Before and After

There’s something about before and after shots that really catch my attention. Whether it be a makeover television show like “What Not to Wear” or a home re-design like “Flipping Out” or “Extreme Home Make Over,” I always love to see what it was like before compared to what it looks like now. I like to see how little or big the changes were or how much of a difference one little thing could make.

Of course, with package design– that is the same thing. Sure I may notice the changes myself while browsing the retail shelves, but I don’t always have the old package in front of me to compare. You will notice a lot of my posts have to do with this because within the graphic design industry a lot of our clients are looking for changes and or refreshers to their already existing brands. Some designs are a huge hit, while others are a flop. To prevent this, much like any other company, we here at Works Design Group, take into account the clients competition on the shelves, what they would like to emphasize or accomplish with the new design, as well as something that we overall find to be pleasing to the consumer.

So let’s take a look at the before and after package design for Caribou Coffee Bags. Here is a look at the old bag: (close up)

Take a look at everything going on…(what I noticed)

• Copper-like tone throughout the bag with a strong glossy shine

• Large photo presence within the background that takes up almost the entire package

• The label on top of this background photo has yet another photo which changes per variety

• A Roast Degree Indicator ranging from Lighter-Darker

• The Caribou Coffee logo is placed at the bottom, almost secondary to the flavor and explanation

So, how about the new package? What a difference!

As you can see there is quite a difference. This brand re-design was debuted last year and has continued to roll out this year.

• Instead of the dark, shiny bronze-like color, this entire bag is now wrapped with burlap

• The labels are a little less busy than before, having illustrations verse photography giving them more of an handcrafted/natural  feel. These illustrations are kept simple but refer to the unique variety that is within the bag

• The Roast Indicator is still present. It appears to be a bit smaller than before, less prominent but still looks similar and gets the message across

• The logo as you can see appears on the top large enough for it to catch your eye. Their branding is again reinforced with their signature blueish-green pop of color at the bottom

Overall, where most coffee brands use dark, heavy colors, Caribou Coffee has stepped out of the box and made this package design more about the story of each blend.

What do you think?