packaging as content

September 14, 2008

Surprise Packages

Anythingwhatever_2

Anything & Whatever [1] drinks have been around for a little over a year in Singapore, but the first I ever saw of them, was here in the U.S. at the offices of New York-based distributor Nuvo.

As it was explained to me, it’s a cultural phenomenon in Singapore to hold business meetings at lunch that are so engrossing, that—when the waitress interrupts to take an order—some will just dismiss her with, “Just bring me anything” or “I’ll have whatever.” These beverages, therefore, come in cans that do not specify what the flavor is—although they come in a variety of different flavors. (The ingredients, however, are listed in the usual manner.)

A new trend of products in mysterious surprise packaging? Is there a market in this country for a surprise beverage? There were those Harry Potter “Bernie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans” where you got an assortment of flavors—including at least one bad flavor just to keep things interesting. (See: Five Formerly Fictional Products)

Mysterybox463
This summer, JJ Abrams—(creator of TV show “Lost”)—at a TED Conference (Technology, Entertainment, Design), spoke about the $15 dollar “Magic Mystery Box” (above) that his grandfather got him at a NYC magic shop—that he has never opened. [2]

I also found a web site that specializes in selling so-called “mystery products.”

Mysteryproducts463_2

The brand-dilution of the whole surprise package concept? The packaging for this product line, by the way, looks as if it might have been designed by this man…

(Mystery man, music and footnoted digressions, after the jump…)

Frankgorshin_4
Frank Gorshin [3] as “The Riddler” from the Batman television series

And, as long as we’re talking about packages that featuring a
prominent “question mark,” the typography on the French sleeve
of Question Mark and the Mysterians’ hit single, I think is quite nice and
rather apropos.

96tears463_3

Randy Ludacer
Beach Packaging Design

Footnoted digressions:

Another interesting thing about Anything & Whatever, is that
they framed their bus shelter advertising in real soda cans resulting
in a bit of controversy about whether the cans would collect water and
become a breeding ground for mosquitos (and mosquito-born diseases).
During his talk, Abrams also handles some bottled water, the label of which I cannot quite make it out—is it Ethos? (See: Elizabeth Royte on Packaged Water)—and shows the audience a deconstructed Kleenex box.
Frank Gorshin, who, like many others in those days, tried to
capitalize on his TV role as the Riddler on Batman by releasing a
record. His novelty song, “The Riddler” was written and composed by Mel
Torme!