{"id":1116,"date":"2010-04-23T16:15:37","date_gmt":"2010-04-23T21:15:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.packagerepublic.com\/?p=1116"},"modified":"2014-04-23T10:20:30","modified_gmt":"2014-04-23T15:20:30","slug":"innovation-or-bust-universal-packaging-system-concept","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.packagerepublic.com\/?p=1116","title":{"rendered":"Universal packaging system concept; innovation or bust?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Yanko Design<\/a> (via Slashgear<\/a>) is running an article on a universal packaging system<\/em>. For us packaging professionals, the term universal packaging<\/em> refers to packages that are usable by children as well as by reduced dexterity aging populations.<\/p>\n

Ignoring semantics, let’s look at this concept, and see what it holds for us.
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\nThe concept is rather simple. You take a corrugate board, and crease it in a variety of patterns so that it can be wrapped around any random object like aluminum wrap.<\/p>\n

Also, the cardboard can be used to make a your own box, at the size you want.<\/p>\n

Will it Work?<\/strong><\/p>\n

The most important thing that a package needs to do is to protect its contents. When you crease a multitude of patterns on the packaging material, you are weakening the material so that you can bend it where you want to shape it.<\/p>\n

The fundamental issue with creasing the board everywhere like this, is that you are weakening it everywhere, taking away its structural rigidity, therefore its ability to protect.<\/p>\n

In essence, this is the opposite of consumer centric innovation, where you would start from true consumer needs, and not with a solution. We do feel that this is indeed a solution looking for a problem, but we are not sure what the problem is. In its quest to address this phantom problem, the solution itself creates a much bigger problem in protection. <\/p>\n

For us this is a definite bust<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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