Whilst there
can be no doubt that major corporations like supermarkets spend millions of
pounds and thousands of hours studying the psychological effect of their
branding and packaging, it’s fair to say that the bag or box you get to take
your purchases home in generally comes across as something on which far less
effort has been spent. After all, why spend more time and money worrying about
that when you’ve already had somebody’s custom (and cash) and they’re about to
leave your store? For most shops, a plastic bag is a disposable vehicle for
transporting your goods home. And, as for the oft-quoted ‘fact’ that a plastic
bag takes a thousand years to biodegrade, I general find I’m prone to question
that claim when the bag I acquired barely ten minutes ago has already
disintegrated and left my weekly food shop as an amorphous mess on the floor
next to the bus stop.
True, luxury
brands will give their customers some flashy packaging so they can show off to
their shallow friends that they’ve just spend £800 on a pair of pants but I
never get the feeling that those companies have really put any more effort into
it, just a bit more money.
So that’s
why it’s always refreshing to find a company who put as much effort into their
packaging as they do into the product. It’s like they’re seeing the whole
process through to the end rather than abandoning it as soon as they can see
the finishing line. And it gives the welcome impression that, although they’ve
already got your money, they still care about you. So, here are three of my
favourite items of packaging that I’ve received recently…
Kurt Geiger Shoe Box
I can’t
remember if the t-shirts I bought at Drop Dead, just off Carnaby Street,
actually came in this or if I was given it as a freebie but whichever it was
it’s still pretty damned good. Actually, I think it may be an iPad case but,
not having one, I use it to keep my copy of Alan Moore’s Watchmen in until such
a day that a take the leap and buy a tablet.
Religion Bag
Look at this
one. Environmentally friendly, too, as if I’m just going to the local shops I
can (and do) take this out rather than get yet another plastic bag. Whilst it’s
possible that there are uncivilised parts of the country where a man might get
odd looks for using one of these I know for a fact that it’s safe within at
least a one-mile radius of Kingsland Road.