I love packaging that actually does something—that changes or becomes part of the experience when you use the product. There are three classic examples of packages that I think do this. All were patented in the 1950’s or 1960’s and all are still in use today… 1. Stripe Toothpaste, 2. Jiffy Pop popcorn, and 3. Pillsbury spiral-wound refrigerated dough containers. I know there are other examples I haven’t thought of, but these are three that mean something to me.
Stripe Toothpaste
Left: original Stripe Toothpaste packaging from Toothpaste World
Right: the making of a “Freshfonts” typeface from Autobahn
There is something cool and surprising about seeing a pattern emerge where you would ordinarily expect a homogenized substance. Kids will always want to know how it was done. The original brand was “Stripe” (and “Super Stripe”). Super Stripe’s print ads had the word “News!” spelled out in striped toothpaste. More recently the Utrecht-based design firm at AutoBahn created a free Truetype font based on the same concept. (Today striped toothpaste lives on via the Colgate and AquaFresh brands.
(Jiffy Pop and Pop’n’Fresh after the jump…)
Expanding Jiffy Pop photos from Wikipedia
Jiffy Pop
The expanding Jiffy Pop aluminum dome. A package that transforms as you watch it. An interesting and somehow sculptural effect.
Invented by Fred Mennen of LaPorte, Indiana. He patented the basic concept in 1953, experimented until 1958, and created the Jiffy Pop brand in 1959. Now owned by ConAgra Foods, this method of making popcorn has been largely eclipsed by micro-wave popcorn (another interactive package). The patented stove-top package is still being sold and remains popular for camping and cookouts.
The spiral-wound refrigerated dough container
There’s something fun about a pressurized product that bursts out of its package. I know I’ve always enjoyed hitting them against the edge of a counter. (Although I’ve recently learned that there are some people who are quite phobic about this explosive effect.)
Tube-shaped dough packaging first came out in the form of Ballard Oven-Ready Biscuits.
Lively Willoughby, a baker from Louisville, KY came up with the package in 1931. Nowadays, it’s Pillsbury that carries the torch of pressurized refrigerated dough containers like these. Which is fitting, since their “Pop’n’Fresh” doughboy mascot came to life from one of these containers.
If anyone else out there is interacting with packaging, please do comment…
Randy Ludacer
Beach Packaging Design
MAKE: Blog says
June 28, 2008 at 8:25 pmInteractive packaging
Randy has a round up interesting interactive packaging from the past – via NOTCOT. I love packaging that actually does something—that changes or becomes part of the experience when you use the product. There are three classic examples of…
Chung Dha says
June 30, 2008 at 10:23 amAnimation on the side of a bottle.
http://www.chungdha.com/2008/02/aa-drink-bottle-animated.html
It’s my own design but not in production. That should be interactive enough for a packaging design.
riis says
July 1, 2008 at 7:26 amWhat about the always fun and exciting Ramune sodas with their Codd-necked bottles? I always try to get anyone who hasn’t had one of these before to try one. It’s like a carbonated liquid-cocaine contained in a bottle that is essentially a frustrating cat toy for humans. (There are seriously detailed instructions online explaining how to get the marble out)
Randy Ludacer says
July 1, 2008 at 7:43 amCodd-necked bottles! An excellent example. I remember my son was really intrigued by those a few years ago. The novelty of the mechanism was a huge added interest factor for those beverages.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bottle#Codd-neck_bottles
Tiedyepie says
July 2, 2008 at 10:49 pmI wanted to mention chocolate oranges, though it struck me that while they’re pretty interactive, the packaging doesn’t do much other than stand the shock. Are there any of these that don’t involve eating?
Anonymous says
July 3, 2008 at 11:17 pmPEZ perhaps?
Anonymous says
July 4, 2008 at 12:44 amthe duraflame log packaging serves as the kindling to start the log
heidabelle says
November 4, 2008 at 2:19 pmI am curious if the flecks of silver left behind on the pillsbury dough is dangerous to eat? Mine always has those….and they are so small anyone can overlook them while ingesting. Or maybe they are harmless?
Tom Sloan says
January 7, 2018 at 10:35 pmThere was a toothpaste in the 50’s or early 60’s that was shaped like a rocket. When the tube was empty, it had instructions on how to add baking soda and vinigar to make it fly. I could be completely wrong, but this is how I remember it.