Bad Packaging or What Were They Thinking? 8
by Bennett Holzworth, (11 comments)
I would like to share a few examples of bad packaging that I have encountered over the last month. Some big names (Starburst, Hershey’s and Buger King ) and a no name (Dr. J. H. McClean’s Volcanic Oil).
The above Starburst packaging is in my opinion the worst of the bunch. What color do you think of when you hear the name Starburst? Yellow I would assume. I have purposefully taken a side shot of this package to show how much red the average shopper will see. The designers of this packaging apparently never went to Walmart and saw all of the Starburst stacked with hardly a spot of yellow showing. I now know that the new packaging is mainly red and I still have a hard time finding it in the candy aisle.
I think the Hershey’s packaging speaks for itself. The product, which seems like a bad idea in the first place, is placed … well … you can figure it out.
This Burger King logo is printed on a take out bag. Can you say press check?
Ok so maybe this isn’t bad packaging, but it is very strange. This is not a vintage example found in an antique store. You can go and purchase Dr. J. H. McClean’s Volcanic Oil at you local dollar store. Who buys this stuff? Would you like to put some “Turpentine Oil” on your sore spots? Even if it isn’t bad for you, the smell isn’t going to attract any new friends. Thanks to Barbara Barrows for the tip.
Comments (11)
Cain said:
Blahahahahahahahah!!!!
That’s some funny sh*t!
Your totally right! The Hershey’s one is a riot! I’m going to find that one right now. Hilarious! Good job!
I love crappy design!
I swear if they put CRAP in a box, it would sell.
Posted on July 19, 2005
Adrian said:
Portable pudding! I have waited my entire life to hear those two words used together. The future is now!
Posted on July 19, 2005
debbie said:
Hey Bennett and Adrian— Funny post. Given some historical flack I received on Speak Up regarding two of these brands, I want you both to know I had nothing to do with any of this. ; ) x’s -d
Posted on July 20, 2005
christy said:
The vanilla portable pudding is even worse - for obvious reasons.
Posted on July 20, 2005
nate said:
Now Bennett, you’re taking the Burger King logo out of context. I love checking the trapping on food delivery bags and pizza boxes. It’s always about 4 inches left. But you know, I don’t imagine when you’re running 10 bazillion To-Go bags like Burger King you’d want to stop the press for something like that. The bag is already going to be garbageÄîthat’s what its designed to be anywhere from 5 minutes to half an hour after its used.
Not like the pouch. Not that’s the greatest design ever.
Posted on July 20, 2005
Bennett said:
Debbie, Thanks for the clarification. The Hershey’s packaging hadn’t even crossed my mind. I thought about the Burger King bag and what you would think, but I knew that was more of a pressman issue than a branding glitch. Bad printing, not design.
Nate, The BK bag is a small detail, but I think it is still important to their image. I can see it being a little off, but I think something like that should have been corrected. I have known of agencies that have almost lost accounts for small mess-ups on take-out bags. I guess it all depends on the client. With that said … out of these four examples, this is the least embarrassing in my opinion.
Posted on July 20, 2005
Kyle said:
Oh, my. I am quite surprised at the Hershey’s Portable Pudding box. Who doesn’t think that’s phallic? Or do I see it like that just because of it’s association with this post?
Posted on July 20, 2005
Jerry Underwood said:
The Burger King example is one that designer’s should learn from because 1.) its the worst offense of the four and 2.) its not an offense at all.
I’m guessing these are printed several across on a flexo press, because its dirt cheap and they’re printing probably about a billion of these a year. So there’s no way on earth, you stop the press in the middle of your run to continually fine tune. You need to manage the clients expectation against the printing technology and quantity. That’s why its not a good example of bad packaging, but more importantly…
This is the worst offense because anybody (particularly those without design knowledge) can identify it and tell you somebody screwed up. This makes it particularly difficult to navigate the other pieces with clients. (i.e. the Hershey’s piece is at least in register.) The client spend all their energy avoiding the BK pitfall and they end up in the pudding.
Posted on July 20, 2005
felix sockwell said:
“I had nothing to do with any of this”Äî said Millman
Deb, you didnt design the new Burger King logo? I would love to hear you say this to your client at Burger King!
From a marketing standpoint, I believe the new BK positioning worked like gangbusters. From a design standpoint, it falls in the lap of “swoosh” trends and will need to be redesigned soon (needs splashy new gradient or halftone?) It was interesting to hear your “guilt level” (per your radio show) rising after taking Milton Glaser’s course.
What next, Deb? “True confessions of a branding guru”?
Posted on August 6, 2005
JonSel said:
Now, we can’t blame Debbie for a press misregister. Or can we?
Posted on August 6, 2005
Mark said:
Starburst owns the color yellow!
Yellow was always it’s color identity,it’s iconic.
(well at least in the past it has)
Why are they using red now???thats not their color!
When I think of fruit chews I don’t think red.
what’s with their logo? Why did they seem it was necessary to have that bulge effect?
Hershey’s,ech. I do see it it’s disgusting. especially about their little illustration to the left.
could they at least NOT of put it at such an angle????? Whats with the shininess????
I’m familiar with the misalignment on the print logos for Burger King, I see it almost daily on their cups,bags,and their fry and onion ring holders,however thats the worst example I have seen!
The last one? I have no clue, I guess some companies don’t go extravagant in their packaging design,I guess. I’ve seen similar types of plain design on products such as rubber cement.
Perhaps customers are looking more for reliability,and less on apperance when it comes to those types of products.
Posted on May 24, 2007