POM Wonderful

Pack Analysis

100% Pomegranate Juice Bottle (236ml)

Eleanor Maclure

1POM Wonderful Pack Analysis

Pack Analysis

Shape is formed from 2 pomegranates stacked together

Also resembles an abstracted crown

Lid is matched to flavour of the juice

Lines of symmetry symbolising health and fertility

Curvaceous, feminine shape

All text and graphics screenprinted directly on to the bottle

Hip to waist ratio of the bottle is 0.7, also judged to be the ideal proportions for healthy, fertile females

Clean, modern, minimal design, focussing on strong forms rather than graphics

Transparent bottle emphasises the purity of the product, no label to hide behind

Transparent bottle allows product to forms dominant colour in the design

Pleasant to hold, shape functions well ergonomically, whether intentional or not

Cute, friendly and appealing form, non-threatening and approachable

The neck of the bottle is shaped like the calyx of a pomegranate

2POM Wonderful Pack Analysis

Pom Wonderful is an American company, which was set up in 2002 and is based in California. They grow, harvest, process and ship their own hand picked pomegranates and pomegranate products.

Their primary product is 100% pomegranate juice, while the Wonderful aspect of the brand name refers to the variety of pomegranate they grow. The bottle they use to package the product was designed in-house and is used consistently throughout the range of flavoured pomegranate juices they now produce.

Key outcomes for the brand that have been achieved through the pack design include:

• Creating a distinctive pack in a crowded category of health drinks and juices

• Emphasising the health benefits of the product• Referencing the origin of the contents, the actual fruit

it is juiced from• Establishing it as a premium product• Promoting the purity and quality of the juice

ShapeSince its launch the pack has become synonymous with the Pom Wonderful brand and is now a highly valuable brand asset, helping to establish a growing market for pomegranate juice. It is likely that the pack design would be difficult to closely imitate without infringing on copyright, thus allowing the brand to create a strong sense of visual differentiation from its competitors.

Having such a distinctive and recognisable pack is one of the main reasons behind the success of the product, with perhaps the most significant feature of the design being the form of the bottle itself.

Pack Analysis

Background

Analysis

The design is based on the shape of two pomegranates stacked one on top of the other with the neck of the bottle moulded into the shape of the calyx found on the top of pomegranates. Not only does this create an unusual silhouette but it also directly references the origin of the product and creates a strong visual connection between the brand, the juice and the fruit it comes from.

Even if consumers do not immediately recognise that the bottle is an interpretation of a pomegranate fruit, the overall form of the pack is still visually appealing. Its height to width ratio creates a sense of child-like cuteness, while roundness of its form has almost snowman-like proportions. These factors create an air of approachable, non-threatening friendliness.

Due to its shape the bottle is surprisingly ergonomic. Whether this was a deliberate feature of the design or just a serendipitous by-product of the outcome is unclear. Regardless of the reasons, the bottle is pleasing to hold, tactile and easy to drink from, with it’s bulbous curves fitting comfortably and snugly into the hand.

Although the neck of the bottle is modelled on the anatomy of the pomegranate calyx, it can also be read as an abstracted crown, perched on top of the fruit. This has connotations of royalty, regality, and nobility, which are associated with high status, authority, prestige, splendour and privilege, reinforcing the premium quality of the product. It could also be said that owing to it’s alleged health benefits that it is the ‘king’ of juices, conveying ideas of supremacy, virtue and greatness.

As well as appearing cute, the shape of the bottle is also very soft and feminine, as a result of its rounded curves. This combined with the fact that the product is marketed as a healthy juice means that it is likely that the brand is seen as a feminine product, potentially appealing more to female customers.

The two oval forms that make up the body of the pack are symmetrical both vertically and horizontally (if you discount the neck of the bottle). Symmetry is a strong indicator of health and fertility in humans, so this aspect of the design is another method of subtly communicating the product’s links with good health.

3POM Wonderful Pack Analysis

Pack Analysis

Another factor contributing to both the visual appeal and femininity of the pack is that the two stacked pomegranate shapes also create a very pronounced waist in the form of the bottle. This is also one of the features of the design that make it an ergonomic success. The ‘hip’ to ‘waist’ ratio of the bottle is close to 0.7, which is considered to be the optimum proportions for a healthy female of reproductive age. These proportions humanise the bottle, allowing us to identify it with something we are already very familiar with and consider to be an aesthetic ideal.

This idea is significant because the pomegranate has been used as a symbol of love, fertility, marriage and abundance by many cultures and religions, throughout history.

MaterialsThe pack has been produced using completely transparent plastic, with all of the text and graphics screenprinted directly onto to the bottle itself, negating the need for a separate label. Not having a separate label also removes the issue of having to mould one to adhere to the curves of the bottle and for the potential of a less than elegant addition to destroy the purity of the form.

The transparency of the bottle allows for a virtually uninterrupted view of the product, giving consumers great visibility of the contents and the opportunity to really see what they are purchasing. This degree of transparency also emphasises the quality and purity of its contents. There is no label to hide behind and nothing to conceal, as the product contains no filler juices, added sugar or chemical additives. This is also reinforced with the wording on the front of the bottle stating that it is 100% pomegranate juice. This implies ‘naturalness’ and is likely to appeal to consumers that are health conscious and concerned about the quality of ingredients in their food.

The curves of the bottle and surface of the plastic also have the effect of creating very smooth, bright highlights. This,

combined with the deep ruby colour of the liquid inside gives the contents a slight jewel-like quality, while the shine and reflections enhance the juiciness of the product, making it appear more flavoursome and delicious. Although many soft drinks are packaged in plastic bottles, most have flatter sides or more angular mouldings for structural reasons, which do not produce the same kind of smooth reflections and highlights.

Colour PaletteAs the bottle is completely transparent it is the product itself, which provides the dominant colour within the pack. The juice is similar in colour to that of red wine, reinforcing the premium offer and the fruitiness of the product. This also has the potential to create a visual association with the benefits to heart health derived from the antioxidants found in red wine, which are also the same ones found in pomegranate juice.

In the case of the 100% pomegranate juice the lid of the bottle is colour-matched to the hue of the contents, so compliments it through this similarity and reinforces the colour of the product by making it completely explicit. In other variants of the juice the colour of the lid contrasts with the colour of the product, which remains consistent regardless of flavour pairing, as is used across the range as one of the primary methods of differentiation between flavours.

The majority of the text and graphics printed on to the bottle are white. This creates a strong contrast against the dark coloured juice, allowing it to stand out and enhancing legibility. It serves to create a bold, clean and contemporary scheme for the graphic design of the pack, complimenting the highlights on the bottle without detracting from the form. White also has strong connotations with purity, innocence and youth, emphasising the fact that the juice is 100% pure and untainted. As the screenprinted ink is also opaque, the text can still be read once the bottle is empty.

4POM Wonderful Pack Analysis

The only other colour included in the graphics is a much brighter, almost cherry red that fills the heart shape within the logo and colours the word ‘wonderful’ underneath it. The brightness and hue of the red both compliments and contrasts with the white text. However, it is much lighter, more saturated and slightly more yellow in hue than the pomegranate juice, which is closer to purple. So although it contrasts enough to be seen on the pack it verges on clashing with the contents of the bottle.

As this red is used in combination with a heart-shape in the logo for the brand, it creates connotations of love but also of the blood that is pumped by our physical hearts creating the association with heart health. Pairing the red and white in combination with the heart also neutralises any negative connotations of the colour red such as danger, pain, burning or anger.

The overall colour palette of the pack is very limited. However, this degree of restraint enhances the simplicity of the design and serves to emphasise the striking silhouette of the bottle by not cluttering the pack with a myriad of different colours.

TypographyAs with the colour palette, the typographic treatment used on the pack is bold and simple. The typeface used for the logo and text on the front of the bottle is likely to be a custom design. The text is set in uppercase letters, which can often appear dominant, authoritarian or obtrusive. To militate against this the letterforms of the typeface have been softened through the introduction of curves. This rounded aspect of the typeface also echoes the form of the pack and reinforces its appearance of friendliness, approachability and warmth. The use of a sans serif typeface helps to maintain a clean and contemporary feel throughout the design, while the subtleties of the letterforms and the absence of sharply defined terminals prevents it from appearing cold and clinical. The counters of the ‘P’ and the ‘O’ have been left open, which also contributes to the welcoming and open feel of the type.

The ‘O’ of the Pom logo has been substituted for a heart shape, helping to create a distinctive feature and memorable logo. This addition references the potential heart health benefits of pomegranate juice but it also carries the strong connotation of love. Rather than signifying romantic love, in this context it is a platonic, endearing love, a love for the brand, a love for the product, a love for pomegranates. It is a love that can grow through familiarity and loyalty to the brand, but the heart’s prominent position in the centre of the pack also implies a love for the consumer; Pom loves you and it will love your heart too.

The simple, minimalist approach to both the colour palette and graphics gives the pack a sense of confidence. It puts the product centre stage and allows the shape of the bottle to stand out on the shelf against other packs that have more complex or cluttered graphical schemes.

In conclusion, the pack has a highly memorable design, which has become iconic and remains unique.

Pack Analysis