Stickin' it.

My latest design love is definitely packaging and branding. I've started reading a slew of blogs (err... um 2, Dieline and Brand New... but it SEEMS like a slew) and one of them mentioned something that really stuck with me: packaging is the advertising. Sure if you're a big company you still dole out the big bucks for advertising but when the consumer faced with 39 packages of new health conscious potato chips-- that bag better look good. And think about, how many of your favorite brands has re-designed lately. Or seems to re-design every other time you go to the store. (I feel like Green Giant frozen veggies that are targeted for some kind of health [antioxidant, healthy weight, etc] and Wheat Thins are always changing).

As a result a good portion of the packaging design coming out these days rocks my socks AAAAND has got me thinking.

(left: Student work by Shon Tanner: right: Azul Reál Cachaça by Adam&Co.)

(left: Student work from Melissa Adams (this is actually a lot like some custom work I've been doing but you'll have to wait to see that later); right: Student work from Eyal Baumert)

(left Est natural cosmetics by Satelite, right: Lovejoy Vodka produced by Integrity Spirits and designed by ID Branding)

How lovely, right? So this got me to thinking- does a wedding invitation really need to be paper? I've been writing this post for a couple days and thinking what could be accomplished by just using stickers. Looking at these packages you can definitely have beautifully designed stickers and I've been trying to think of cool ways to base wedding invitations around it. I have some ideas but I'm not 100% there yet.

The more I think of weddings the more it seems everyone has these grand ideas of what it HAS TO be and less about what COULD work. Less thinking outside of the box- more building something better entirely, if that makes any sense*. :)

*It's hot today. My brain may be melting.