For Aquarium Maker, Design North Creates A Flashy Box that Outshines the Clamshells

All-Glass Aquarium dared to dive into uncharted waters armed with a striking package for their sophisticated water heaters.

The All-Glass Aquarium Co., the world's largest consumer aquarium manufacturer, began in the founders' basements and garages. After establishing the quality of their core aquarium designs, they have cautiously expanded the breadth of their product offerings in aquarium accessories.

All-Glass has also been cautiously upgrading their brand identity with the help of Design North, in Racine, WI. "They allow us quite a bit of freedom of thought," says Mark Topczewski, senior design director at Design North.

The latest brand extension was for a high-end line of Submersible Aquarium Heaters. Though there is a wide range of choices from basic and inexpensive models up to advanced, a premium model like the All-Glass product would have to battle for shelf attention with long-established brands.

The All-Glass entry into this environment is state of the art, solid state, and fully submersible, which means fish-lovers can hide it by burying it in the gravel. Design North looked at this "unsupported" line extension as a glamour project, and set out to dominate a category right off the bat.

Domination would have to occur on the shelf, and one way to do that was to break the clamshell mold in the category. The other way was to provide flash with a beautiful package that immediately conveyed the premium quality and desirability of the product.

Design North has used holographic substrates for premium beer labels, and their goal was to create depth and dimension on the aquarium heater box by pushing their knowledge and expertise of printing on holographic paper. An opaque white layer under specific graphic elements accentuates the rich blues and yellow-golds as they shimmer with small changes of viewing angle and light reflection. "The royal blue has a rich impact when you pick it up," remarks Topczewski. "It lights up."

The product shots were taken Design North's own "Studio 2" photography studio. Three-dimensionality is further suggested by a subtle but effective "ring/gauge" that encircles the top of the heater. The heater image seems to come off the box, presenting the product as effectively as, if not more effectively than, a clamshell.

Design North is so familiar with printing on these substrates that there was never a production level prototype for All-Glass, who trusted the examples they were shown and trusted Design North when they said the final artwork would come to life on the holographic substrate.

All-Glass Aquarium's success with the heater launch reinforced their notion that they can continue to expand their brand's trustworthiness beyond their core aquarium products. "This has been a good step for them," explains Jim Wrobel, account strategist at Design North, who thinks often about how consumers can distrust a brand that strays too far from its core products.

"You can get away from home plate pretty easily," Wrobel says. With strong initial response to the heater, All-Glass is sees greater opportunity in accessories and consumable products.