OUTSIDE THE BOX
IT’S JUST A PACKAGE. OR IS IT?
Brands make packaging integral to play. by TED MININNI, president and creative director, Design Force HAVE YOU EVER NOTICED THAT KIDS often love the packaging that a toy comes in more than the toy itself? They find creative ways to integrate the colorful packaging into play. Even basic cardboard boxes morph into dollhouses, spacecraft, robots, puppet stages, or countless other possibilities. According to toyhalloffame.org, this play pattern has been so prevalent that the cardboard box was actually inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame in 2005. Fast forward to 2018: Ikea took it a step further and released Ikea Toybox, an interactive kids app that gives parents ideas for DIY toys their kids can make from cardboard boxes. Not only are these projects fun, but they also reuse packaging that would’ve become waste. Most toy packaging is thrown away after unboxing. Since more pressure is on manufacturers to reduce the amount of packaging that ends up as waste, doesn’t it make sense to turn to design that is integral to the toy itself? Or to create packaging that becomes a cool storage receptacle for toys that feature many parts? How about designing high-end packaging for collectibles that people can use to display or add value to the product? We know that, if kept in pristine condition, packaging adds to the value of limited-edition items and collectibles. In fact, quality, expertly designed packaging adds value to every consumer product, not just collectibles. It even makes some products more desirable than others in the same category. It’s been proven. Next-level packaging effectively removes a product from the perception that it is just one more commodity item. How can toy packaging be so compelling and ingeniously designed that kids won’t want to part with it? DISNEY LEADS THE WAY Over the years, I’ve pointed out exam-
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ples of sustainably designed packaging that became part of the toy itself. I’ve discussed how beneficial the reduction of materials in the design of toy packaging is, not to mention how much easier many toys are to unbox as a result. While many of these initiatives came from small, entrepreneurial brands that were purpose-driven from the outset, recently the leaders of the toy industry have actively embraced more aggressive sustainability measures in packaging. Enter Disney. The global entertainment behemoth felt a responsibility to go beyond its established sustainability efforts to a new level. In 2014, Disney’s SPI program was born. The Smart Packaging Initiative launch was the culmination of six years of work at Disney. SPI aims to reduce the amount of packaging, make more of its components recyclable, optimize its performance on the shelf, and reduce costs not only for the company, but also for its licensees and the entire industry. By generously sharing their data and the SPI measurement tool, toy manufacturers and licensees are making a positive impact across the industry. Sarah Levine, former manager of global sustainability at Mattel, says, “Mattel is using the SPI to enhance packaging, not only for the products we create with Disney, but as an additional input as we look at packaging efficiency for all of our brands.” The LEGO Group, Hasbro, Mattel, and Jakks Pacific have all implemented SPI principles into their packaging decisions. SPI IN ACTION Walt Disney Animation Studio’s Moana opened in theaters in November 2016. The Moana Classic doll launched in a unique,
THE TOY BOOK | MARCH/APRIL 2019 | toybook.com
Moana Classic doll, from Disney
sustainable package. Not only was the packaging made from 70 percent recycled paper printed with vegetable-based inks, it was created without any glue or tape, enabling kids to take it apart easily — but not to throw it away. The packaging was specially designed to transform into a boat for Moana, a fun project that parents and kids could work on together, effectively extending the storyline from movie to toy to packaging seamlessly. While most packaging tells a story, this package design became a physical part of the Moana story, according to Babble. Disney has been integrating the SPI across all toy packaging and hosting sustainable design workshops to drive packaging innovation in a voluntary program called License to Lead, which it offers to licensees. SPEAKING OF LICENSING... When most adults think about hot licensed properties, their thoughts turn to the most dominant sports and entertainment properties in the world — Star Wars, the NFL, Superman, Spider-Man, and classic Disney properties. These are heritage brands that appeal to multiple generations, and some of them have an impact among kids. But there