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Packaging Design for Summer

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| July 3, 2014

What images come to mind when you think of summer?

This past weekend, I sat down with a notebook and pencil and did a quick summer word association. The first words that popped into my head were: sun, picnic, beach, heat, and seagull.

I happened to be visiting a beach at the time—with a seagull perched beside me—so it kind of felt like cheating. For good measure, I added “tropical” and “refreshing” to the list.

Marketers go through a similar process when dreaming up seasonally-appropriate packaging design. Sometimes, the task is as simple as changing the hue of a box, or embellishing a design with a smiling sun.

When a company has a widely recognizable brand, a seasonal redesign can pose some challenges. Can the logo be tweaked but remain easily identifiable? Will consumers still reach for their favorite products if the shape or color has changed?

I turned to two of my favorite design blogs, The Dieline and Packaging of the World, to see how other designers have handled the challenge.

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The Body Shop’s limited edition summer fragrance line. From The Dieline.

Ah, mi amour. Looking at the Body Shop’s 2012 summer fragrance line, I can almost smell the sand and the surf—with a hint of sangria carried in on the breeze. The warm, pink and orange gradient of one bottle is reminiscent of a summer sunset. The blue and yellow gradient of the other is reminiscent of cool waves lapping at a sandy shore. Paired with airy typography, it’s the perfect recipe for summer design.

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Chandon 2014 summer edition sparkling wine. From The Dieline.

Chandon took a different approach in designing their limited edition summer pack. Rather than strive for “soft and romantic,” Chandon used bold colors—blue, red, and a splash of gold—set against a white background. The design is at once elegant and casual. If this bottle could talk, it might say, “Let’s go hang out on the yacht. Just like old pals.”

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Coca-Cola, 2009 Platinum Pentaward winner. From Packaging of the World.

Coca-Cola might be the world’s most iconic brand identity, and there’s no mistaking the owner of these cans. Designed by London-San Francisco agency Turner Duckworth, the above is a creative spin on a familiar name. Coca-Cola’s signature red cans and cursive logo are combined with an American summer motif: outdoor BBQs, beach balls, sunglasses, and stars n’ stripes.

Kleenex fruit wedge packaging illustration for Kimberly-Clark

Kleenex, 2009 Diamond Pentaward winner. From Packaging of the World.

Another 2009 Pentaward winner. For Kleenex’s “Slice of Summer” packaging, illustrator Hiroko Sanders designed a trio of juicy fruits that look good enough to eat. Though we don’t recommend taking a bite, the popup boxes make for a great conversation piece.

 

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