We love packaging design, and feel its still under-utilised as a marketing tool. We've posted several times before on what we call "packvertising", here and here.
Well, a great new source of design inspiration is the blog by ace design shop JKR, which is one of the handful of blogs I follow. This is one of what I am sure will be a long series of posts sharing some of their insights with our readership. This one is on "brand-led barcodes"! Yup, even this seemingly functional bit of packaging can become a creative medium in the right hands.
As Silus at JKR comments, "Esquire magazine has been quietly playing with its barcode for a while
(above), tailoring it to each month’s big feature. Having a little fun
is a great way to imbue a brand with soul, and all the better for being
discovered rather than telegraphed. Below are some more neat examples:"
More on JKR's views on design here, in an earlier series of posts.
Thanks for your comment. While a lot of cnapmoies might not have the budget or see the importance in a true mobile website, there are tricks that can optimize a website for mobile use. It will be interesting to see how cnapmoies start adapting their websites to QR barcodes and other mobile trends in 2011.
Posted by: Adiriana | September 19, 2012 at 04:32 AM
What a great concept, love the idea of not hinavg to clip coupons and then forget them on the kitchen counter. Thanks for sharing Kathy. Another great shopping App that you may not have heard of is Grocery IQ. Thinking it cost $1.99 but well worth it. Like my coupons, I used to forget my list all the time but I never forgot my phone. It organizes your list by aisles and allows you to make a favorites list for those items you always get. Then as you go through the story you check off the items and they disappear. LOVE IT! Now if only I had an App to help me remember to take may reusable bags in with me.
Posted by: Gabriel | May 31, 2012 at 05:49 AM
Great interview! I dieesvorcd your blog just this summer and WOW!!! Have I been missing out! I am in the process of reading all your older posts.I am a middle grade teacher and I have so many favorite authors that I promote! Some authors I like are Avi, Mary Downing Hahn, Andrew Clements, and Gordon Korman. I think these authors have books that endure because they have characters and problems that middle graders can relate to. Some traits and conflicts just never change over time and my students and I (I consider myself a middle grader at heart) can connect with the books.
Posted by: Satoshi | May 29, 2012 at 07:59 AM
Judy Blume was the author that came iieedmatmly to mind. I'm in charge of an elementary school library and her books are still checked out like crazy. I recently found the book Letters to Judy where she prints some of the many letters she has received from kids (and adults). The kids who wrote in felt like Judy could understand them when even their parents could not. I think it is because she understands what it's like to be a middle-grade kid and doesn't try to make light of their problems and concerns. Beverly Cleary is another author that is still widely read by kids. Sibling rivalry never goes out of date either.
Posted by: Mos | May 29, 2012 at 06:34 AM
If I guess correct packvertising means packaging + advertising? I appreciate it that you share something so useful with the readers of this blog.
Posted by: Food Packaging | December 07, 2011 at 12:09 PM
Very nice, I was wondering when this would hit the mainstream, after the idea of messing with Barcodes won the Titanium Lion in Cannes 2006 - http://adland.tv/content/cannes-titanium-badlander
Posted by: Dabitch | August 07, 2009 at 02:30 PM
Packvertising...is looooong overdue -- that term is still up in the air right? In addition to customizing barcodes - print advertisers can be doing a lot more with magazine ads (i.e. combining a full-page ad with a postcard you can mail to a friend)
Posted by: Lateef | August 06, 2009 at 07:41 PM