Seasonal Packaging
Contents
►Brief Introduction to Semiotics
►Semiotic Analysis of Christmas
Packaging (forms)
What is Semiotics?
Semiotics: the analysis of symbols and
what they stand for
A symbol stands for
something beyond its
immediate meaning
– a shell is more than a
mollusc’s vacated
habitat – it represents
holidays, warmth,
faraway places….
Semiotics is complementary to qualitative / quantitative feedback from
consumers – an “expert” view of the interpretation of the signs and
symbols used in marketing activities
We all use semiotics everyday
To speed up communications
To project an image to others
To help navigate choice
Why Semiotics is important for
packaging success
► Semiotics provokes discussion and provides
practical learnings on the communications symbols,
materials, textures, colours, sensory perceptions and
design elements in a specific category
► This category knowledge gives designers a vital edge in
an environment where visual communication
creates the crucial first impression with the
consumer and accounts for over 80% of
communications intake
Semiotics – Residual, Dominant and
Emergent codes
When analysing a market sector using semiotics,
themes become evident:
► Residual: long-established, from the past, less
used today (sometimes revisited by brands
looking to re-inject basic category values)
► Dominant: the most common codes
used by leading brands
► Emergent: new codes being used by a
few brands
Semiotics – typical feedback
from clients
Semiotics added a deeper
layer of insight to our
understanding of the category
I can now explain more
clearly the reasons behind
our design ideas
Using semiotics at an
early stage saved us a lot
of time in the later stages
of the project
I learnt more about the
fundamental design elements
for our brand in the last two
hours than I have working on
it for the last two years!
I now ask more questions
about the significance of
the elements included in
our brand designs
Semiotic Analysis of
Seasonal Packaging Forms
Why use seasonal packs?
• Promotes brand engagement: we share in your
important celebration and make gift-giving /
Christmas entertaining easier for you
• Creates brand differentiation: on-shelf and in-home
• Encourages brand trial from non-users – the
seasonal need predominates over habitual choices
So brand packaging should
communicate seasonal in the most
effective way….
Parcels, ribbons, cornucopia
► Parcels wrapped up in
Christmas paper and ribbons:
▬ Special
▬ Surprise
▬ Desire to please
▬ Gifter has made an effort!
► Cornucopia / horn of plenty:
▬ Plenty, generosity, freeflowing fruitfulness
▬ Origins in mid-winter pagan
celebrations
▬ In USA linked to
Thanksgiving
Residual
Display gift boxes – convenient but
somewhat commoditised
► Transparent lid shows
gifter what they’re
giving
► Card lid is replaced to
maintain surprise
element for giftee
► Often gift-wrapped instore
► Look like “the easy
option”
Dominant
Christmas shapes – look special
and stand out on shelf
►
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Dominant
Tree
Stocking
Snowman
Snowflake
Father Christmas
Star
Bell
Cracker
Pudding
Etc, etc
Packs with onward use – year-long brand
engagement and presence
Dominant
► Added value of
onward use of
packaging
► Promote yearround brand
presence in home
► Deliver brand
engagement if
conversion to
onward use is
correctly fulfilled
 Conversion to cake tin
 Conversion to makeup storage drawer
 Conversion to cake tin
Novelty packs with wow-factor
Emergent
► Deliver specialness
and surprise
► Particularly good
for sharing items
e.g. biscuit tins,
sweets
► …think about what
your target
audience value
Christmas
puzzle
biscuit tin
VW camper van
confectionery tin
Musical Christmas
biscuit tins
Cornucopia – return to
traditional values?
► Plenty / generosity
particularly valued in time
of austerity
► May become mainstream in
UK like Halloween imagery
Ikea 2013!
Emergent
Special insider messages for giftee (1)
Emergent
► Insider Comms
to combat
commoditisation
of the gift pack:
something
special inside
that gives giftee
closer brand
engagement
Aesop gift tins
are themed on
the Italian
Futurist Art
movement; a
brochure about
the products
and art
movement
folds in various
configurations
to protect each
product
Special insider messages for giftee (2)
Emergent
► Insider Comms
to combat
commoditisation
of the gift pack:
something
special inside
that gives giftee
closer brand
engagement
Special insider messages for giftee (3)
Emergent
► Insider Comms
to combat
commoditisation
of the gift pack:
something
special inside
that gives giftee
closer brand
engagement
Divine
Chocolate
Advent
Calendar with
Fairtrade and
brand info on
back
…and don’t forget aroma!
► Christmas has strong
aroma links, particularly
spice and Christmas tree
pine
► Aroma gives extremely
strong semiotic
associations and can be
incorporated in packaging
Emergent
Thank you for your attention
Contact:
paul@thepackhub.com
barry@thepackhub.com
sue.burden@thepackhub.com