When people think of advertising they often think of tv commercials, billboards and magazine spreads. But actually, packaging is advertising too. I love just strolling through the supermarket and looking at all the pretty packages. They come in all shapes and sizes, some with simplistic elegant designs, others with busy, chaotic characteristics. Some are so inventive, they’re like a little toy or gadget unto themselves. It’s become something of an obsession actually. Sometimes I buy products I don’t need just because I like the packages. Like women’s pantyhose and tampons or crayons and thumb tacks.
Advertising is so pervasive that sometimes you’ll see it on every courier bag in the city. I’d love to be the person who designs these logos, warnings and ads. Perhaps I should get a job at a packaging plant or something. That way I’ll get to stroke and caress packages all day. I could open them up and close them or do whatever I want. Maybe draw pictures on them. Advertising on product packaging is really underrated. I mean, copywriters spend ages crafting their ads so that people go out to buy the product. But what about all the people strolling through the supermarket who just buy things that catch their eye. We’re like magpies, we like shiny things. Give me some good packaging and I’ll be really excited about the product. In fact, they’ve done studies in the past where if someone liked the ad they liked the product, and I think the same goes for the packaging: if I like the packaging that has a psychological effect where I’m more inclined to like the product. If I were to work at Australian food packaging companies, I’d probably get fired because I’d spend too much time admiring the packaging and advertising rather than doing whatever it is that my job description prescribes.