The Texmexican Standoff
Student Starpack Silver Star Award & DS Smith Sponsored Award 2nd Prize winner
Judges’ Comments:
"Well executed solution throughout. However the "shelf" created does take up quite a bit of space. Clever, technical approach and excellent boards.
The solution demonstrates excellent research and merchandising thought which was executed in a professional and detailed manner."
- Peter Redfearn, Design Director, DS Smith Packaging
"Well executed solution throughout. However the "shelf" created does take up quite a bit of space. Clever, technical approach and excellent boards.
The solution demonstrates excellent research and merchandising thought which was executed in a professional and detailed manner."
- Peter Redfearn, Design Director, DS Smith Packaging
& Simon Saunders, Regional Design Manager, DS Smith Packaging South West
In popular culture, the Mexican standoff is usually portrayed as two opponents staring at each other with guns drawn and ready, creating a tense situation.
At a store, a customer is standing on the aisle of the store with his wallet drawn and ready, but not being able to choose which Tex-Mex product to purchase, creating a tense situation.
The Texmexican Standoff shelf merchandising unit is designed to be the packaging that stares the customer back in his eyes catching his attention.
The Texmexican Standoff is a merchandising unit concept for Tex-Mex foods.
The objective for this design was to rethink secondary packaging. To see what more could the packaging used to protect and preserve the products through the logistics chain give to the stores and the customers. Shelf ready packaging speeds and eases the shelving for the store personnel, but what else could they provide?
The objective for this design was to rethink secondary packaging. To see what more could the packaging used to protect and preserve the products through the logistics chain give to the stores and the customers. Shelf ready packaging speeds and eases the shelving for the store personnel, but what else could they provide?
One crucial issue concerning secondary packaging I found was visibility. The packaging should be easily identified, guiding the customer to the product on the aisle, also in the back of the store helping personnel to find it with ease. On the store shelves many products are hidden from the view of the customer by the shelf itself or because of bad orientation. Visibility was my main focal point on this design.
As the product to give a boost in shelf appearance I chose a whole range of Tex-Mex products. I decided to design a merchandising unit that would work as a small stand inside the shelf and be easy to open, easy to shelf, had good visibility and that could be varied by change of size to suit different products. The Texmexican Standoff is my solution to the problems I found.
Easy to open
Easy to open
Perforations make the packaging easy to open without any tools. The opening instructions are placed on the top which will be folded backwards so the graphics on the front remain consistent.
Shelf presence
The brand graphics and information can be seen from front and side. The products are easy to see from various angles. The products stand elevated from the shelf higher than other products. The brand is clearly presented and in the light even if the product is in the shadow.
The brand graphics and information can be seen from front and side. The products are easy to see from various angles. The products stand elevated from the shelf higher than other products. The brand is clearly presented and in the light even if the product is in the shadow.
Please note that this is just a concept, not an actual commission.
Old El Paso or General Mills are not involved in any way.
Old El Paso was only used here to represent a possible brand in the Starpack competition.
