Shelf Impact - Fall 2009 - (Page 6)

DESIGN FORUM Designers’ critiques: What’s fascinating about the L’Auberge du Pere Bise Golf Balls pack is that it utilizes visual language that generally is alien to golf balls and sporting goods. But actually, that’s not surprising because it’s not selling golf balls. What it’s selling is an exclusive little hotel in France. The design is a fairly straightforward adaptation of the hotel’s brand identity. Even more interesting, though, is the observation that this pack design, if it were a little larger, could very easily house a bottle of 10-year-old Highland Malt. We live in an age where visual language and metaphors are increasingly blurred— cosmetics that look like food and food that looks like cosmetics— so why not golf balls that look like whisky? Premium brands and products are an indulgent purchase, so they don’t need to “shelf perform” in the same way as fast-moving consumer brands. Designers can flex their imaginations with relative ease vive la difference! Don Williams, CEO pi global (www.piglobal.com) Tiger Woods may know how to sell millions of golf balls, but L’Auberge du Pere Bise takes a commodity item to a new level of luxury packaging with a simple yet extremely detailed package design. Many resorts offer customized golf balls to their guests, but they stop short of actually customizing the packaging sleeve. L’Auberge du Pere Bise took its packaging a step further by customizing not only the golf ball itself, but also adding a beautiful clubhousetype photo to the outside of the packaging, creating a souvenir for guests. The photo reflects what guests might picture of a fourstar hotel and reminds them of the time they spent at the resort. The packaging also can act as an advertisement for those guests who display the packaging in their home or office. My only critique would be that the resort put some type or contact information on the box to make it easier for the customer or potential new customer to easily contact them. Kylie Hansen, Associate Account Executive HBN Brand Design (www.hbnbranddesign.com) L'Auberge du Pere Bise Golf Balls (distributed in France) GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Reno Orange DESCRIPTION: Three-pack golf ball cartons are produced exclusively for a four-star hotel near Annecy, France. The exquisite package artwork and attention to fine detail elevates a commodity sporting goods product to a whole new level of luxury. The packaging should communicate and reinforce either golf or a souvenir item from the resort, if not both. I’m not entirely clear on this. I like the Euro-elegance aura that this package has. Especially utilizing the visuals to convey a sense of place (the resort in France), rather than simply the golf balls. This makes it a little more unique and inviting to pick up and examine, which should inspire a purchase. That said, I take it that these are sold only in the resort’s gift shop. On the shelf, do they look like golf balls, and more importantly, do they look like golf balls that I would want to buy? I’m not sure I would be inspired to purchase them, even though I like the packaging. Joe Ray, President & Creative Director Estudio Ray (www.estudioray.com) The carton material looks to be solid bleached sulfate board. 6| ShelfImpact! Fall 2009 http://www.piglobal.com http://www.hbnbranddesign.com http://www.estudioray.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Shelf Impact - Fall 2009

Shelf Impact - Fall 2009
Contents
It's Hip to be Square in Vodka
Exclusive Survey Reinforces that Structure and Graphics Must Work as a Team
Quick as a Cat

Shelf Impact - Fall 2009