ISSUE #07

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A bit of a short week here as I bounce between keeping client work on the go and carve some time for family. Hope you're all doing well!

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I came across this guy on Instagram, @thebrandonshepard.

The story I was was of his mock redesign of a bag of Doritos.

View the Instagram Story here

This guy is obviously talented, and I think the work he did is interesting. It brought a few thoughts to mind though that I’d thought I’d share.

1. The way to make something look healthy

I think it’s interesting that the tool we use to make something look/feel healthy is mid-20th century agricultural imagery. Does the rustic and pastoral help us feel more connected to a simpler, more natural product? Or is it more that we just equate factory = unhealthy.

It's fascinating (at least to me) to also see all the other subtle cues the designer is using to push the product in a different direction. I think the typography is carrying a lot of mail, and the use of texture (the great unflattening of design) plays a role.

2. The value of discernment and clear-headed strategy

When you can design or art-direct anything to meet any sort of targeted position, the quality of the design matters less than the positioning strategy. Connecting the product with the right audience should trump a design - even if it’s a cool or well-crafted design.

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Put another way, just because you can use design to position something a certain way, doesn’t mean you should.

Maybe this is too obvious of a thought.

​Interesting to note that Doritos original packaging was much more roots and rustic.​

I’m not in love with modern Doritos packaging. But I’m also not the target audience. I’m sure there is a lot of strategy behind the look. The bigger the the size and scale - the more complexity to decision, and the higher the stakes are.

On the other hand Doritos has proven to be a brand that is willing to take risks - or at least attempt stunts.

For extra points, here's a walkthrough of Doritos logos over time.

3. The continuing erosion of consumer trust

Too often design or packaging changes happen with no material change to the product.

For a designer it’s an interesting brief to try and change the look of a brand to fit a different image, or imply a different value. In reality though, if the product doesn’t also change, a company can really betray a buyers trust.

Buyers and more and more cynical of design changes.

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An interesting counter example for me is Real Fruit - a couple years ago they shifted to only offering a plant-based and vegan certified product. What changed a relatively small amount was the branding an package design. The design has remained the same, the positioning and target audience has changed dramatically.

I wonder in this case if more is required from the packaging design to grab earn consumers attention?