Category Archives: Consumer Packaged Goods

Is This Packaging Still Effective?

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As consumers in a digital age we are constantly marketed to, as result brands continually evolve to differentiate themselves.  In response to the overload of visual stimuli, Mehmet Gözetlik from design group Antrepo gradually took away major components from iconic brand packaging in their latest project, “Minimalist effect in the maximalist market.”

Once the packaging is stripped of its logo and identity is it still effective, or even recognizable as the iconic brand?

The images go in order of variation as follows…
1. Original variation
2. Simple variation
3. More simple variation
4. No logo variation

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What Sparks our Fire:  An interesting exploratory on consumer packaging design.

Which variation do you think is the most effective?

Wingmate: The Ultimate Fashion Accessory For Men

Everyone is familiar with the term “wingmate”, referring to a loyal friend who always has your back, but now it’s taken on new meaning. The Wingmate fashion accessory is a double-sided triangle that adheres to your clothes to solve pesky wardrobe issues. The brand is modern and sophisticated, but with an edge to it. Catering to a male audience who understands the value of always looking your best.

Floppy collars, flying ties or pocket squares? Wingmate’s got you covered! Let’s face it, metal collar nor plastic ones don’t always get the job done. And much like a true wingmate, this one keeps you looking looking your best, without anyone knowing it’s there.

We admire this modern approach “as the world’s first disposable collar stay.” Be on the lookout this fashion week to see who’s got a true “wingmate” by their side.

Visit wingmate.us to check them out and get your Wingmates

What Sparks our Fire: Solving our wardrobe issues, while keeping us looking good.

What are your thoughts on Wingmate?

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A Smarter Way To Network

swivelCard

Most business cards end up in the trash or stored in a drawer, becoming forgotten in an instant. This has resulted in a number of creative attempts to innovate this networking utility in ways that will make them more effective.

Introducing swivelCard, the latest product in this space, which integrates a printed USB drive with a regular business card. When folded up and inserted into a USB port, it directs the recipient to open a web page. What’s cool is, that site address can be changed after the fact, so you could hand a prospective client a business card that leads to your homepage and, subsequently, have that particular card navigate to a different page instead.

swivelCards can also be tracked as to their location and the times when the cards are used. In addition to standing out from the crowd of normal business cards, you can give your swivelCard with pictures, videos and presentations for the anyone to check out. Plus, analytics through a back-end software interface will allow you to access helpful information about your cards and how they are being used.

What Sparks Our Fire: A business card that people will actually remember, keep and use

What information would you share on your swivelCard?

The Keurig of Tortillas

Flatev
Our busy day-to-day oftentimes demands quick food and beverage solutions that offer convenience without sacrificing quality, as demonstrated by pod-based products. Currently, this space is primarily comprised of coffee and tea, however a number of companies are working on new ways to bring the fast, single-serve model to other food items.

Introducing Flatev, a Keurig-like machine that bakes dough pods into warm, fresh tortillas in less than a minute. Like a Keurig, it enables anyone hosting a group to use a “carousel” feature to make several tortillas at one time. And the Flatev is both compact and fast, making it great for food trucks, too. Made with just stoneground corn flour and water, the dough is loaded with fibers, minerals and vitamins as well as non-GMO and gluten-free, appealing to pretty much everyone.

What Sparks Our Fire: A new, quick and easy way to make food on the go

What tortilla-based dishes would you use a Flatev for?

Write On

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While reminiscing about your childhood I’m sure you have fond memories of digging through the biggest Crayola box to find that perfect color. Now, as an adult, you may not be digging through that same crayon box, but if you’re a designer we’re sure you wish you could.

Scribble is the pen that changes how we interact with color. All you do is hold the back of the pen up to a surface and the pen will scan and reproduce the color within seconds. Most graphic designers would love this capability to be digital in order to replicate the color onto their computer rather than paper. No problem, there is a scribble stylus that functions the same way to easily translate the colors from the world around you, digitally. This pen makes designing and recreating colors easy. The scribble also has an associated app where you can find colors you previously scanned to use again, or share with others.

The Scribble recently started funding on Kickstarter, so if you’re ready to bring some more color into your life, go ahead and contribute.

What Sparks our Fire: A great design tool that is fun and easy to use.

What’s your favorite color?