Back to basics – why basic doesn’t have to mean bland

Basic. 

Chances are, when you read that word, it didn’t exactly inspire you. When you think of basic packaging, you probably think of dull shrink wraps, bland cartons, and meh flexible packaging. But at New Vision Packaging, we like to think we can find inspiration in anything – even the basics. In fact, going back to basics can be brilliant for your brand – provided you have a packaging partner who can make the simple look spectacular. 

Basic doesn’t mean bland 

You say basic, we say minimalist, elegant, and subtly stylish. But what’s the difference? Well, take a look at the work we did for Mr Filbert’s, a gourmet nut brand. If we were to tell you that this limited-edition gift pack was a simple cartonboard box packed with four smaller boxes, it might not sound impressive. But, in this case, going back to basics ended in brilliant results: 

We were set a challenge to turn something standard into something special. Using only cartonboard and some imaginative folding skills, we put together a gift set that could fly off the shelves all year round. We gave the outer carton an elegant fold-in lid that opened like the petals of a flower to instil a sense of playfulness and satisfaction in the end-user before they’d even opened the product. Each flap was colour-coded to match the packaging of the different flavours inside, helping those loyal to the brand home in on their favourite flavours while reinforcing brand identity. 

Inside, each mini box was made with the same material and attention to detail as the exterior carton. This ensured brand uniformity and provided a high-barrier, high-performance container for each individual flavour. Inside and out, this project really was the total package – and all while using simple cartons. 

Premium as standard 

Sometimes, your brand identity might mean that an all-singing, all-dancing packaging line is a bad idea. On those occasions, a subtle, understated approach might work best – but the line between cool minimalism and bland emptiness is a fine one. It’s a line we’re used to walking, though! Going back to basics doesn’t mean you can’t use premium materials and elegant finishing to bring the total package together, as we demonstrated in our work for skincare and beauty brand Rodial. 

We were tasked with creating packaging for Rodial’s range of tinted moisturiser. Their brand is ultra-modern and our packaging needed to reflect that, but we also needed to consider the nature of the product. Skin tint moisturiser is a product sold on feel as much as it is on sight – so how could we capture that in a simple cartonboard box? 

We crafted a range of black cartons but printed them with a soft touch varnish to mirror the effect of the silky-smooth moisturiser in the consumer’s mind. We contrasted that texture with a spot gloss varnish over the colour swatch, highlighting the colour tone of the product and adding depth to the packaging. This prevents that uniform bland look on the shelf and helps the highlighted elements really pop on a digital storefront. 

And, as with the Mr Filbert’s packaging, the story doesn’t end once the consumer buys the product. We made sure the inside of the packaging was every bit as premium as the outside with internal printing and black liners. 

Attention to every detail 

This is as ‘standard’ as you get with us. Our ‘standard’ is creative, visually delightful, and excellently executed, using premium materials and finished with a flourish. We pay attention to every detail, from both-sides litho printing to foil finishing, to turn the ordinary into the extraordinary. 

So, basic. It’s a word that might not inspire most, but we look at it differently. Going back to basics lets you express your brand identity in its purest form, and it doesn’t have to compromise the quality of your packaging offer. To find out how we can make the most out of minimalist branding, get in touch with us today – we’re just a click away.