The Musings Of An Opinionated Sod [Help Me Grow!]

We're sending this beautiful duo to clients under the guise that we're as close to them as Bert is to Ernie [or vice-versa]

Yeah, I know – it's sort-of naff, but for some reason I really like the idea. 

Maybe it's because it's so uncool, it's cool – maybe it's because I smile everytime I look at them – maybe it's because I simply like Bert and Ernie … however, following on from my last entry about 'packaging', here's another great example of a 'look' that is incredibly engaging.

Sure, both of them are relatively simplistic [and yes, they've been specifically designed to appeal to kids so they're hardly going to be alienating] … however, even if I hadn't seen them on Sesame Street, I'd still have a pretty good idea of their personalities – simply because Bert [or is it Ernie, I can never remember] has a monobrow, which immediately makes him the uptight one whilst Ernie [or Bert] has a happy-go-lucky, puppy dog face which immediately sets him up as the lovely, but dim one. Genius.

So here we are again, with another example of how the little things can make the biggest difference to consumer perception and engagement and yet so many companies – for all their so called knowledge – forget this time and time again – leaving existing and potential consumers cold, uninterested and downright bored.

I ordered a tropical drink in Bali during a rather stressful conference. 

Yeah, yeah … I know what you're thinking, how can anyone be stressed in Bali – but you'll just have to take my word for it.

However, as soon as I received these drinks, my mood was totally transformed.  From being a cranky piece-of-shit, I was almost a damn-nice-person. I did say 'almost'.

Sure the sun, heat and location had something to do with it, but I was still amazed how a couple of drinks with a piece of banana and pineapple attached to them could lift my mood. 

Maybe it was the beautiful colour … maybe the coldness of the glass … but what I do know is that as soon as I saw the drink, I knew I was going to enjoy it – more so of how it had made me feel rather than the drinks actual ingredients.

It's abit like APPLE products – they are packaged so beautifully and you're made to feel so special opening it … that you like the products immediately. 

What amazes me is how few 'brands' get the power of packaging … how it can build real emotional value with the consumer if done right. 

For all their billions, Microsoft in particular are a major culprit and whilst I am sure they're not losing any sleep over it – they will probably start to suffer as they move into more and more categories where their distribution stronghold no longer guarentees them success.

Packaging and presentation is so important – maybe companies should start remembering that fact next time they want to put another useless bullet point on the front of their product box.

There's a lot of talk about creative space at the moment – but the reality is most companies care only about efficient space.

Is it any wonder so many people hate getting up each morning when most of us work in horrid cubicles rather than inspiring, embracing and invigorating environments.

For me, I just ignore protocol and make my area work for me … I fill every bit of available space with all sorts of the weird and wonderful – from research reports to the rude, funny and downright strange. [Hey it works for me!]

What I am particulary interested in, is finding out what people would love in their office because they think it would truly help them be better in their job.

I think this is wonderful.

This company puts in big chunk of pure honey in their jar and suddenly you think this is fresher and probably tastier than the competition.

Best bit is that this mass of chunk of honey means you probably get less volume than the alternative brands even though you are paying more for it.

Scary how perception can conspire to part you from your money.