Promotional Packaging for a Drinks Container

1. Promotional Packaging for aDrinks Container GCSE Product Design 2014: Question 1 Preparation

2. PROMOTIONAL PACKAGING FOR A DRINKS CONTAINER • Question 1 in the exam is ALWAYS a design task. • It is worth 25% of the marks for the written paper. • Whilst you won’t know the exact task beforehand, you will be able to do some research and come up with some possible ideas in advance. On the day you will then be able to adapt these designs to suit the actual question. • Approach this question in a similar way to how you started your coursework, e.g. task analysis, brainstorms, research, design specifications and designs. Most of this you will have do BEFORE the exam so you must make time to prepare. • You cannot take any of your preparation into the exam so you will need to be really familiar with your research and ideas so you can drawn on them from memory.

3. Because this is a Football World Cup year, there is a strong possibility that the promotional packaging could be World Cup/Brazilthemed. Promotional drinks container Equally, it might have nothing to do with the World Cup! • Other possibilities: • Healthy fruit based drinks (like Innocent Smoothies) promoting healthy eating. • Packaging to promote recycling/environmental issues. • Packaging for a theme park or family attraction e.g. Alton Towers. • Packaging for a new fast food chain. • New range of drinks aimed at a given target market, e.g. toddlers, teens, people on their way to work, etc. • Packaging to promote a film or music festival. • New sports/energy drinks range promoting fitness and health. POSSIBLE THEMES… Will it be a package for an individual container or a multipack? These are only guesses – we don’t know what the actual question will be either! That’s why it is best to research as many possible themes as you can. It won’t be wasted – a shape from one theme could be adapted to suit another

4. World cup/sports themed packaging: These are all can or bottle ‘wraps’, with the promotional graphics replacing the usual product labels. These can be very striking and even collectible. The manufacturers only need to change their labels – changing the shape of the container or even the secondary packaging to fit new shaped containers would be very costly. Some might actually change the shape of the containers but this would only be major manufacturers that could guarantee selling vast numbers of units to justify the cost. Some manufacturers might ‘add’ something to their standard containers, e.g. these bottle t-shirts.

5. Use of bold colours and appealing characters make these types of products attractive to children. packaging aimed at children: (not all drinks but ideas could be adapted) Maybe the packaging has some kind of gimmick that would make it attractive and appealing to its target market likes these built-in crazy-straws (above)

6. Healthy food/drinks packaging: Lots of these are fruit based but these bottles were designed to encourage young children to drink more water.

7. Energy/sports drink packaging: Bright bold, colours and dynamic graphics are the norm for this type of packaging. Not all drinks come in cans or bottles… Lots of sports drinks are designed to be used whilst exercising. Some are even shaped to make them easier to hold whilst on the move. These ones (left) are even designed to be a part an exercise routine!

8. Multi-Drinks Container packaging: The wording of the theme makes it unclear whether you will be asked to design a container for a single drink or outer packaging for a pack of drinks. The container could be a bottle, can, carton or even a cup so consider different solutions just in case. Not actually drinks but easily adaptable

9. If your design can not only promote whatever it is you are asked to promote but also meet the needs of the user in an original way, the chances of success are much higher. Innovative & clever packaging: Packaging with multiple compartments – milk and cookies…tea and biscuits??? Clear bottle shaped window in this cup gives the appearance of a classic coke bottle that empties as the drink is drunk – very simple but effective. Multiple layers of card cut to fit the container exactly make a very safe and protective secondary package for fragile bottles. This milk carton design uses smart materials to show when the milk has reached its expiry date. An easier way to carry multiple coffee cups – no more balancing acts in crowded coffee shops! Wooden outer package protects the glass honey jar inside but is also aesthetically pleasing and helps to promote the natural qualities of the product. Very simple alternative to insulating cup sleeves – no more burnt fingers. Minimising fast food waste and also easier to carry.

10. Recycling/environmentallyfriendly packaging: These packages are designed to concertina when used so they take up far less space in the bin. Re-useable fast food packaging for food eaten in their restaurants This simple design reduces the amount of extra packaging required to help one person carry multiple cups. Packaging that asks people to re-think about packaging Recycledpaper bottles!

11. What to do… • Know the functions of packaging • Know the key pieces of labelling that must appear on food products, e.g. barcodes, best before dates, etc. • Be familiar with designs that are suitable for packaging single containers like bottles and multiple containers like drinks cartons or cans. • Consider how you would promote to different target audiences – how would a package change if it was being marketed to children or athletes, etc. • Practice drawing in 3D (Isometric) and also nets – remember to include dimensions and annotations on your design in the exam. • Come up with a range of ideas for different target users and different types of containers. • Attempt the practice question – this is not the actual question, just someone’s guess at what the question MIGHT be. • Make sure you have pencil crayons, ruler, rubber, set square or isosketch to take into the exam to help with your 3D drawings. • REMEMBER: You cannot take your prep work into the exam so you must be thoroughly prepared and know your research off by heart so you can draw on any aspect of it.