Packaging makes us think of glossy layers round a product. A way to draw more attention to what is being sold and make it seem more valuable. Traditional perfume brands were associated with spending far more on their packaging than on the product.
Using contrast to highlight packaging
My eye was drawn to this display because while it might have gone unnoticed in a farmer’s market or outdoor market stall it was in a smart retail store. It was placed not in the fruit and vegetable section where it would compete with the parnsips and carrots.
It was positioned next to all the glossy packaged, cellophane-wrapped products with their shiny colours. So the subtle packaging and presentation made more of an impact. In fact it made all the manufactured sugary goods look superficial. I felt the display was slightly out of place and unusual – which is why I noticed it – and because the unwrapped pumpkins in their earthy tones seemed very authentic.
Packaging for the seasons – naturally
The colours of Autumn are brown, yellow orange as the leaves fall from the trees and the bare tree trunks show more clearly. So in Autumn these colours fit into a theme which is top of mind and appropriate. Marketing has to connect with what is going on in the mind of the potential customer even if you have a new spin on the dominant thought.
The box made me think of warmth, comfort, natural nutrition and goodness and brought a spark of inspiration. There is such a need for authenticity rather than hype in the world today that these values connect very strongly at the moment. However it is always worth tapping into the power of contrast to provide a context.
I chose to include the reflection at the top of the picture which creates a halo effect. It changes it from simply a box of vegetables to something which has a greater resonance. By extending the image beyond the edge of the box also gives it greater reach. Visually it is “outside the box” which gives it the power of metaphor.
So my photograph enhances the box and gives it some virtual packaging.