Packaging for Kids

Product Description: “The Kingdom Animalia, a line of wooden animals and their packaging, were all made in the USA. The boxes are made of recycled cardboard, and offset printed. One element of the design system is that there are a few facts about the real life animal on the box. There are 15 different animals in this collection. They are made of sustainably harvested wood and are solid maple. The finishes on the animals (including the paint, stain, and beeswax sealer) are all non-toxic and very low/no VOC. All of the finishes are also made in the USA. They were laser cut and hand finished. They are meant to be decoration for a nursery, bookshelf, and the like. They are not, however, toys for children.”

I really like these products and their design. The use of colour is inspired, as the products are vivid and engaging but if you actually analyse the boxes the main colour used is a dark brown. I know it says in the description that the product is not a toy and therefore it doesn't really fit within the constraints I am working with. However it is the parent who will ultimately decide whether or not to buy the product I am creating for their child, so it is important that my designs appeal to both age groups. 

Packaging for Kids

Apparently kids should drink tea. The idea of this product does not appeal to me in the slightest, however I can appreciate the design side of it. I like the use of simple vector illustrations and the colour schemes also. The text used has rounded edges which I find appropriate and not threatening, partnered with illustrations of random objects with a face added, it is obvious who these packages are targeted at. Therefore I would say this packaging has been a success.

Packaging for Kids

Mission Statement: “Packaging for children’s art supplies. The packages come in a variety of patterns, all of which consist of just simple black line drawings. Not only can the child choose which pattern they like best, but after removing the label they can literally colour the box using the product inside. The simple patterns are more environmentally friendly than full colour glossy packages, and by giving children something that they can personalize they will be less likely to toss the package.”

I like this idea, again probably because of the interactive quality. I am quickly beginning to realise that if packaging is specifically designed for kids then it has to be engaging and most of the time have double usage. The way I am dealing with this in my own project is by having a removable mask that can be adorned in any way the child wishes. This can then be worn on November 1st or 2nd for 'Day of the Dead' celebrations. It is a way of increasing awareness for the celebration executed in a subtle way.

Packaging for Kids

I took this image from 'Lovely Package' and thought that it was similar to the route I am taking. Apparently these boxes were designed for the childrens section of a Swedish department store. The boxes are both clever and engaging, this is done by adding design aspects that are revealed to you when you actually handle the packaging. They have an interactive quality which I wish to emulate with my own skull shaped package.

Kids Cook Book Two

I decided to look at another cookbook aimed at children. This one is a hardback and has slightly more recipes. I would say that this particular book is aimed at children slightly younger than the previous one as the recipes are much simpler and there is a lot more imagery used. I like how there is a photograph at every stage of all the recipes in the book. The page layouts themselves are slightly too messy and busy for my liking, but the ideas behind the designs are perfect and I can see where the designer was coming from. Text is kept to a minimum and each stage is clearly numbered, obviously helping the child with the process. I also like how alternative ways of decorating your products are clearly displayed, for example the different toppings you can put on your cookies.

Kids Cook Book One

I decided to look into the format of cookbooks designed specifically for kids. This particular one is called 'Cakes and Cookies for Beginners'. I would say that the target market for this particular book is slightly older as the recipes seem quite complex. However there is still the presence of small illustrations at each stage in the recipe, which makes me wonder if the person carrying out the baking would need the visual aids. I like the inclusion of 'Before you Begin' and 'Baking Tips' pages at the front of the book, as if to help the child along even more and prepare them for any eventualities in their cooking. Below are a few images of a select few pages in the book, they show the continuation of page layout throughout.

LUSH

At the weekend I went to Manchester for a bit of shopping, but whilst I was there I was pleasantly surprised by what I saw. The cosmetics shop 'LUSH' was having a bit of a celebration, a Mexican celebration at that! Just outside the shop there were two employees, dressed head to toe in authentic Mexican apparel, complete with Sombreros and face paint to make them look like 'calaveras'. I knew I had to go in as it was perfect primary research for my project. I picked up a leaflet with appropriate Mexican design and photographed it. Below you can see the front and the back, notice the use of the 'papel picado' influence.

Inside the shop, there wasn't that much difference from its usual appearance, except for the clever placement of a few sombreros and 'Doritos'. Therefore I thought the next logical step would be to visit the website and see if there was any other information available. I came across the day of the dead section and began to read what they had to say. As you can see below the design from the leaflet has been carried over to the banner on the web page, helping add a sense of fluidity. Once on the website I discovered that the chain had created three special limited edition products for the holiday. Each one had an inspired name; Calavera - meaning skull, Calaca - meaning skeleton and Lady Catrina - a popular image associated with the celebration. Below is a capture of the web page.

From the main page you are able to navigate to three individual pages, dedicated to each one of the products. The first product is a particularly beautifully looking bar of soap inspired by the traditional head dress originating from this image. I like how you are able to see the ingredients in the products and think the inclusion of 'agave nectar' is poignant. The second limited edition is a specially designed bath bomb which releases marigold petals when dissolved, another clever addition as the marigold is widely associated with the day, sometimes names the 'flor de muerto'. The last product is a skull shaped shower jelly available in three different colours; green, orange and yellow. I think maybe the colours red, green and white may have worked better with association techniques, however I'm sure this was considered and probably not possible. The colours chosen to fit better within the 'citrus fruits' constraints.

Catrina

Calavera

Calaca

Lastly, another promotional consideration they used was large window decals in the shape of skulls. The colours of these decals where particularly bright and therefore eyecatching, catching the attention of what I'm sure was not just me. Below is an image of one of these decals placed in a prime advertising spot, the front window.