Advertisement: Clever Wordplay and Bright Colors

After reading both articles, I have come to the conclusion that packaging in marketing is very important. Without the marketing, consumers would not know which functions of the product should be highlighted, nor the advantages of using the product. For example, the marketing of the Apple iPhone was and still is brilliant in its composition. The commercials are simple, only having the white background, the Caucasian hand, and a magnified perspective of the iPhone. The narrator describes the convenience of having the iPhone as a mini computer on the road and the ease of use for the applications on the phone. Also, the narrator describes the new 3G network with only mentioning of the faster speed. This is the idea of marketing to all consumer groups. The marketing idea brings me back to Norman's Emotional Design, to the discussion about the water bottle. The example of packaging techniques would be Fiji water. The bottle itself is a clear wide cylinder type, which is different from most water bottles. Then, the designers put graphics of flowers on the bottle, making the water seem more "natural". After the packaging is finished, the water costs around $2.50, which brings in the idea of "If its costs more, it must be special".

Other products that have iconic packaging would be Degree deodorants and its separation between scents and genders. The Degree for Men bottles are simple in terms of design, with a grey, or the classic blue-green containers and "manly" scents. The design for the Degree for Women bottles are similar, making the container more slim with a mint green color, with sweet smelling scents. Also, the Vitamin Water bottles has an iconic packaging. The label is manufactured as the same color as the drink, which brings a visceral aspect to it. For example, one might see the Kiwi flavor and like the color pink, and buy the drink just for that color.

Some issues with packaging that exist are packaging that do not cater to the product. For example, heavy products with large boxes that do not have strong handles on the box. It is very annoying to have to carry heavy boxes with both arms, having them slip out of your hands due to inadequate grips. The ones that do have grips, they are made out of cardboard, which is definitely not the most dependable material in terms of lifting.