Find out more about the semiotics of seasonal packaging

1. Seasonal Packaging

2. Contents
►Brief Introduction to Semiotics
►Semiotic Analysis of Christmas
Packaging (forms)

3. What is Semiotics?
Semiotics: the analysis of symbols and
what they stand for
A symbol stands for
something beyond its
immediate meaning
– a shell is more than a
mollusc’s vacated
habitat – it represents
holidays, warmth, faraw
ay places….
Semiotics is complementary to qualitative / quantitative feedback from
consumers – an “expert” view of the interpretation of the signs and
symbols used in marketing activities

4. We all use semiotics everyday
To speed up communications
To project an image to others
To help navigate choice

5. Why Semiotics is important for
packaging success
► Semiotics provokes discussion and provides
practical learnings on the communications
symbols, materials, textures, colours, sensory
perceptions and design elements in a specific category
► This category knowledge gives designers a vital edge in
an environment where visual communication
creates the crucial first impression with the
consumer and accounts for over 80% of
communications intake

6. Semiotics – Residual, Dominant and
Emergent codes
When analysing a market sector using
semiotics, themes become evident:
► Residual: long-established, from the past, less
used today (sometimes revisited by brands
looking to re-inject basic category values)
► Dominant: the most common codes
used by leading brands
► Emergent: new codes being used by a
few brands

7. Semiotics – typical feedback
from clients
Semiotics added a deeper
layer of insight to our
understanding of the category
I can now explain more
clearly the reasons behind
our design ideas
Using semiotics at an
early stage saved us a lot
of time in the later stages
of the project
I learnt more about the
fundamental design elements
for our brand in the last two
hours than I have working on
it for the last two years!
I now ask more questions
about the significance of
the elements included in
our brand designs

8. Semiotic Analysis of
Seasonal Packaging Forms

9. Why use seasonal packs?
• Promotes brand engagement: we share in your
important celebration and make gift-giving /
Christmas entertaining easier for you
• Creates brand differentiation: on-shelf and in-home
• Encourages brand trial from non-users – the
seasonal need predominates over habitual choices
So brand packaging should
communicate seasonal in the most
effective way….

10. Parcels, ribbons, cornucopia
► Parcels wrapped up in
Christmas paper and ribbons:
▬ Special
▬ Surprise
▬ Desire to please
▬ Gifter has made an effort!
► Cornucopia / horn of plenty:
▬ Plenty, generosity, freeflowing fruitfulness
▬ Origins in mid-winter pagan
celebrations
▬ In USA linked to
Thanksgiving
Residual

11. Display gift boxes – convenient but
somewhat commoditised
► Transparent lid shows
gifter what they’re
giving
► Card lid is replaced to
maintain surprise
element for giftee
► Often gift-wrapped instore
► Look like “the easy
option”
Dominant

12. Christmas shapes – look special
and stand out on shelf
►
►
►
►
►
►
►
►
►
►
Dominant
Tree
Stocking
Snowman
Snowflake
Father Christmas
Star
Bell
Cracker
Pudding
Etc, etc

13. Packs with onward use – year-long brand
engagement and presence
Dominant
► Added value of
onward use of
packaging
► Promote yearround brand
presence in home
► Deliver brand
engagement if
conversion to
onward use is
correctly fulfilled
 Conversion to cake tin
 Conversion to makeup storage drawer
 Conversion to cake tin

14. Novelty packs with wow-factor
Emergent
► Deliver specialness
and surprise
► Particularly good
for sharing items
e.g. biscuit
tins, sweets
► …think about what
your target
audience value
Christmas
puzzle
biscuit tin
VW camper van
confectionery tin
Musical Christmas
biscuit tins

15. Cornucopia – return to
traditional values?
► Plenty / generosity
particularly valued in time
of austerity
► May become mainstream in
UK like Halloween imagery
Ikea 2013!
Emergent

16. Special insider messages for giftee (1)
Emergent
► Insider Comms
to combat
commoditisation
of the gift pack:
something
special inside
that gives giftee
closer brand
engagement
Aesop gift tins
are themed on
the Italian
Futurist Art
movement; a
brochure about
the products
and art
movement
folds in various
configurations
to protect each
product

17. Special insider messages for giftee (2)
Emergent
► Insider Comms
to combat
commoditisation
of the gift pack:
something
special inside
that gives giftee
closer brand
engagement

18. Special insider messages for giftee (3)
Emergent
► Insider Comms
to combat
commoditisation
of the gift pack:
something
special inside
that gives giftee
closer brand
engagement
Divine
Chocolate
Advent
Calendar with
Fairtrade and
brand info on
back

19. …and don’t forget aroma!
► Christmas has strong
aroma links, particularly
spice and Christmas tree
pine
► Aroma gives extremely
strong semiotic
associations and can be
incorporated in packaging
Emergent

20. Thank you for your attention
Contact:
paul@thepackhub.com
barry@thepackhub.com
sue.burden@thepackhub.com