Globalisation: Overseas sales with local nous
Catherine Dawes, Packaging News, 07 May 2009
Conquering the globe with a new product isn’t as simple as taking a good idea from one country and forcing it on another. A little local insight can go a long way, writes Catherine Dawes
When Tropicana redesigned its US packaging in February it couldn’t have anticipated the furore it would create. The new design removed the instantly recognisable orange with a straw device and replaced it with a large glass of juice. The new design was panned across America, with consumers unable to find the new packs in stores, and Tropicana was forced to reinstate the old design.
At a PepsiCo press conference, Peter Arnell, whose company Arnell Group worked on the design, defended the packs, saying: It’s fascinating that it has never shown the product ~ the juice.
Ian Webb, partner at design agency Webb Scarlett deVlam, argues that the new design was simply too European for the US market. In an era of multinational brands, global travel and the internet, are the differences in pack design around the world really that pronounced? Is it possible that a design that works well in one country could fail in another?
Packaging design in the US is characterised by its bold branding and large logos. Traditionally, it’s been less about subtlety and more about ’shelf shout’, says Dragon Rouge creative director Chris Barber. Webb believes that the more aggressive stance of US design can be partially attributed to the fragmented media. In a country with very few national newspapers and a plethora of TV channels it is much harder for brands to reach consumers through advertising. As a result, the packs have to do more of the work on-shelf. You need a big brand marque, a very simple mnemonic, that is instantly recognisable, explains Webb.
