What Can We Learn from the Wit
And Wisdom of U.K. Designers?

By Marianne R. Klimchuk

The whimsical Dr. Stuart's identity and illustrations were developed by the Pearlfisher design agency, with offices in both London and New York City.

Oh, to be smart, witty, attractive and a great communicator—a quadruple threat. Not necessarily what I aspire for myself per se (well...), but qualities I wish for in the next generation of designs for American consumer packaging.

After spending time in England recently, exploring grocery stores and retail establishments of all sorts, I was reawakened to the wit, style, and character of British brands. They are aesthetically fashionable, conceptually fresh, often elegantly simple. They can actually make grocery shopping an uplifting experience. Even in a Tesco market. In fact, I witnessed a woman spend 20 minutes deciding which eggs to purchase. Not because the labeling was confusing, but because the egg packaging along with the display of shelves filled with a range of brightly colored cartons differentiating the varieties was a shopping experience unto itself.

An ocean apart?

American package design on the other hand, and the grocery shopping experience in general, is designed to be a far too serious occasion. Our package designs are all too often loud, oversized, and boringly straightforward. They communicate by screaming at the consumer while their British counterparts not only speak, but do so with class and elegance. Of course, our competitive marketplace and sheer number of consumers greatly affects the total picture however, as a designer, I admit that I am a bit jealous. Simplicity alone will not solve the problem. Ingenuity, wit, and a bit of irreverence would be a welcome change. Not for the few but for the many.

This playful new brand identity for kids' fortified water was developed by the TDA Advertising & Design agency in Boulder, CO.

Interestingly, the Internet Generation engages in activities that bring humor and wit to their lives instantaneously. Their social activities are filled with engaging experiences designed to add levity to their lives. They spend 6 to 11 hours per day multitasking, interacting with media and entertainment with comedy and wit. So why is the stable of consumer products offered to them so often uninspired and dull? Will the emotional ties that currently bind them to their parents' brands and consumer experiences be enough to override unimaginative package and brand design?

We seek humor in advertising and in so many other forms of media. In fact, humor has been an aspect of media communication for centuries. Even as far back as 1772, Benjamin Franklin was noted for writing humorous columns published in a New England newspaper poking fun at various aspects of American life.

Humor has existed in American advertising (not always the intelligent or witty sort) for so many brands however the package design has all too frequently been left to act as the dull guy. Maybe marketers think that consumers should be serious when in a retail environment. The need for entertainment is diminished in this environment.

The Tesco supermarket chain likes to add a lighter mood to its store brand packaging, like this "How it's made" illustration by P&W Design Consultants in London.

Gains in the U.S.

Hanes, identified in the Wall Street Journal as one of the oldest and biggest apparel brands in the U.S., recently introduced a new ad campaign. With their goal of improving the company's image and value particularly in the panty line category, the ad campaign draws humor from the'wedgie' (the way panties creep up certain body parts). What a prime opportunity for a great package design direction. Attract the consumer with the quick wit and a smile. What a great project this would make. But no, the packaging takes the safe route, and being wedgie-free has never looked more dull or serious.

Marcus Hewitt and Simon Lince of the Sterling group wrote about the creative gap between British design and American design a number of years ago for Design Week. Yet, little evidence exists that brand managers have encouraged American design firms or their own in-house groups to explore more innovative, fresh, witty design solutions.

As we continue to rest on our tradition of package design, the British are invading. Design firms from across the pond are opening shops here at a fairly steady rate. With their currency strong and ours weak, it's a great opportunity for them to invest here. They are able to target American brands and lure clients with their fresh portfolios of brand package designs that are lighthearted and visual excitingly.

In the old days, designers and design firms here in the U.S. did acknowledge the competition from European counterparts. The argument was they although their overseas competitors may be wonderful designers, they did not "get" our values or our culture. How that concept has changed drastically in recent years. With the global economy, the elevation of the global design aesthetic brought about by the technological revolution and the visual and verbal communication through the internet have caused consumers in advanced economies to share many of the same basic values and understandings about products and their function. As clients become attuned to the new American consumer value of humor and wit in the marketing of their brands, they may look to hiring this new influx of design firms for which this style of design comes naturally.

It is exciting that as a society we have come to a place where design is a highly valued commodity. Package design needs to be all of the attributes it's needed to be for so many generations. It also needs to be green, smart, and funny. Package designs' values are to enhance our lifestyle through the products they serve, their functionality, and their marketable attributes. Today, they must also provide us with a humorous and intelligent distraction from our stressful existences.

In order to remain competitive, those of us that design within the American marketplace will need to change the modis operandi effectively. The challenge is whether we can alter the consumer product landscape with package designs that are not only environmentally friendly but also clever, attractive, and even able to communicate quietly.

Marianne R. Klimchuk is the Associate Chairperson of the Packaging Design Department at the Fashion Institute of Technology, where she has written curriculum, taught courses, and directed the packaging program for 13 years. Marianne can be reached at marianne_klimchuk@fitnyc.edu.