Smart Packaging

For a few years now my daughters have been singing the praises of Smartwool products. Smartwool sweaters. Smartwool socks. Smartwool hats and scarves. When daughter Kris gave me a Smartwool sweater for Christmas a couple of years ago I experienced the goodness firsthand. Warm, soft, carefree. I tell Kris that when I wear this sweater it’s like getting a hug from her.

Smartwool, a type of merino wool, is the creation of two New England ski instructors. They wanted to make socks that would keep their feet warm and dry on the slopes. Once other skiers tried the socks, they were hooked and the brand quickly took on cult status on and off the slopes. You can read about it here: https://www.smartwool.com/default.cfm#/About/History/

This year Kris gave me several pairs of Smartwool socks. They're wonderful of course, but what I really want to tell you about is the packaging. Each type of sock has a unique, interesting package. Yet all share a common spirit of comfort, fun, being active and alive, and respect for nature. The packaging just adds to the good feelings that radiate from the products. 

Here’s what I love about Smartwool packaging:

The Structure: Each recycled paper package is a study in origami. They fold and tuck and come together to secure and display the products with NO PINS, NO CLIPS, NO PLASTIC TETHERS. It's such a refreshing change from the typical sealed, stapled, oh-so-secure and wasteful packaging that's become the norm.

The Copy: In addition to fitting in all the required copy that goes with packaging, the Smartwool creative team found a way to actually communicate and sell, entertain and inform! The copy is  simple and smart, clever, a bit whimsical. A few examples:

• For the hiking socks: "Nothing better to soothe your soles."
• For the athletic socks: "For fitness walks, social walks and all other walks of life."
• For their everyday, ultra-comfy socks: "Stand up and make yourself comfortable."

The Integrity: Each package states "We always give you 110% effort, 100% smarts. And 0% bull." I think that's what I love the most! It's obvious Smartwool is clear on their values and is willing to make the investment of time, resources and thinking to create packaging that is true to the brand. They care! And I love that.

Nicely done, Smartwool creative department. You warm me from head to heart to toes! 

Justified

So excited. The second season of Justified starts tonight. Love everything about the show...even the font used in the titles. What is this font? I want it.

Juice break. No waiting.

When I was part of an in-house marketing department I wanted to schedule regular meetings for the team of writers and designers to get away from the work at hand and do something fun to spark new ideas and freshen our perspectives. I wanted to combat the notion that in-house creatives never get to do anything creative. Yes, we do, but you have to take time to refill the well, replenish the creative juice.

I envisioned calling the sessions "juice breaks," with juice and cookies and show and tell. A sharing of everyday observations. The work- and non-work related things we see and do and care about. Ads, books, shows, packaging; copy, colors, typography; the things that grab our attention and make us think, question, feel.

For one reason or another, juice breaks never got started. Too much "real" work to do. Never enough time to think about much beyond the next project. It was heads down and work. Someday we'll do something fun. Once we get through this project. Once we get past this deadline. So it goes.

Juice breaks, like so many ideas, stayed inside my head, always waiting for the right time, more time, or free time. Until now.

Welcome to Juice Break. Here I'll post some of the everyday things I see that pique my interest and set new ideas in motion, and I hope you'll join me. Stop by when you need a quick diversion or you're feeling stuck. No cookies but hopefully plenty of juicy ideas and creative sparks. No waiting.