A Prettier Package

Hewlett-Packard didn’t need fancy product packages to win over large corporate customers--one reason its printers, copiers and scanners came in boring black-and-white boxes. The situation is different now that HP is courting consumers and small-business customers who shop in retail stores. With the help of San Francisco-based Landor Associates, HP designed new packaging in hopes of grabbing shoppers’ attention as they scan store shelves.

The packaging features three thought balloons rising from a photograph of the top half of a person’s head--the thinking half, Landor explained. The image represents thoughts about new ways to do things and buttresses HP’s new slogan, “Expanding possibilities.” On each package, benefits, such as “great-looking results on anything,” are listed inside one of the balloons to help pitch the product--in this case, a printer.

The older packaging did not reach out to consumers and communicate what the product could do for them, said Ed Rice, senior executive director at Landor.

“The white background looked very clinical and very efficient, but perhaps a little cold and sterile,” Rice said. “It communicated information about product well, but not necessarily the consumer benefits.”