Kids in southeastern Oakland County (MI) tell the Daily Tribune of their love for toys, but that they detest the packaging that conceals their dolls and building blocks better than a safe protects the family jewels. The packaging is wasteful and too hard to open, they say.
Kids, being what they are, don’t necessarily understand that many products have to be packaged to deter theft. And sometimes, they have to be packaged a certain way for safety reasons (although there is room for improvement).
But reading between the lines of their comments, some clear direction is apparent for toy-brand managers and marketers, and it could bode well for other categories where kid-friendly packaging makes sense: Make the package-opening experience fun! Or investigate the feasibility of transforming some or all of the package into a toy unto itself.
One example that has drawn keen interest in Shelf Impact!’s Package Design Workshops in 2009 is the molecule-like formations possible with packaging for Y Water. The package shape becomes a toy after the water is gone and prolongs the life of the package. Kids (and parents) are less likely to think of this empty package as waste.
