The highly popular tortilla and dip brand Doritos has tuned its self into the needs and desires of their target marketing to create a great new packaging range to be used globally. Dortios has a huge market it teens and young adults, they have long been established at the top of the tortilla snack tree and have in recent years began to conquer the individual crisp packet industry too. Their appeal has long been seen in the element of party food meant for sharing, targeting themselves at those with busy social lives and regular get togethers rather than at the quick snack market, their packaging has reflected their originality and the well establish flavours and shape.

To better reflect their cool and fast paced brand personality they have given their whole image an update. The logo/brand name has been made more streamlined and now incorporates the the iconic shape of the product which is so well known. The packaging also invites the consumer to purchase other products in the range which will enhance their experience as Doritos salsa is another popular product of theirs. Having two products which go together and advertising this on their packaging has helped Dortios on its way to the top of brand recognition and consumer popularity.

Spring has sprung and the time of baby animals and chocolate eggs is upon us once again. Every year companies persuade consumers to buy their products by making them seasonal and the biggest seller this time of year is chocolate. More specifically, chocolate in the shape of an egg (in varying formats) is the most popular choice for consumers and brands to create at this time of year and some of the packaging involved looks fantastic.

The above packaging has some interesting use of shape and a very high quality finish. The classic egg shape is almost put in a display case style package with this shape, with its own little pedestal. The clear plastic allows the consumer to see almost the entire egg and the chocolates that come with it. This 'show case' style of packaging combined with the luxurious style of the decoration, which matches the decoration found on some of their non seasonal related product packaging. The whole packaging style reflects the luxurious feel of the entire Thorntons brand which is renowned for being so.

Kleenex are an internationally known brand when it comes to the tissue market. They have created and changed the standards in packaging design for tissues, selling several different sizes and in the past couple of years making patterned packaging the must have tissue box design. To keep on top of the game they have started bringing out limited edition ranges of their packaging. These have been based on different styles and designs, giving the consumer the opportunity to purchase something that will match their own style and home decor.

This year Kleenex are working with the online community for artists and creatives, talent house. Submissions will be based on a brief working around the ideas of current and future interior and fashion trends. After a 6 week submission period a top 10 list will be created and the consumers will be able to chose the final three designs on Kleenex's Facebook page. This not only gives consumers the chance to be directly involved in the packaging design process but also to support and take an interest in today's young and talented designers - giving them some exposure. Stay tuned in the next couple of months to take a look at the shortlisted designs and the finalised packages.

There are different types of packaging companies. We all know that there are many types of packing materials. As such, there are companies which decide to specialize and dedicate their crafts to a specific type of packing material. Indeed, this is actually good for the companies, and for everybody else. Focusing on one type of material means that they will be able to know how to make the best quality packing material at the cheapest way possible.

So, what are the different types of packing materials? It is essential that you know what kind of packing material and what packing company to choose for your goods. Indeed, there are many factors that must be put in mind in coming up with this decision. For instance, you have to consider the weight of the goods that you are going to send. You also need to consider the fragility of your goods. And, of course, you have to know whether the packing material can withstand and hold off moisture.

Here are the most common types of packing materials:

·       There are a large number of packing companies which dedicate their crafts to the manufacture and sale of plastic packing materials. Indeed, they have a pretty good reason for doing so. In the first place, the plastic is a very cheap material and it is also very lightweight. As such, plastic is actually a top choice for consumers. Another important thing about the plastic materials which make them popular for companies is the fact that they are highly versatile. In other words, the manufacturers can choose as many colors as they want in order to make their packing materials more pleasing to the eyes.

·       Boxes are another form of packing materials that people cannot do without. Boxes, especially those made from cardboard, have already been used since the early 18th century. Basically, the boxes were the evolution of the wooden crates, which was the most common form of shipping packages before.

·       Of course, there are a lot of companies which prefer to create and sell bubble wraps. Basically, packing materials are actually made so that they complement each other. In other words, a packing material is not made to stand alone; it needs to be used alongside other packing materials in order to maximize the safety of the contents inside the packing material. For instance, the bubble wraps are not used individually. They are usually wrapped around a sensitive item, and they are then placed in a bigger packing material, like a box.

There are, of course, many other types of packing materials. The packaging companies prefer to create a type or two in order to maximize gains and minimize costs.

Hatch design are always working hard on something and this time it's something quite special. In the past, people often associate fast food chains with greasy, sub-quality food that does more harm than good to people and the environment. Over the last couple of years many fast food chains have battled against this stereotype. McDonald's for example slashed the amount of calories in its food products. One of the biggest things to change amongst fast food chains worldwide is the packaging.

Burger King are determined to break the 'bad food' label and have started to do so by forming a relationship with 'Seattle's Best Coffee'. By bringing in quality coffee they are raising the standard of the products but this alone isn't good enough. Along with Hatch Design they have created some attractive coffee cup and takeout packaging designs. The plain white with a warm colour scheme looks positive and inviting. Their use of typography also gives an element of trend and style that is starting to show more and more in fast food packaging as they are beginning to keep up with the times. Keeping the brand logo to a minimum and making the decoration the focus means that unless you have bought from Burger King or look very closely, it isn't instantly recognisable. This makes it a product of interest and makes the consumer more likely to go and check out what's new.

The bubbles in bubble envelopes are the main features that identify this type of packaging from other packaging solutions in the market. Bubble envelopes have not always been around and they were preceded by other models of padded envelopes. At first, during the pioneer years of mail and mail delivery, people would wrap items to be sent in mail with an assortment of materials such as cloth, papers, or anything that would offer some cushioning. These were bulky and would be cumbersome to send over long distances. They subsequently would attract high postage costs.

In later years after the invention of the envelopes, a company known as jiffy designed an envelope that had wood wool cushioning and this was the first true padded envelope. The product was very popular and was used for several years. Jiffy was later taken over by another company called Sealed Air. Sealed Air is the company that came up with bubble wraps. Sealed Air changed from producing padded envelopes with wood wool and instead started using the bubble wraps. This new design quickly became the preferred design. This envelope was preferred since it attracted less postage costs. This is because the cushioning was now made of air which has negligible weight as compared to wood wool. Also the bubble envelopes are less bulky and occupy less space. The materials used are also easier to get. Wood wool comes from wood and hence is not very eco friendly. Air is abundant and is recyclable.

Bubble envelopes are of different kinds and different envelopes may have different sizes. Different bubble sizes will protect contents of the bubble envelope in different ways. For example, the large bubbles are usually used to cover space which is essential in packaging so as to restrain contents from moving around in their packaging. When items move around, they are likely to get damaged. Smaller bubbles will offer great protection from external compression forces, vibration forces and shock forces. This can be particularly destructive but they are well cushioned by the air bubbles.

Bubble envelopes can be made from home. All one needs to have are the normal envelopes, (of whichever size), adhesive, scissors, and adequate sheets of bubble wrap. One will then cut the bubble wrap into dimensions that will fit into the envelope to cover both of the interior sides. One then applies adhesive on the inside part of the bubble wrap and sticks it to the insides of the envelope to create a perfect homemade bubble envelope.

Food for many people is a great way to get noticed. Food is the way to consumers hearts whether in the product or in the packaging. A trend very popular at the moment is making packaging for products that aren't food, look like food or look like they contain food.

This style doesn't directly say that it is food related packaging however the style is the same as that found on some sweet and chocolate wrappers. Especially the colourful kind found in tins. The idea behind this is to show a lighthearted sense of colour and also make them seem even more desirable - as they are a beauty product they are intended to show it can make a woman look appetising.

Johnny cupcakes is renowned for its imaginative packaging and the most popular is to do with food. The selling point for Johnny cupcakes is the fact that despite their brand name, they actually sell t-shirts, clothing and accessories. The frosting can, with fake frosting even dripped down the sides this looks like a highly realistic piece of food packaging. It even has 'nutritional values' on the back of the tin. These packaging designs make the clothing special as they are individual and something not seen before.

Whether it's food, gadgets or household items, if the packaging is right it can make us happy as can be. Why is this? What is it in this disposable outer shell that we love so much when it is what's inside that truly attracts us?

Often, particularly when it comes to buying food, when the price difference is little the final product selection comes down to the packaging. The better suited the colouring and style is to your tastes the more likely you are to purchase the product and with particular products come certain target markets and these markets may have specific feelings about certain designs and colours so can be more easily targeted is the packaging is gotten right.

For example, this pasta packaging is aimed at a sophisticated target market as it is a premium product that requires prior knowledge of what to cook with it as well as how to cook it, suggesting that the consumer purchasing this may have some experience in the field of luxury home cooking. This is reflected in its packaging. The simple earthy colours are quite basic, meaning to reflect the basic element of a meal these ingredients would make up. The quality of the colour and box however is far higher that the ordinary basic product. Because of its luxurious target market this packaging design has been designed to keep up with the trends in colour and pattern, as its label shows. The pattens reflect the beautiful typography that has been chosen and the whole ensemble shouts luxury product.

Professional businesses will want professional solutions to all their endeavours. This includes professional solutions to their mail and delivery operations. Mail and delivery is a major pillar in communication among; the workers in the company, suppliers, clients/ customers, and other associates. The kind of packaging that the company will use in sending messages to all these people will have a strong impression on the people about the company. People will have an image implanted from the packaging alone i.e. does the company care about their customers, do they push for quality in their undertakings, do they pay attention to detail and many such things. An example of quality packaging material for mail is mail lite padded envelopes. 

Companies that would wish to use mail lite envelopes could add value to the envelopes by pre-ordering envelopes that are branded with some of the company’s identity. This could be company’s name, logo, colours, or a combination of all. Additional decorations or writings could be added that will add value to the packaging.

Mail lite padded envelopes are at the peak in quality among all the available envelopes. They give protection to their contents that cannot be equalled. This is a point that will not be lost to all who receive mail in branded mail lite envelopes. They will feel appreciated since the company sent mail in the best packaging available which is generally more costly. It will give them confidence to know that the company cares for their property and will go to great lengths to protect it from damage. The people will also be able to instantly recognise the mail and associate it with the company due to the branding on the padded envelopes.

Mail sent in mail lite envelope will help reduce losses caused by damages. When a company sends an item and the item does not get to the recipient in good condition, the company may be forced to send a replacement; using padded envelopes will greatly reduce the chance of the contents getting damaged. The contents are also protected from prying fingers that will try to figure out the shape of the contents in the envelope. Some malicious people do this to invade other people’s privacy and satisfy their curiosity while others will do this with an intention of stealing if they find out that the envelope has valuables. The padding in mail lite padded envelopes effectively masks the contents’ shape and prevents this.

Sometimes in life, we all need a little bit of awesome, whether it's the packaging or the product its self. I think it is important that we feed our brains with something interesting and awesome every now and again.

This is a whole new take on the chocolate coin. If you love to play poker then you'll love this. Chocolate packaged up as playing cards, coins and poker chips. The bright and colourful chips are very cool, betting chips are often a cool trinket that people like to collect and chocolate ones are even cooler. The playing cards too are fantastic, this package is a gambling chocoholics dream!

It really is difficult to understand both the packaging and the product here. Chocolate milk is a highly enjoyable substance we all liked to indulge in as a child and beer is something us adults enjoy too. Put them all in the same product and what you have is awesome, mixed with something a little revolting... The packaging does a great job of getting the ingredients across before the consumer has even read the writing. The bottle is a classic beer bottle shape with the brewery logo embossed in glass on the side. The majority of the imagery is a cow eating a bar of chocolate which says all it needs to say. The typography is very Willy Wonka/Alice in Wonderland in style which reflects the weird nature of the flavour.