Vintage packaging design

Creative Review's recent article on Sainsbury's packaging of the 60's and 70's is fascinating. I knew very little about Sainsbury's brand's history and am guilty of discounting its creative potential both now and in the past. 


It's interesting to compare their design outcomes midst the strict and somewhat bland branding used by supermarkets these days. The "predominance" of the illustrations and the fact that the "typeface choice was left to the designer" are indications of how much these large corporations have altered their approach. 

I can't think of any UK supermarket that produce enticing designs (perhaps bar Waitrose with some of their designs). 

It's now largely left to independent to think outside the corporate box. If I was to play devils advocate I might argue that Sainsburys own-brand packaging of 2011 communicates simplicity using a contemporary vernacular; design has progressed and it wouldn't work to reproduce modernist designs. We all can recall the white and orange Sainsbury's basics range and for that reason it achieves it's function of communicating value. But I think it would go along way for Supermarkets to try something a little more stimulating for the consumer.


As branding gets tighter and tighter I hope that the independent brands won't go the same way. Look what's at stake...

Designs produced by a recent packaging redesign from the French Supermarket Monoprix 

Innocent Smoothie - Won a D&AD Pencil for these designs in 2010

Fun packaging from Jamie Oliver

These designs from RAW Health  are as"alive and active" as the nutrients in their bars 

There is a blog post relating to the magazine article, check it out http://creativereview.co.uk/cr-blog/2011/august/sainsburys-own-label-book

Vintage Festival Southbank 2011

Here are a couple of drawings I produced as part of my mini residency at the Southbank Centre's Vintage Festival last weekend. I am thrilled to have been part of such a fantastic event and feel it has provided me with almost too much inspiration to capture on a page! This, then is the start of a much bigger project that will develop my first findings. So, keep your eye out for more in the future!

 

Having created a largely typographic piece, I found myself being drawn to the various vintage typefaces that peppered the festival in the stall holder's logos, the bric-a-brac stalls and the brilliant Southbank signage created by the amazing Morag Myerscough. Here are some of my snaps of the type I found and lovely people I met.

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

10 Days by Ripo

Typography and illustration so often runs the risk of appearing like impotent decoration. I for one am (proudly) guilty of producing work that's stylistically beautiful but perhaps lacking in concept or thought provoking message. The same cannot be said of this wicked video by Ripo. An incredibly talented typographic artist with refreshing ideas he's appears to buck the trend of ornamental typography. Yes, I'm late in discovering it but I need to share it just incase.

Alvin Diec's inspiring work

I fail to remember the first time I came across Alvin's work. All I know is that the playful yet reserved design of his XX Poster (below) has been imprinted on my mind since. I was subsequently thrilled to find the poster in question posted on the Grain Edit blog. Finally, an name to the work! I was even more thrilled to find further beauties on his website. What an imaginative yet restrained sense of composition and typography he has.

Stranger and Stranger

I was recently introduced to the impressive portfolio of Stranger & Stranger who's sensitively designed packaging are lovely to look at. Yes, they're bottles of alcohol but their exquisitely executed typography and beautifully designed artwork screams luxury.

Looking through their work got me thinking about the rich visual history that's entwined with alcohol. The labels communicate something of the culture of the country that the drink originates from and even manage to embody the (implied) sexuality and class of those who should drink it. Whether its the strong Blackletter typography of the 'Flaming Heart' Scotch Whisky or the elegant Didot used in the letters for Pino Grigio, it is clear that there is a rigid visual language to associated with alcoholic drink branding.

For me, these are successful examples of design because Stranger & Stranger speak this language fluently. They have researched the rules of their language to the point where they can reinterpret them while continuing to reassure the viewer that the contents inside is still a marvelously good whisky, or an incredible full bodied red. This translation is simple because they don't veer too far away from the set visual boundaries. They never overwrite its history or alter its sexuality. Furthermore it only appears simple because we are bombarded with these visual languages day in day out. As viewers and buyers of these products we are just as fluent in their language, the difference is that people like Stranger & Stanger are masters of its execution.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS WORK!

What a talented chap, visit his website for further delight.

Sketches and screenprints old and new

These are amongst my favorite drawings and prints I've ever done but they sit unseen in sketchbooks and dusty portfolios. I thought I'd revive them with a scan and an upload onto the world wide web!