Cheryl Swanson

Founder, principal

Toniq

www.Toniq.com

Last month I spoke about the Imperfection Trend that has been bubbling beneath the societal surface since The Great Recession hit the US in 2008.  Rooted in the macro-economic Authenticity Trend, this idea speaks to our communal need for ‘the real,’ whether it be direct communication in marketing or getting to know the farmer who harvested that apple you’re noshing.  As a result, we have seen shifts in consumer packaging, for the body, the home, and elsewhere.

Artisanal definition: Any product made by hand, by a skilled craftsman.

By utilizing the human hand to create a product, vs. automation, you create a unique object.  This is easy to accomplish if you make artisanal cheeses or homemade tomato sauce.  But, for those in the HBA industry, where mass production is part and parcel, this notion poses a daunting challenge.  The most obvious answer lies in packaging.  According to Kirsten Lynch, CMO of Quaker, “Package Design is the single most important communication we do.”

Smaller players have come up with ingenious ways to apply this trend, while cutting production costs, by repurposing used containers or materials for new products.  Waverly and Irving, a Brooklyn-based company, turns vintage tins into handmade candles, while Skinny Skinny uses obsolete books sourced from local libraries to package their soaps.

Last year, John Varvatos introduced Artisan, a cologne whose vessel is wrapped in ‘original’ rattan. In the hopes of not emasculating those bucks who wear it, it is gorgeous!  By utilizing such a tactile texture as wicker, the object projects heritage while remaining timeless.

For the home and body, JR Watkins has done a great job of updating their 140 year-old brand by redesigning their packaging with a decidedly apothecary-driven look.  Their products would be at home both at the Ingalls’ place on Little House or in a chic Soho loft. 

This illustrates how the artisanal visual vocabulary has come full circle.  It speaks to a trusted heritage but still feels modern and fresh.  By incorporating materials, fonts, colors and words that have an artisanal lineage, you can attract consumer focus at the shelf in a timeless but timely manner.