Chewing gum as we know it today is an antiquated form that harkens back to the caveman era. The chewing gum industry hasn’t changed much since machine shaped and wrapped bubble gum was first introduced in 1906. Since then consumers have been confined to choosing between stick, ball or square forms of gum, reminiscent of Henry Ford and his black Model T’s.
Yet the sculptor Maurizio Savini shows us that the malleable nature of gum does not have to be subjected to the common square form of yester-year when it has the ability to live on as an expressive art form.
Aside from functional benefits like taste, size and quantity, is it possible to invoke emotion into a product that has historically lacked it? Can the character of gum be fundamentally shifted? Can Wrigley or Cadbury share an opinion of the world through gum?
Image buying a pack of gum that has a visual grammar that people can read, taste and touch. Maybe the evolution of gum is not in package design but in the shape itself. There seems to be an opportunity to develop a new brand of gum with a conscious. A brand of gum that speaks about and to the world through design.
I wouldn’t mind buying a pack of gum that contained a condensed form of Savini’s sculptures. The impact of the brand might be to bring smiles to people or cause them to think about the world in a new way.
Yes even something as mundane as a gum brand has the potential to influence and maybe even change the world.
Bang and Olufsen has created a remote control concept that is intended to keep devices bacteria free.
The remote responds to finger gestures and lifts and falls when the volume is adjusted.
What’s nice about this concept is that B&O’s approach maintains the brands tradition of providing high performing products that look and sound great, while keeping in mind that technology should work for people.
Although the prototype needs some work, the potential to add value to the entertainment experience could raise the profile of the overall brand. If they can deliver on the promise of hardware as functional art, the brand idea could lead to sustainable future innovation initiatives.
Video clips of the remote concept and an actual prototype are below.
The thought occurred to me the other day that design, like pool is all about angles, perspective and new ways at looking at objects.
What happens when you remove words and logos from products? You are left with design. Good design tells interesting stories about products and ultimately about brands themselves.
When you can recognize a brand without the use of its logo, that’s good design. Apple does it with the iPod, Movado does it with watches and Converse does it with shoes.
Maybe the evolution of branding will be the logo-less brand, where form and style says it all…where form is the brand and the product not the name is the hero.
I’m sick today and feeling a little thoughtful as I move from bedroom to the living room and in and out of sleep.
A very serious problem become apparent to me…socks need better grip. As they get older, more worn and generally used they tend to fall down or in the case of the low cut socks i’m wearing they fall off. There has to be a better way!
Maybe because i’m sick i’m thinking of viruses and ugly little bacteria and bloods suckers that might have done this to me and boom like a brick it hit me.
Much can be learned from animals with suctions capabilities or blood suckers that have a mean grip. And finally a better sock can be made. If it works for the sock it can work for the hat, jacket, pants waistline and other designs that require elasticity.
Heck maybe hat manufacturers will only have to use this one design without fitting their machines to churn out multiple sizes. Yes the world very well might be a better place.
Props to 5 Gum for making stick gum relevant again. The category hasn’t seen much change since the 80’s when brands like Winterfresh and Juicy Fruit introduced the slim pack form.
What I like about the new 5 Gum is:
1. it’s specifically designed to open with one hand
2. it’s durable (the packaging can withstands the daily wear and tear of carrying it around better than most gums)
3. it stands out on the shelf (this post might not have happened without an impulse buy)
It also satisfies 2 other needs of mine, presentation and sharing. When i’m out and about and I open the pack it becomes more of a talking point with its sleek black packaging and imagery (the labeling is also visible under a black light). And for those moments when I don’t feel like sharing I can dig in my pocket, unhook the latch with one finger, unwrap the a stick and pop one in for long lasting taste without anyone ever knowing.
I think Wrigley has done a good job of paying attention to changing consumer habits and then responding with a functional design that has aesthetic appeal.
