A Seasonal Season for All: A New Take on Festive Package Design

Lauren Kossar, Associate Creative Director at CBX, gives us the new generation of holiday design strategy in her article “Moving Beyond Santa: Inventing New Ways to Design Holiday Packaging and Marketing” for the American Marketing Association’s Marketing News. Lauren shows how today’s marketers can still celebrate the season—without alienating segments of consumers—with savvy holiday brand positioning, including cheerful design adaptation and inclusive messaging.

Happy Non-denominationaliday

We are seeing signs of the times with clever and creative non-denominational packaging from companies like Harry’s Shaving, non-denominational wrapping paper from Zazzle, and even non-denominational gift baskets from Mrs. Fields. As these companies demonstrate, non-denominational does not have to mean non-cheerful nor non-celebratory. Along the same lines is CBX’s work for Wawa. The agency tapped into Wawa’s existing brand equities to create a sense of community when Wawa’s soaring flock of geese and eclectic graphics made their way across four holiday cups. Much to the delight of Wawa (and CBX), people began posting photos with their seasonal cups in hand on social media, virtually bringing to life the images of togetherness.

Better together… with or without that sweater

It’s the focus on togetherness and celebration that evokes the true spirit of the season. Positive memories, especially when so many have been kept apart during the pandemic, play a key role in the new age of holiday marketing. Lauren encourages looking outside of the traditional holiday box at festive, seasonal icons like intricate snowflakes and glowing lights. And even gentler nods at Christmas, like the patterns of an ugly sweater, can be effective, depending on the brand’s consumer base.

Let’s put the “all” in holiday

Today’s socially conscious brand designers know that celebrating diversity and championing inclusion don’t take a break for the holidays. As Lauren notes, “Ultimately, as a package designer or product marketer, it’s worth bringing all seasonal messages, images, and icons to the conference table for discussion.” It’s then up to the team to figure out how a brand’s festive design can evoke holiday charm while embracing the differences that make us all special. It’s not an easy task, but one that will truly showcase the spirit of the season.

Check out the full article here. https://www.ama.org/marketing-news/inventing-new-ways-to-design-holiday-packaging-and-marketing/