A journey through time

Hidden in a quiet side street in the fashionable Notting Hill area of London, England, the Museum of Brands, Packaging and Advertising gives packaging the respect it deserves. Carol Houghton reports

Consumer historian Robert Opie began his collection of over 500,000 original items – including sweets, washing powder boxes, posters and food packaging –  40 years ago, ‘pulling together  the packaging jigsaw to tell the whole story’.

Depicting over 150 years of British consumer society, the collection takes visitors on a nostalgic journey from the Victorian era to the present, showing how creative packaging, advertising and social influences have helped popular brands to evolve.

Product development and innovations have allowed new ideas and materials to drastically change the shape of packaging during the past 200 years.

The 1880s and 90s saw a huge rise of new brands. By 1900 pre-weighed, sealed packs produced by brand manufacturers had replaced traditional bulk buys by grocers, which were weighed out for individual purchases. Tea and coffee were now often pre-packed and strongly branded.

Biscuits were overwhelmingly sold loose from 10Ib tins that had large colorful labels to distinguish different types. Huntley and Palmers ‘Star and Garter’ design was created in 1851 and lasted until the demise of tins in the 1950s. Opie adds, ‘The art of the labels reflect design styles of each era, show the product range and vie for consumer attention in store’.

The 1940s

In what became known as ‘the decade of rationing and austerity’, packaging was strictly controlled during the materials shortage surrounding World War II. Paper, tin and card needed to be conserved and the public were encouraged to save paper for the salvage collector as well as return glass bottles and jars. A similar focus is present in society today for environmental reasons.

Tin had been a popular packaging material  but was then replaced by cardboard boxes. Labels became smaller and the width was reduced on can labels.

In the 1940s printing ink was restricted and colors reduced to save ink costs, meaning once familiar brand images lost their vibrancy. Cans and tins were no longer wrapped in paper and bottles and jars weren’t individually boxed for extra protection. Overwraps – which had been evident up to the 30s – disappeared.

The 1950s

Self-service supermarkets began to open in this decade, changing consumer shopping habits. Packaging designs became more vibrant with sharper graphics and brighter colors. Photographic images also became common on frozen food and cake boxes.

However, as is true today, brands had to change their look gradually to assure the consumer that the product itself was the same. Opie explains, ‘We eat with our eyes as much as taste. Taste is enhanced by what we see. It would be a disaster for a manufacturer if the consumer thought the content has changed because the design of the packaging had.’ This creates a challenge for designers; brands need to keep their traditional image whilst adjusting design minimally to keep a contemporary look.’

Throughout consumer history convenience has become increasingly important. In the 1950s, for instance, instant coffee became popular, and by the 1960s every store had its own label instant coffee jar. Other trends included cereal brands targeting children by linking packaging to TV characters. Frozen food was the other great advance as an increasing number of homes could afford a refrigerator.

The 1970s to 80s

Reflecting wider ‘70s fashion trends, packaging often featured oranges, reds and yellows in this decade. Manufacturers and supermarkets created special packages and products to tie in with the Silver Jubilee of 1977. Surprisingly, this trend wasn’t widespread in the confectionery industry with only a few small decorative tins – and no chocolate wrappers – featuring the patriotic theme.

During the 80s, the nation’s awareness of ecological and environmental issues grew, increasing concerns about CFCs and the ozone layer.

1990s

The internet offered an ‘information super highway’, opening a world of endless possibilities for brands and consumers. Pagers and mobile phones turned people into ‘moving offices’ and the trend for convenience heightened with the introduction of Sunday trading and 24-hour shopping.  This was the beginning of the smart technologies now beginning to be utilized by marketing teams across the globe.

Brand identity        

In the early days of packaged goods, identity was particularly important. Many brands used a signature on a label as a security device to ensure consumers bought the right pack. This was where the famous slogans ‘Look for this signature; W.K Kellogg’ and ‘If it doesn’t say Kellogg’s on the box, it won’t be Kellogg’s in the box’ originated from. However, as in the present day, counterfeit goods were a huge issue. Today, it is estimated that six percent of global trade is counterfeit.

The Design Registry was created in 1839 to protect industrial designs. It transferred the task to the Patent Office in 1875, who registered for trademarks, which created recognition, confidence and legal protection against imitations.

Today, the Intellectual Property Office:

•          Grants patents to protect technical aspects and functions of products and process

•          Registers designs to protect product appearance

•          Registers trademarks to protect brands and help consumers choose between different products

•          Develops UK law on copyright, patent, design and trademarks

Packaging and labels are a visual reference to the product and require a huge investment. Opie explains, ‘The product is only as good as the packaging which represents it’. Brands need to be visually recognizable to assure consumers it is a trusted product. This reputation has been nurtured through the years and invested into instantly recognizable images, identified by color, shape and graphics. Opie adds, ‘The brand itself is one of the greatest assets a company owns’.

A wide spectrum of color can be used to create brand awareness with specific combinations that consumers can identity with. Black Magic brand of chocolate was launched in 1933, using black packaging with a small amount of red and gold. Gold has traditionally been used to translate luxury but few products found this to be a successful color until recently when many men’s toiletries and luxury products gave it a new image.

Shape has also proved to be a great differentiator to stand out on the shelf, examples include Marmite and Coca-Cola.

What’s next?

Manufacturers have responded to consumer needs, making products faster to open, easier to reseal, quicker to dispense and easier to dispose of. In addition to its functionality, packaging became an attractive object to be kept and adapted for continued use.

Robert Opie says, ‘It is hard to define expectations for packaging in the next five years. The industry is split into so many categories and sub categories, each with their own trends which change faster or slower depending on the market.’

He predicts, ‘Within 10 years every brand will have a QR code. The first barcodes were introduced in  1980 and five years later every brand had them. But the speed in which technology takes off depends on us; humans are conservative, we dislike change.’ Will people constantly use the QR codes emerging on packaging and labels today? As Opie says, ‘It will depend on how useful we find them – and whether we can be bothered’.

Packing a sustainable future

Packaging is currently a hugely debated topic in terms of the environment. It has always been a functional part of a product – protecting and preserving the product, facilitating transport, informing consumers and being visually attractive – as well as carrying nostalgic associations. Now it has become a controversial aspect of marketing, forced to justify itself.

Consumer packaging accounts for 20 percent of weekly household waste, 30 percent of this is now recycled.

God save the Queen!

The Queen’s recent  Diamond Jubilee and coming Olympic celebrations saw the Union Jack design used more than at any other time. ‘It shows how lucky we are to have such an adaptable flag design – whatever part you see, or even if its in a different color, it is still recognizable. This wouldn’t have the same effect if, for example, you took the Italian flag’s three block color scheme and changed them’.

About the collection

Robert Opie’s collection was displayed at the Museum of Advertising and Packaging in Gloucester from 1984 to 2001. In December 2005, it moved to London with the aid of branding and design consultancy pi global.

Pictured: A selection of packaging on display at the museum

This article was published in L&L issue 4, 2012