English | Deutsch Nero, a leading international provider of digital media solutions, sought to establish a completely new on-shelf presence, differentiating its products from the visual homogeny of the existing marketplace. The company approached frog for a packaging solution that would be used across four international product lines, two of which were nearing launch – necessitating cross-cultural value, flexibility, and an unusually fast turnaround.
While previous Nero packaging had relied upon a branded palette of red and yellow, the company’s newly-extended product range and desire to advance in market perception demanded a reexamination of this framework. frog created a revised color scheme, in which a predominant field of silver provides a setting for the original branded hues. This plain of silver would also enhance product recognition on store shelves, where an abundance of red packaging made differentiation a key challenge.
From ideation onwards, product presentation was driven from a consumer perspective, designed to provide an intuitive but secure opening experience. Unlike the ubiquitous “box within a box” route to pack construction, which displays a product amidst the general clutter of instructional manuals and warranties, the Nero out-of-box experience was developed specifically to showcase the product itself. The redesigned pack opens along a construction hinging at one edge, the top half of the package swinging 180 degrees to sit flat beside the bottom portion. Innovative foam inserts grip the CD and instructional manual, positioning them side by side for the user’s discovery. The packaging also incorporates built-in tamper proofing to reveal any maltreatment of the product in-store, an important feature for many of the distribution channels, in which packaging is not film-sealed.
All materials – including the hinging assembly, tamper proofing, and foam inserts – were carefully chosen to provide ideal product delivery while maintaining a low cost of production. The tolerances between card and foam components were carefully controlled to ensure that the pack remained light, despite its solidity, and all finishes were selected to project a premium appearance. After a careful process of supplier identification, briefing, and assembly process proofing, the frog team encouraged Nero to adopt a new supply chain, saving an unprecedented 25% in overall pack cost and 33% on the outer shell alone.
The new design has allowed Nero to achieve a singular brand identity on an international scale, with unified packaging across the EU, America, and Japan. The packaging solution was recognized with the iF design award 2007.
