I recently bought a pair of Jack Purcell shoes from Converse. A classic design, wouldn't you agree?:
They're good shoes. But what I really dug was the clever detailing on the box they came in:
My first reaction was something along the lines of "how clever!". What a nice way to echo the gestalt of the shoe in the shoe box. And then I thought, "how did the marketing manager for this line of shoes win the argument in favor of adding little metals shoe grommets to each and every box?" While grommets are cheap, they're not free -- a few cents here and there and it all adds up.
On the other hand, who says a brand logo needs can't be a three-dimensional object, even on a lowly shoe box? Why not treat a logo more like a badge, as many automakers do? These Converse grommets are badges, and not so different than the nine (9!) brand badges which adorn my car (ten if you count the one on my key fob). Why print a swoosh or a set of mouse ears when you can a have a tangible brand expression?
Bravo, Jack Purcell!
You should have a look see at their business card. Grommets!!! Very cool.
Posted by: ihaterunning | 18 March 2007 at 06:31 PM