Packaging for the Holidays

By: Buck
             The holidays are here, and some may say that it's the most wonderful time of the year. With the spirit of giving taking over, this is a prime time for companies to take advantage. One big thing that changes for the companies and their products around this time is the packaging, especially in the food and drink industries. With every risk comes the opportunity of failure or for a big reward, and it can be difficult for companies to predict the reactions of their consumers. Lets take some time to look at an example of this with Coca-Cola's holidays can in 2011.

Picture Credit: packworld.com

             Coke has always had a very distinct look to their cans. The signature red and the vertical logo in silver have always helped consumers recognize the brand. So, when the holidays came around in 2011, Coca-Cola decided to create a new look for their cans that was special for the season. They reversed the colors, having the can be primarily white and silver, and they made their logo in red and printed horizontally across the can. They also put silver polar bears walking along the bottom half of the can, a reminder of their partnership with the World Wildlife Fund. This new design had a good look to it, in my opinion, and gave it more of a holiday feel. But the fate of the new look lied within the consumers, and they had other thoughts.
             The can had an immediate impact on sales once it hit the market, and it was not a positive impact. Consumers didn't like the look of the can without the signature red, it caused a loss of identity for the company. Coca-Cola had to react quickly to this before it became too large of a problem. Before long they returned to the production of their original can, and things came back to how they were.
             Keep an eye out in the coming weeks for more holiday-focused packages. It is a great time for companies to test new ideas and take some risks, however dangerous that may be.