolate hen with an egg inside, adding a playful element of discovery to this innovative alternative to the traditional Easter Egg.   

Best for Grown-ups: Hotel Chocolat All Milk Collection

Hotel Chocolat’s All Milk Easter Collection added a rare touch of sophistication to this Easter’s offerings. The delicate, black, white and gold carousel box features a traditional Easter design dating back to the 1930s. The extra-thick egg it contains comes with a chocolate tablet embossed with the same scene. 

 Best of the Countline Treats: Cadbury’s Dairy Milk Chick With Easter Buttons.

Only the most cynical Easter shopper could resist this smiling chick. Better yet, unlike most countline Easter treats, this chick isn't hollow, but filled with Cadbury’s iconic Milky Buttons.

 Best for Traditional Fun and Games: Cadbury’s Easter Egg Trail Pack

Cadbury’s colourful, basket shaped trail pack provides you with all you need to construct your own Easter Egg hunt, for some nostalgic family fun. 

 

Best for Gourmands: Rococo’s Praline Quail Eggs and Salted Caramel Seagull Eggs

Rococo’s Praline Quail Eggs and Salted Caramel Seagull Eggs are ideal for those seeking up-market alternatives to the traditional hen’s egg. Nestled in tastefully rustic crates, the delicately speckled eggs could easily masquerade for the real thing.

 

Most Eco-Friendly: Elizabeth Shaw

Elizabeth Shaw’s Easter packaging was designed for minimal wastage. The egg did not even require any extra fixtures to position it, as the box was cleverly constructed to grip it in place.

 

Best Offering from a Non-Chocolate Brand: Rowntree’s Randoms

Colourful, exuberant and delightfully random, Rowntree’s packaging for its sweetie-filled egg was perfectly on-brand and, with no plastic window, it was eco-friendly too.

 

 

 

Life's little improvements - better design

Most of us take everyday items for granted - key rings, stools, coat hangers. We accept them for what they are and continue to use them without consideration. It's not until curious designers take the time to understand how to better them or adapt them to meet today's needs that beauty and intelligence is often bestowed on the everyday.

Modern Pill Boxes

The over 50's account for 67% of America’s consumption. These Boomers aren’t aging like the generation before them. Their values are more progressive. They’re into organic products. They’re more worldly and adapt to change more readily than the generation before. This generation cares about aethetics, function and form.

Entrepreneur Assaf Wand, realised that few brands truly understood the over 50's and so he recently launched Sabi a line of wellbeing and lifestyle products designed to transform life's small tasks into moments of joy.

The first product line to materialise under the Sabi brand is Vitality, a range of accessories that combine storage and portable solutions for pills in a contemporary and practical form.

           



Handy Pocket 

We live in a society where iPhones, tablets and apps like Evernote all help us to be on top of things However many people still rely on the trusty notebook which is often misplaced, juggling them amongst all the other gadgets we carry around.  Now, carrying a notepad has never been so suave‭ - thanks to Hanki Pocketbook designed to effortless slip into the breast pocket of your jacket (if you happen to wear one).

 

Suitcase Symphony

Me-lo-di, created by Jereil Bobbe, from the Netherlands, transforms the monotony of airports and travel into an opportunity for music and play. Bobbe designed a musical floor formed of ribbed wood that plays a musical tune as the wheels of your suitcase role over it. It encourages people to walk rather than take the travelator and brings some sunshine to the cold and sterile airport environment.

 

This idea is is not a new one. In Japan there is a road that has strategically placed ridges along it that play a tune as you drive over them. Either to relieve boredom or as a speed calming measure. Watch the video here.

Easy Key Ring

FreeKey has improved the standard spiral spring keyring by simply adding a small bump in the metal.  The result is a pressable spot on the ring that will flex it right open avoiding that painful fiddling to get your keys on.  Clever, functional and no more chipped nail varnish.

The Corkscrew Stool

The SCRW’s striking design is brilliant. No matter how tall you are or what table you’re sitting at the chair adjusts with just a turn to exactly the right height.

The design by Manuel Welsky, takes the corkscrew principle and applies it furniture. It's a big piece of cork with threads that screw into an aluminium frame. Simple, elegant and inspired.

The X Hanger

Made from powder-coated, bent steel, the X Hanger designed by Kfir Schwalb is a  versatile and practical hanger to replace the simple hook. It makes a feature of any hallway or even the bedroom whether you have clothes to hang on it or not.

 

 

 

Modular confectionery

Modular systems are smart. They allow you to tailor a product, change it around and swap in and out individual components according to your individual want.  It's customisation controlled by you. Think Lego, IKEA furniture or Dell computers.

Elsa Lambinet, applied the idea of modular experimentation to chocolate for her 2011 graduation design project. She collaborated with Swiss chocolatier Blondel to create this beautiful concept of customisable confectionery from interchangeable components.

Called “Sweet Play,” the project uses three types of chocolate and a range of toppings and fillings: dark chocolate has a platform for fruit, milk chocolate features indentations for nuts, and the white chocolate can hold liquids. All three have slots for receiving fillings such as wafers, nougat, and caramel. “Participants get to mix and match ingredients for hours and hours as they gorge themselves on custom confectionery goodness,” writes Lambinet. Its Wonka for grown-ups. See video here.

Last year, U.K. candy buisness, The Natural Confectionery Company, went modular with jelly sweets. In June 2011, they  launched Guzzle Puzzle sweets, a DIY mix and match flavour exploration in a unique jelly form. The candies come in five flavours - lime, cinnamon, banana, orange, and raspberry - but in certain combinations they create three additional flavours: cola, bubblegum, and pink lemonade.

Whilst aimed at young consumers, the brand language was deliberately not so childish as to alienate the older audience. We all have our own 'inner child' and confectionery is naturally the platform to expose this.

But who can forget Jelly Belly, the pioneers of confectionery flavour modulation? With a massively loyal following, Jelly Belly consistently challenges its consumers to come up with new 'recipes' from individual sweet combinations, and then showcases them on their website. With 50 official flavours in the range the possibilities are almost endless. 

Whilst 'modular' in confectionery is fitting for a category which is all about fun and exploration we believe that there is scope for modulation in food beyond confectionery. Watch this space...

Replenish, Reuse, Recycle

We love this ingenious example of sustainable packaging from the US. Launched early last year, the Replenish team tackled the issue of sustainability by focusing on the benefit for the consumer. Why should we pay extra for the plastic and water (with associated transport costs) in our household cleaners each time we run out?

What they designed is beautiful. A refillable, spray bottle that is easy and clean to use. The integrated dosage cup allows the consumer to measure out exact dilution quantities without coming into contact with the liquid and one small refill cartridge is enough to fill the spray 4 times over. Simply measure, refill (using your own tap) and reuse. 

You get the feeling that these guys are committed too. They are driven by the goal of eliminating 1 billion bottles from landfills, 1 billion miles of our roads and 1 billion pounds of chemicals out of the environment.  A sizable challenge indeed.

From -  Team Replenish on Vimeo.

Shouldn't the global brand owners such as Unilever, SC Johnson and Reckitt Benckiser be sitting up and taking note? Sure it's an investment and a change in business model but there is definitely an appetite for it amongst consumers. Refills are gaining traction already in other segments in the UK market. Just take a look in the laundry and coffee ailses...so why not household cleaners?

 

What's caught our eye in 2011

2011 has been a strange year. There's been continuing economic turmoil, an Arab spring and a Euro autumn, interspersed with a fairy tale Royal Wedding and an eagerly anticipated feast of celebration with the Olympics and the Diamond Jubilee. We take a look back through the year and pick out 10 events, products and campaigns that have made us sit up and go wow or simply put a smile on our faces.

1. A beautiful CSR campaign

You can put your name to a star, a number plate or a stone in Wembley Way, but now, thanks to Dulux and UNICEF’s partnership, you can also own a colour. For a donation of at least £1 you get to choose a colour from a range of 16.7 million available on the average screen monitor. All proceeds go to UNICEF's campaign to bring clean water, education, medical assistance and other aid to children across the world. 

UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Sir Roger Moore is a proud new owner of Swedish Blue, the colour of the flag of his wife’s homeland Sweden, and not far off the cyan blue that represents UNICEF. “Both Kristina and UNICEF are extremely close to my heart”.

ownacolour.com

This year's top Christmas drinks

Christmas is fast approaching; supermarkets are stocking up on ever more treats and delights and our televisions have transformed into beacons of feel-good advertising.

As the social season arrives, the drinks category in particular is expecting a boost in sales; last year 17% of all adult soft drink sales were sold in December, equating to £20.5m worth (The Grocer).  Naturally brands seek to maximise this boost.  Here we feature five of the most interesting yuletide offerings and debate the likely forerunners of new trends.

 

J20  Limited edition Glitter Juice Drinks

A grown-up Christmas twist and an innovation bound to generate more sales.  The glitter juice drinks drive interest and differentiate themselves in a very positive way.

Shloer

Limited edition Berry Punch is the newest offering from the adult special soft drinks brand.  Created specifically for Christmas this variant will add to the popular range and enhance the brand positioning as a drink best served shared over the winter months.

Stella Artois

Though a revival of their Originally Crafted for Christmas campaign, Stella Artois are using digital and traditional media to align themselves with the festivities.  This includes a transformation of their facebook page, which now includes a free download of an original Christmas jazz album Under the Christmas Star.  The designs may not be novel but we appreciate their act of generosity.

Copella

Drink-Me-Hot Winter Warmer was an obvious market gap that Copella have successfully filled.  As a non-alcoholic alternative to mulled wine we suspect it will fare well, however taking on more traditional winter warmers such as hot chocolate and Horlicks may be too far for the brand to stretch.

 

Coca Cola

With a combined total of well over 30,000 official Coca Cola Christmas facebook fans, it would be impossible not to mention the drink in any seasonal commentary.  It’s sure sign of the times that the campaign will now operate on a more integrated, multichannel basis than ever before.  It has also made a conspicuous effort to be more environmentally friendly (Popsop), revamping their world-famous Piccadilly sign to save 20% more energy.

Top charity marketing strategies

In May, this year, UK charities reported an increase in regular donations for the third successive year (source: Rapidata). This despite the country teetering on the brink of a double dip recession.

Reassuring figures that not only highlight the generosity of the British people but also the resilience of the charity sector.

There are currently around 170,000 charities in England and Wales.  It’s a crowded sector where charities continually have to work harder and smarter to get their, often complex, messages across. Brand and communication strategies are key.

We look at 5 interesting cause-related strategies that have recently been used to great effect: 

1.  Create a memorable event

Movember has become a hugely popular movement since it started in 2004, supporting prostate and cancer charities. Over 480,000 people worldwide got involved last year raising $48.5M. An overtly visible, ownable, relevant and self-mocking occasion-based campaign, it is a great example of marketing at its best.

Due to its populatrity and worthy appeal many brands are clamouring to be a part of the movement.  HP Sauce, A suit that fits, and Byron Burgers are just a few of the brands that are rewarding charitable stewards this November.

 

2.  Partner with a large consumer brand

Get it right and this relationship will be equally rewarding for both parties. The charity gets instant exposure and awareness amongst a broad and relevant audience. The brand benefits from the warm halo of social responsibility. UNICEF, thanks to it’s “one pack = on vaccine” partnership with P&G's Pampers, is now aiming to eliminate neonatal tetanus in the developing world. 

It's a win win but, as a brand owner, be sure to be 100% committed to the cause. Consumers will quickly sniff out a temporary or half-hearted association driven by the interests of a PR wash or commercial gain. You only have to look at the backlash caused by KFC's alliance with a breast cancer charity in the US last year.

 

3.  Use disruptive communication

Where budgets are tight, it's often the disruptive campaigns that work to best effect.

Action for Children launched a guerrilla marketing campaign around the streets of Glasgow earlier this year that couldn't fail to catch our attention.

Through a clever combination of message-driven street art and hidden speakers playing recordings of children around the city, the campaign got national coverage and everyone talking about the cause.  It's a complex message delivered in in an engaging and relevant way. The beauty of this campaign is the use of technology to drive its audience to action. QR codes were also used to direct a technology savvy audience to an online petition to lobby the goverment to increase the amount of money they spend of indentifying children at risk of neglect. 

 

4.  The power of many: join a collaborative commercial initiative

Everyclick.com is a free internet search engine just like Google or Yahoo, but for every search made the site contributes half of its revenue to affiliated charities.  This is a great example creating an alternative channel for people to raise money simply through their existing behaviours. Smaller charities that don't have the marketing budgets can utilise this platform to drive funding to them. The beauty of this platform is in its transparency, clearly articulating the monetary amounts raised and for whom as and when it happens.

5.  Be in the right place at the right time

No British festival would be complete without the Festival Samaritans. Their tents have been a familiar feature at events for over 35 years now. This year they were present at 17 festivals offering a place of calm and warmth amidst the madness, where any festival goer can stop by for a cup of tea and a chat.

Not only does the charity access those in need within a relevant environment but it is also a strong platform for generating credibility and awareness amongst a younger audience. If they don't come to you then  reach out to them.

 

These are just 5 innovative strategies that charities have used to raise awareness and funding to best effect. Please feel free to contribute any other great examples. We'd love to hear them.

Nuts about innovation

Crabbies have thrown us a curveball.  Their brand extension into flavoured nuts seems incongruent with their core ginger drinks heartland.  As one of the fastest growing alcoholic UK brands in 2010, its success is without question.  But is it right for a brand that is still in its infancy to seek such new pastures, rather than consolidate and protect the brand and its unique position?  Possible extensions into liqueurs, spirits, soft drinks and even other alcoholic ginger mixes would all be credible.  In comparison their new offering seems a little unrelated. Perhaps it’s unfair to criticise out of context.  The Crabbies brand itself is harboured in a culture of fast-tracking innovation through its privately owned company Halewood International.  Even the ginger beer was originally an extension from a ginger wine.  With this approach there will undoubtedly be some riskier launches.  Maybe ginger nuts will prove us wrong. Either way, they are not alone in this difficult territory.  Act and you may find trouble; don’t and you certainly will.

Magners had a huge competitive advantage in the cider sector, which they seemingly let slide.  This has resulted in the market becoming inundated with threats: Bulmers, Gaymers, Thatchers, Koppaberg, Aspall, Rekorderlig – the list goes on.  With their new release of Magners Specials they have clearly tried to kick back, defending their share of summertime cider and starting to grow their own winter market.

We look forward to seeing how both of these brands and their new innovations fair over the coming winter months.

 

Feeling the force

We recently featured a series of exciting uses of merging light projections and buildings which were played out to amazing effect.  This giant lightsabre which lit up the London sky last night is another great example.  Created to coincide with the Blu-ray release of Star Wars: The Complete Saga, London’s BT tower was transformed for one night only… ‘The force is strong with this one’.

Design Down Under

We recently were introduced to this blog from Long White Cloud. It’s a design blog based in New Zealand featuring the best in design from Down Under. They cover everything from packaging, typography, product design, art reviews and design theory.

We like the blog on innovation in particular the camping dinner set and portable dishwasher in one.  A nice piece of innovation.

Well worth a read for inspiration from the South Pacific…