Parham Santana Creates Artful Design Strategy for Dozens of Cambridge SKUs

The bright, fashion-forward colors are the icing on the cake of a comprehensive retail packaging strategy for Cambridge Silversmiths.

Cambridge Silversmiths, a leading manufacturer of tableware, realized the time had come to breathe new life into their products and firmly re-establish their place in the category. Cambridge sought out the New York City-based Parham Santana design agency to create packages that would sell their tableware from as many angles as possible.

Parham Santana relished the opportunity to develop positioning strategy, identity, and packaging from virtually a blank slate. The designers devised lifestyle-based branding solutions that simplified dozens and dozens of packaging SKUs. The strategy included a four-tiered branding structure with variations for mass and specialty retailers and a consumer-friendly, benefit-driven messaging for shoppers at each outlet type.

Parham Santana boiled down their directives: 1) to inspire new desire for flatware; 2) to energize the category; and 3) to make the most of retail real estate. The designers immersed themselves in discovering the emotional reasons that compel consumers buy tableware, whether they be triggered by underlying impulses or strong memory connections.

Through store visits and through conversations with sales associates and consumers, the Parham Santana staff developed an "Unforgettable Style" concept. This universal message speaks to women about what matters most—personal style and a personally expressive home. On the other side of the research, the comparative review revealed an astonishing lack of design acumen in the category. "Color was completely missing in that category," says Parham Santana partner Maruchi Santana. "It was a sea of sameness." In addition, the competitors' packaging was not providing much help to the consumer or selling the product's benefits well.

Santana and her team at Parham Santana discovered the reasons why shoppers bought the category when standing in the store aisle: Either the customer liked the color, liked the pattern, or liked the appeal of no pattern. The designers set out to "segment" the lines along these reasons, and came up with the "Color," "Pattern," and "Simplicity" Collection categories, then wrapped them in vibrant colors more akin to high-end cosmetic packaging.

"Every side of every package has a different tonality," explains Santana. "It's very entertaining to the eye." Aside from the vibrant colors, the new Cambridge boxes help consumers make this "lifestyle" decision in a friendly tone. Each box offers a different set of decorating "tabletop tips™" on the back of the box around a beautiful photograph of a dinner setting. "The box works really hard for them," says Santana.

For instance, the tabletop tip on the back of the box shown here suggests seductively to the consumer: "Color brings your table to life. Start with your favorite antique cloth. Add mint green candles, a pitcher of raspberry wine, the shine of silver accessories. Create with the colors of Cambridge, to grace your table in the shades you love." At the bottom is "A Craft of Hands," which explains the craftsmanship and benefits of Cambridge silverware in smaller type.