Less is more. Or at least that’s what Antrepo, a Turkish design firm, would have us believe. In this project, Antrepo has stripped our modern packaging design down to the bare basics. Through their project Minimalist Effect in the Maximalist Market, they ask readers which version of the packaging design they prefer.
In the variations with four options, the fourth option has all brands stripped of their logo and listed in Helvetic Neu Bold – no variation at all from one to the next.
So now I’ll defer to you, wonderful readers. For all these products, which look do you prefer?
- the original package design
- a simple, stripped-down variation
- the bare-bones version
- the streamlined version – identical from one product to the next
Answer in the comments, and be sure to let me know why you prefer what you do!
Wow, unlike every one else, I pretty much like all of the original packaging. I may be much older than some other posters, and remember the white cans with black print of “generic” products, and so many of the “minimalist” designs come across as “generic” to me. In some cases I like the second choice — still pretty decorative, but not necessarily as cluttered.
i like the last or second to last on all of them, but definitely the last on nutella, the packaging makes it look like it tastes better
I like the third to last ones.
I saw that a bunch of others have said this too, but I like the second to last versions, with the Jelly Belly as the exception. I love the clean font of the last one in that instance.
Except for the Schweppes, I prefer the second-to-last versions of the products. You still get the brand familiarity without the nonsense of the the usual packaging. The Schweppes, though, I think looks better with the minimalist label but keeping with the brand font.
I feel weird about it, but I actually like the last one on all of them! They look like they’re from some sort of future world…where everything is generic.
This is really cool! I love a minimalist look on products, but I think the 4th looks are a bit sterile, I do like the 3rd ones the best- still keeping the logo, but none of the frilly stuff; just enough personality to get the point of the product across!
2nd to last on all!
I mostly like the completely stripped down ones. However, these are really iconic brands that I can recognize even stripped down. There are a lot of brands that I buy just because of packaging. So it would be sad to see all brands stripped down to the same font.
So excited to hear what everybody has to say! It seems like we’re all leaning toward the right on this.
I also think it’s funny that many of us think that M&Ms is an exception. For some reason with that one, simplifying takes a lot away from it.
– Lindsay
For the most part I like the minimalist the best, however that’s not the case when the typeface is so important like for M&M’s. So for me a combo of minimalism but keeping the companies correct typeface.
I like the minimalist version on everything except the candies. I’ve always found Nutella packaging way way way too busy – but I do want bright, colorful packing when indulging in something like m&m’s or jelly bellies.
surprisingly I like the last ones! But maybe because we’re used to the first ones that the simpler ones appeal to us. If a product’s first and only design is the most simplistic one, i don’t think it would appeal to me as much.
Bare bones version.
I mainly like the far left naked labels except for Guinness, M&Ms and Duracell. For Guinness I like 2nd from left, for M&M’s i like far left, and for Duracell I like far left. Also for Tabasco I like the 3rd from the left the best!
I like the bare-bone and stream-lined versions. Varies from brand to brand
definitely the second to last on all of them, just because it still embraces the products individuality. all the graphics on labels take away from the products I think.
Oh totally interesting! I usually like the second to last one, with the brand’s font, because that really is what makes a brand to me, but without all the distracting other stuff, esp in the case of nutella. Although I like the second of the M&M’s and tabasco, those just have to have that color to me.
http://dusanabotswana.com/
i mostly prefer the “naked” design on the right, except for nutella and guinness, where i like the second version better. i just like the font better, i don’t really know why