Dutch Packaging Design

Stepfive develops new brands and concepts for the foodbranche, beverages and luxurious products (i.e. cosmetics) on a daily basis. We analyze various markets in search of opportunities commissioned by our clients, but also on our own initiative.  This perfume “Dutch Beauty” is a fine example of said initiative and is developed to spread the wonderful sent of Dutch tulips all around the world. The shape of the bottle is based on (obviously) a tulip, the top of the bottle can be removed and the perfume can be applied by using the dispenser. The bottle is made of glass except for the top which is made of glossy plastic. Are you interested in this concept? Please contact us www.stepfive.nl

On January 1st, 2013, taxes on packaging in The Netherlands will possibly be abolished. Owing to an agreement between Dutch State Secretary Joop Atsma (Infrastructure and Environment) and the business world, manufacturers, importers and sellers of packaged products will be responsible for the costs of collection and recycling of plastic packaging over the next ten years.

Read the complete article (in Dutch).

Eating a pure experience of smell and taste? No longer. Nowadays it’s rather an effective agency to communicate and engage, an indication of cultural values, lifestyle, ispirations and imagination.
This showcase is complemented by fascinating insights in their forewords and case studies given by experts, entrepreneurs and practitioners, each distinct with regards to their experience in product, packaging, image-making, branding and interior design.

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After a successful redesign of Look-O-Look’s Flowpacks and Toppermix, the redesign and packaging for the international familybags of Look-O-Look is done by Stepfive Communication & Design too.
The Dutch candy producer with ”The most delicious candies in one bag” wanted a fun and diverting familybag, appealing for all family members, young and old. Each different bag has its own colour coding, illustrated candies on the front (drawn in realistic style) and a large window for optimal visibility of the delicious candies.

Gourmande is the consumers brand of ‘henri van de bilt vleeswaren’, who produces deli meats from single meat cuts and convenience products. Stepfive rebranded the Gourmande logo and also created four remarkable packaging labels for their range of Streaky Bacon products. These labels come with much attention for branding and meanwhile have a spot on the visibility of the products. Each label has it’s own fresh colour setting for each different taste variety.

In addition to this restyling, a new organic butter packaging design was created for Dutch company Weerribben Zuivel. Fresh and natural visuals on the packaging are showing us the origin of this organic butter: National Park ‘De Weerribben’ in The Netherlands. These visuals and the coloured shopping list on top derives from the complete restyling by Stepfive of all the other Weerribben products and herewith makes it into a coherent and appetizing product range.

A while ago, MOTI (Museum Of The Image, Breda) held an exhibit about packaging. This led to an interesting question: why is there currently a substantial shortage of packaging designers in the Netherlands? The answer can be found somewhere between ‘current art education is mainly focussed on the encouragement on autonomy instead of serving commercial goals’, and – as a logical result of this: ‘designers consider themselves belonging to a cultural avantgarde’.

In other words: packaging belongs to low-culture. Low culture = not sexy. Meanwhile, packaging specialized agencies (like ours) keep getting busier. So it’s high time to turn some persistent assumptions around by pointing out precisely how ‘sexy’ the trade of packaging really is. After all, it evokes graphic design, (strongly based on psychology), marketing, brand-development, environmental matters, innovation and (brand)activation.

So, art schools: here’s a start for an interesting discussion on what Dutch Design really can be all about. And who will be the first to flick the switch and jump into the trade that’s as design-extensive as it is a guarantee on an interesting job? In the meanwhile you can enjoy some work made by ‘commercial explorer’ Jeff Koons (shown above) and his design for body milk, by which he turned his art into ‘the daily’, instead of ‘the daily’ into art. Oh, and the first run of packaging-trained students can send their portfolio to us … but that goes without saying.

For the Dutch company Kips (part of Zwanenberg Food Group), we designed a series of contemporary labels/banderols with optimum product visibility that convey top quality. Each label comes in a different colour setting for each different taste variety.

The packaging design for the international figure Bob the Builder^TM baloney and liver paté was created by Stepfive, commissioned by Zwanenberg Food Group. This delicious sandwich filling for children appeals not only to the youngest ones. Due to it’s strong presence, it also looks very desireable on the shelf. Bob the Builder^TM makes lunch and breakfast even more fun!

For Look-O-Look, Stepfive developed a new and contemporary line of packages (for 29 different candies) which will replace the current ‘kopkaartjes’ (transparent candy bags). These new flowpacks are designed in a handy size and are easy to open, which creates optimal ease in use. The new flowpacks have a fun, fresh and strong packaging design which corresponds perfectly with the target group. The flowpack design also contains a clear product-communication and an optimal visibility for a maximal impulse, which really distinguishes this packaging in stores from it’s competitors.