Woolworths South Africa has begun rolling out its Essentials range of supermarket items, the first phase of a complete packaging overhaul being undertaken across all lines within the retailer’s portfolio of house brands. The mammoth task is being overseen by celebrated designer Vince Frost, recently appointed as the company’s Creative Director.

The initial stage of the Essentials range packaging project takes in more than 150 lines including dairy, produce, meat and poultry, cereals, beverages, dry goods, biscuits, bakery goods, frozen foods, household cleaning, laundry and personal care products. Woolworths Essentials are high-quality, basic staples set at entry price points and according to Frost, the strategy behind the work is not only about contemporisation, but ensuring the packaging communicates the quality which defines the very essence of the Woolworths brand too.

“Woolworths has never done anything like this before,” said Frost. “But the sheer scale of this packaging redesign project, which will ultimately encompass more than 5000 items, makes Woolworths a global leader in this field.”

Managing the execution of the Essentials range packaging is Quan Payne, a Design Director seconded from the Frost* studio in Sydney. He is working alongside the team based at the Frost designed in-house studio, at Woolworths HQ in Cape Town and a number of established local agencies.

Payne explains the design ethos driving the development of the news packs in the Essentials range. “We’re really aiming to underline Woolworths’ philosophy of ‘the difference’, by embedding good, thoughtful design into the brand through packaging.”

“There is a unique idea behind every single product and that is a real innovation in house brand packaging design. Each idea expresses the function or benefit of that individual product.”

Whilst generic or house brand lines are often devoid of any personality, the new Woolworths Essentials range uses design to inject a sense of energy and life. Simple, bold typography and the use of elements like photography and graphic shapes, aim to speak to the consumer in an engaging, intelligent way. Colour is also used in category-leading ways, to differentiate variants within the lines.

The new Essentials range is appearing on Woolworths shelves over the coming months, whilst Frost and his team embark of the next phase of the packaging redesign work.

The packaging for Herman Miller LEAF Light serves multiple purposes: it is a marketing vehicle, a point-of-sale display as well as a shipping box. The Herman Miller LEAF packaging is designed to continue the identity of the LEAF lamp by echoing the lamp design on the box and showcasing the signature LED glow.

more after jump…Additionally the need was for the packaging to be environmentally conscious, another key tenet of the LEAF lamp design. With an innovative product such as the LEAF lamp, the packaging needed to showcase and highlight the lamp in order to begin the consumer centric experience. The LEAF lamp is an innovation first product, allowing the user to control their lighting experience. Thus the packaging needed play an important role in setting this lamp apart from other personal lighting products. The challenge for LEAF Packaging was first and foremost to provide a safe compartment for the actual product, without using tons of excess packaging. Secondly, the packaging also needed to continue the integration of the brand identity, extending to web, logo development and media outlets. Finally, it needed to be the first ambassador of the LEAF brand, conveying the unique and first time innovative features of the LEAF lamp. The LEAF packaging is made of cardboard and the interior packaging materials are Ethafoam, ensuring that LEAF will arrive at the intended destination safely and securely. The lightweight but strong material protects LEAF from damage from impact without adding unnecessary weight or volume. The box breaks down to only minimal elements, the majority of which are easily reused or recyclable. Rather than just a generic black or brown box, the LEAF packaging immediately communicates the contents inside. The premium quality of LEAF is extended to the exterior packaging through the vivid graphics and high satin finish. The color of the plastic handle located on the top of the packaging box is the same color as the lamp inside, making it easy to identify and distinguish the multiple colors of LEAF. The packaging also communicates the first time innovative features of the LEAF Lamp. The front of the box features a halo of cool blue light on the left, with warm tones on the right. When the dual tonalities intersect, a neutral white light is created. The logo mimics LEAF’s ability to transform; from a cool color spectrum for an efficient work light, to a warm color for a reflective mood, as well as the continuous adjustment from bright to dark, educating the consumer on the transformative light qualities of LEAF. When the packaging is turned to the right, the full form of the LEAF lamp is displayed. From the quarter view, an image of the lamp mimics the fully extended angle of the light. By having just a glimpse of LEAF on the front of the packaging, it invites the consumer to come closer and inspect the box, discovering the distinctive shape of LEAF. The wrap around photo of LEAF allows the different sides of different boxes to fit together, completing the image. A strong, iconic statement is created when several boxes are lined up, side by side, illustrating beautifully the light housed within. The elegance conveyed on the box, along with the environmentally constructed packaging elements further conveys the uniqueness of the LEAF brand. The packaging was designed with as much thought and attention as the product itself and with the consumer in mind from start to finish.

via: sparkawards

Rather than hide what is in the box, the Jawbone packaging highlights the product, offering a 360-degree view of the contents. The polished design of the packaging displays the earpiece like a diamond in glass box, making for an attractive in-store display. Another great design by fuseproject.

Admire the wittiness of the naming, Sweet Talk, Dirty Talk, and Trash Talk.