Comments on: Live Simply So That Others May Simply Live http://www.annoyingdesign.org/blog/2009/05/05/live-simply-so-that-others-may-simply-live/ redesign the world Mon, 21 Nov 2011 14:09:33 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: arafat kazi http://www.annoyingdesign.org/blog/2009/05/05/live-simply-so-that-others-may-simply-live/comment-page-1/#comment-341 arafat kazi Wed, 06 May 2009 06:39:04 +0000 http://www.annoyingdesign.org/blog/?p=236#comment-341 You're right, there needs to be sexier green branding!!! (Like Bitopi did with Kazi & Kazi tea in Bangladesh.) But the deal is that a lot of people _like_ the clunky packaging and design. It's part and parcel of being organic. I'm an organic kinda guy and I always wonder at whether or not I like Dr. Brommer's Magic Soap's package design. On the one hand it's traditional and symmetrical and that's more than a lot of people can manage. On the other hand, every time I see the wall of text I feel like a homeless guy is talking at me or communists are trying to give me La Rouche. (I always just talk to them in Bangla, pretend that I don't speak English, then wink and call them Comrade.) My best guess is that people who like organic/green products like to be self-righteous (myself included), and so they don't necessarily appreciate it when someone has obviously spent time or money on Good Design. Plus, maybe it's reactionary to not have catchy design in the style of P&G or something, though both these things are changing and of course there's a TON of good design out there for organic/green brands. We'll see a lot more good green design as time goes by. Speaking of which: have you seen the Trader Joe's Fearless Flyer? I swear to god I picked it up for the first time in years (I live next to a Whole Foods) and I read it cover to cover. What beautiful, glorious copy!!!!! You’re right, there needs to be sexier green branding!!! (Like Bitopi did with Kazi & Kazi tea in Bangladesh.) But the deal is that a lot of people _like_ the clunky packaging and design. It’s part and parcel of being organic.
I’m an organic kinda guy and I always wonder at whether or not I like Dr. Brommer’s Magic Soap’s package design. On the one hand it’s traditional and symmetrical and that’s more than a lot of people can manage. On the other hand, every time I see the wall of text I feel like a homeless guy is talking at me or communists are trying to give me La Rouche. (I always just talk to them in Bangla, pretend that I don’t speak English, then wink and call them Comrade.)

My best guess is that people who like organic/green products like to be self-righteous (myself included), and so they don’t necessarily appreciate it when someone has obviously spent time or money on Good Design. Plus, maybe it’s reactionary to not have catchy design in the style of P&G or something, though both these things are changing and of course there’s a TON of good design out there for organic/green brands. We’ll see a lot more good green design as time goes by.

Speaking of which: have you seen the Trader Joe’s Fearless Flyer? I swear to god I picked it up for the first time in years (I live next to a Whole Foods) and I read it cover to cover. What beautiful, glorious copy!!!!!

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