D&AD JOHN LEWIS.
DELIVERY PACKAGES.
Today I wanted to look into other companies home delivery branding and evaluate both the pros and cons of my findings, and also if anything I find matches up to what I have learnt about John Lewis and what they need from their packaging.
Amazon:
In the interview representatives of John Lewis spoke about their likeliness towards the Amazon delivery packaging. I found that when looking at the delivery packaging from Amazon, Their packaging comes solely within cardboard boxes, that fit the products they are carrying quite snug. I think that this helps with the sturdiness of the box, in terms of protecting the product- there is less space for it to rattle around, having more snug packaging also reduces unnecessary waste. Although the packaging is made from materials that are totally recyclable, there is no guarantee that the end user will recycle the packaging, therefore it is better to reduce unnecessary materials where possible.
Another important aspect that I believe makes the Amazon packaging so strong is its ease to open. No extra tools such as scissors or knives are needed to open the packaging, meaning the recipient can open the packaging straight away with their hands, and doesn't have to wait until they can find a sharp instrument to open. Therefore I think that having the ease of opening with just your hands is going to be the best, make the recipient happiest as it is most convenient, and creates less frustration.
Therefore, although I like Caitlin's idea of cutting, or unwrapping a ribbon, it might not create the most ease for a customer. However I do like the act of undoing a ribbon and its emotional connection it will have with the consumer with the connotations of it being a gift, and so I would like to try and figure out a way to mimic the ribbon untying, with more ease.
Zara:
Zara has a really great brand look as a whole which also includes their home delivery packaging. Zara is known for being a very modern store with a very minimalist and contemporary feel, which appeals to the tech savvy 21st century consumer. Not only is the simple cardboard box packaging fuss free in function, it also looks fuss free in aesthetic, and its minimalism gives the packaging an air of cool and luxury which then transfers to the recipient.
I think that this personality created through the packaging helps to cover up that Zara is not overly personal with its customers. However I did manage to find a piece of packaging that Zara had created for a special event, that appears a lot more personal. The packaging captures Zara's same classic minimalism however adds a personal touch. I think the combination of both elements work well together, keeping a strong brand personality but also breaking the 'cool and luxurious' boundary and adding a personal touch.
John Lewis current packaging:
John Lewis' current packaging seems to work well, however I think it appears to address function a lot more than form. The packaging features signature john lewis branding aesthetic (stripes and logo) however I feel like the packaging has an aesthetic that makes it appear very mass produced, impersonal and quite corporate. Therefore I think its going to be important to do something that really touches the emotional side of the customer.
I also think there might be an ability to play with the classic brand elements used by John Lewis and bring them to the more tech savvy modern audience. I think overall John Lewis needs to be a lot more experimental, and inject a bit of fun into its packaging to get that in store excitement they describe.
Asos:
I was quite disappointed when I found ASOS delivery packaging as it doesn't seem that there is much thought put into the designs at all. The packaging most of all, shows no personality, and doesn't seem that it does much to extend the brand. The packagings only job it seems is to do is to literally transport the purchase from warehouse to home. However I think that in doing this the customer is made to feel slightly neglected, and almost like they don't matter to the company once the purchase is complete. I think that it is going to be important to reject this trait when designing the delivery packaging as you want the company to appear caring and friendly, which will increase the customer want to return.
Debenhams:
I was also slightly disappointed with the Debenhams packaging someone blogged that they had received, shown above. This is the only example I could find and so it might vary across the range however, it seemed very rushed and lacking in effort. Pictured, the oder arrives in a bubble wrap envelope which can be bought in any post office when wanting to send an order, which makes the packaging appear very general and not special at all, more so there is no sign of the Debenhams brand on this section of the packaging. In fact, the only nod towards the brand is on the very outer packaging, in which the company have used exactly the same design on the delivery bags as their in store carrier bags. Doing this provides the customer with the impression they have not devoted much time to their online sales and customers, which Is something I definitely want to avoid. The brand seems inconsistent and almost appears on the doorstep looking like it could have been sent from s random eBay shop. More consistency is definitely a must.
Selfridges:
Lastly I looked at the Selfridges delivery packaging which I would say is my favourite and the most successful design, which also happens to be John Lewis' biggest competitor out of the companies I have looked at. The Selfridges packaging has hints of what I had began to picture in mind for the John Lewis packaging. From the first image we can see how fun and exciting the packaging looks, making opening the packaging and its first impression very attractive to the customer. In the second Image we can see how simple the box is to open, via a simple perforated strip - this will require no extra tools for opening making the experience fuss free. Selfridges then has a great range of tissue paper in alternative prints which they then wrap the products up in, making them appear like wrapped gifts over purchases in plastic bags, taking away the factory feeling and making it seem more hand wrapped - This will create a great emotional link with the customer. The customer is then re-something about their purchase by positive and fun stickers that describe the great nature of the purchase using phrases 'Fab' and 'Wow' which have a more conversational tone, making the company seem more like a friend than a transaction. Lastly when pulling out the whole order, the Selfridges brand is reiterated in the bottom of the box, which I think wraps up the brand really well.
I think taking a few hints from this packaging will work well for out brand, I would like to take the excitement, positivity and effort injected into this brand and pair this with a more personal appearance further creating a rapor with the customer.
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