Creative Packaging That Inspired In 2014

To create, you must first be inspired. Inspiration can come in many forms and it often arrives when you least expect it. As JohnsByrne, we like to draw inspiration in as many forms and from as many places as possible. Sometimes that means looking outside “the box” to appreciate where creativity can take you.

From an innovative standpoint, 2014 was a banner year for creative packaging solutions. Here’s a look at some of the primary and secondary packaging and creativity that we admired over the last year.

1. Anki Drive. In 2014, the company Uneka created an advanced AI called the Anki Drive. The AI is a racing toy. Its big, yet subtle, packaging makes the customer excited to take it on the road. The Anki Drive is housed in a long, narrow black package, with the name and an atmospheric image of the toy printed on the side. The packaging is exciting, and captures the spirit of the product—fun and futuristic.

2. Spectrum Electronics. The design studio, Pentagram, led the redesign of consumer electronics company Spectrum’s packaging. Using bold colors and a minimalist square shape, the packaging of Spectrum’s DAB/FM Digital Radio recalls a vintage look while offering a top-of-the-line, modern product. The box itself is only slightly larger than the product, eliminating waste, and communicating something to the customer about the nature of the radio. A simple drawing of the radio on the side of the box completes this inspired design.

3. Ninjaplast. Standard cardboard plastic cling-wrap dispensers have long been a hassle, especially when the tear bar simply doesn’t work as designed. Ninjaplast offers an elegant “fumble-free” solution to the standard cardboard dispenser by incorporating a built-in cutting blade into the package design. The black package allows the white logos, typography, and demonstration graphics to “pop” through the vivid contrast of color. Ninjaplast’s packaging communicates the problem many plastic food-wrapping dispensers have. And, in the same breath, the solution is offered within the package itself.

4. Budweiser’s Bow Tie Can. The beer can hasn’t changed much over the years—at least in regards to its shape. Budweiser in particular is known for its iconic cans, providing a basic beer and a simple pleasure to the drinker. This year, Budweiser took an inspired chance by creating a can that flares up and down from the middle like a bow tie, mirroring the Budweiser logo printed on the can. This excellent graphic design turned the familiar Budweiser can into a special product.

5. Bear Paws. The Bear Paws snack, created by the British health food company Bear Nibbles, uses packaging to draw attention to endangered species, such as polar bears, panda bears and sun bears.

The packaging feature of this design is the structure. Made with corrugate board, the package transforms from a box to travel packs, implementing illustrations that convey awareness for endangered species. The closed box shows an illustration of a bear that is enclosed, peeking out of a small die-cut opening. Once opened, the bear is released, which speaks to the cause for this limited edition packaging—portions from each sale go to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). Adding an element of awareness through structural design and illustration makes this package dimensional and unique in its own way.

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