A couple months ago, we blogged about the vampire trend that had emerged in the beauty industry. Now, it seems that automotive companies are coming along for the ride. Twilight New Moon is coming to theaters on November 20, and the uber-successful franchise is practically unavoidable in pop culture right now. To capitalize on the buzz, companies are taking the opportunity to align themselves with this incredibly lucrative audience – whether directly or on a grassroots level.
In addition to several product placements, Volvo is promoting their XC60 with the What Drives Edward website, named for the Twilight main character Edward Cullen. Fans can view trailers and enter to win tickets for the New Moon premiere and a Volvo XC60.
Auto brands Jeep and Buell have benefited on a grassroots level, with fan-made commercials such as the above example circulating on social media sites and YouTube.
Read more about Volvo and Jeep/Buell promotions on Brandchannel.com.
It seems that we've finally gotten to a place where almost everyone is thinking of environmental responsibility in one form or another. In Los Angeles, we recycle more that what we throw out. At the Kitchen, our clients are asking more and more about what they can do to be more responsible in their production chain. And although we are certainly not experts, we try to be as informed as possible and as current as possible on the latest in sustainable papers, inks, and accessories.
For someone that is just getting into learning about this subject, The Story of Stuff is a great place to start. It details the production process from extraction to consumption in a compelling format. On the production end, here are some basics that may be useful when considering materials for the next packaging or printing job:
Paper
Using paper or paperboard can help to minimize the use of heavy carbon emitters such as steel and plastics.
Virgin paper has a direct impact on the forest and requires the most energy to manufacture, although it can be the most chemical-free paper. Getting paper from a sustainable source can ensure the process is managed responsibly.
Solid Bleached Sulfate (SBS) board is the most widely used paperboard. Although this paper does not use chemicals in the process, it is recyclable and can be a better alternative to plastic.
FSC Certified Paper comes from responsibly managed forests, ensuring processes and procedures were eco-friendly. When printers receive FSC Certification, a logo is issued that tracks certified wood from the forest, through each stage of production and distribution.
Recycled Paper can be a blend of recycled paper fiber and may also contain virgin paper fiber.
Pre-Consumer Waste (or Post-Industrial Waste) paper contains fibers that were recycled from waste at a mill, fabricator, and/or printer. It has never been used by a consumer.
Post-Consumer Waste (PCW) paper contains fiber that has been circulated to and recycled by consumers. This paper is considered the most environmentally efficient because it has already completed at least one useful life before starting a new cycle.
Inks
With inks, it is important to know how much volatile organic compound (VOC) is emitted, whether it comes from a renewable resource, and whether it contains heavy metals.
Vegetable Oil-Based Inks, also known as Agri-oil based inks, are made from renewable resources and emit less VOCs.
Petroleum Based Inks are not considered sustainable due to the high percentage of VOCs emitted. Also, they do not come from a renewable resource.
UV Inks dry quickly, so they emit little or no VOCs. UV inks can also be repulped, de-inked, and recycled.
Eco-Friendly Finishings
Finishing techniques such as embossing, die-cutting, and foil stamping can enhance a package or printed piece and can be eco-friendly at the same time.
Embossing does not use any ink in the die making process. Also, dies can be reused from project to project.
Die-Cutting also does not use any ink and can be reused. Additionally, die-cutting allows packaging to be created in unique shapes and can make for an interesting layered experience for the end user.
Foil Stamping is attention grabbing on the package or printed collateral, and not all foils use chemicals. When paperboard is foil stamped, it can still be recycled.
Paper, Inks, and Finishings information adapted from BertCo's Sustainable Tips in the Folding Carton World.
We wanted to take a moment to celebrate the dying brand marks of the 1980's, with most modern companies having undergone a rebrand since. In this video, French band Justice appropriates 80's era television graphics and animation in this clever visual twist on a music video. We find it particularly interesting as the logos are literally the "stars" of the video, and because it is an example of the increase in the trendiness of 1980's over the past few years.
This video is a couple of years old now, but it's a must-see for brand enthusiasts or anyone looking for a little 80's nostalgia.
Left: Original Nickelodeon Logo, Right: New Identity | Image from Brandnew
Nickelodeon recently announced its new identity, with the release of the new logo system timed with its 30th anniversary. The new mark is a more streamlined, lowercase wordmark with friendly, rounded characters and a stylized “i,” possibly a nod to the old signature splatter identity or a reference to a child's figure. Overall, the new identity is a more sophisticated update to the 1980’s splatter mark, but what struck us about this new logo is that there seems to be a shift towards more sophisticated solutions overall in branding for kids.
Activision’s Guitar Hero, a much newer brand, also recently updated its wordmark. The revamp cleaned up the letterforms of the previous design while maintaining the soul of the original (similar to Nickelodeon). But the interesting point in both of these redesigns is the more simplified evolutions better position each company for further brand evolution and extension.
Left: Original Guitar Hero Logo, Right: New Identity | Image from Brandnew
Both brands have undergone significant brand extension over the years – Nickelodeon has NickJr., TeenNick, NickToons, and Nick@Nite sub brands while Guitar Hero now has additional titles such as DJ Hero and Band Hero. The cleaner, updated letterforms and the shortening of the Nickelodeon name to “Nick” in the brand extensions make for a cleaner, clearer execution. In the case of Guitar Hero, the updated characters allow for more seamless stackability of the letterforms in each brand extension while creating a repetitive synergy between each sub brand.
Kids today are incredibly brand and marketing savvy, and it seems both Nickelodeon and Activision have taken note. The idea of complex brand extensions is a very adult one, and both these examples have embraced and simplified existing systems while leaving room for more in the future, both in the nomenclature and the visual solutions. We’ll see if other kids brands decide to “grow up” too…
The new Starbucks Via instant coffee hit the shelves several months back, but recently seems to be popping up everywhere. Via appears to be Starbucks’ attempt to broaden their market in a time where many people may be cutting out their daily $3 latte habit. The instant coffee product boasts better taste and comes in at a slightly higher price point than it’s lower brow counterparts (think Sanka and Folger’s), but much less expensive than the in-store freshly brewed version.
Starbucks seems to be joining a growing trend in all categories of recession-chic: the shifting idea that smart consumers can get a similar product for a much lower price, and can even boast about it to their friends. Marketers in the fashion and beauty worlds have been playing up this idea for quite some time now with recession-themed ads and made-up words aimed at women such as “recessionista” and “frugalista.” Starbucks has jumped on this trend with deviations from their premium philosophy such as value-menu style offerings and receipt discount coupons.
Overall, Starbucks has done a nice job of making the Via brand fit with their brand aesthetic. The new packaging is a nice extension of the brand with a clean, bold look and the upscale descriptor “ready brew” instead of the lower brow “instant coffee.” But if branding always starts with the product, will instant coffee be the right direction for a brand that has always been known for quality? Or will Via be a smart strategy for diversifying the company in a challenging climate?
It is not uncommon for clever concepts to be recycled, whether intentionally or not, in a time when most original creative ideas have been taken in some form or another. Artists and designers often speak about taking a cliché and giving it a twist to create something new – that is often what makes a design powerful, as the consumer can quickly recognize something they already know. This idea is even articulated by journalist Barbara Grizzuti Harrison’s famous quote: “There are no original ideas. There are only original people.”
I recently came across a new package design for Cambria Juices and was immediately struck by the uncanny resemblance to the classic Tropicana packaging. The Cambria packaging identity does have a more modern look with a more contemporary logo mark, fresher color palette, and a pop art inspired interpretation of the fruit with the use of exaggerated scale. But what struck me here was the core concept – the oversized juice being depicted on a farm rig, suggesting the juice is so fresh that the user is getting it straight from the fruit. This same core concept is what made the iconic Tropicana “straw in the orange” packaging so beloved by consumers, resulting in the highly publicized debacle earlier this year when the new packaging by the Arnell Group agency was released and quickly switched back to the original when fans vented on social media sites.
I don’t mean to pick on the studio that was responsible for the new design, which was recognized by several prominent design blogs for their work on Cambria. The overall look and feel is clearly unique from Tropicana’s and I actually think the Cambria design is overall much more sophisticated. But the problem here is that Tropicana’s orange-in-straw concept is so iconic in itself that it has become a pictoral logo for the brand over time, making it so ownable that even a reinterpretation can come off as a copy. And I’m not sure of the timing of the release of the two brands, but it could very well be true that Cambria came out with this new design after Tropicana had launched its rebrand. The bottom line is, once an image has become associated with the core of a brand on an emotional level, there is equity there that can’t be ignored.
Thank you for visiting our blog! We love to talk shop about the importance of branding and design – and ok, we like to talk about us as well. We will be using this forum to update you on our insights on current trends, agency updates, client news, or anything else that inspires us. Please post your comments or shoot us an email – we'd love to hear from you.
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