TYPOGRAPHY IS

photographed, written, and designed by emily mullett

Typography is everywhere. It is found in places where people do

not expect it to be and it is often overlooked, impacting people in

ways they are unaware of. Type is often used to draw attention

to particular advertisements and products, combined with an

efficient use of color, shapes, and images. Typography can

infl uence small decisions like what cereal will be purchased or

where consumers shop, and are often strongly associated with

brands. In general, typography on packaging is not outstanding.

It is often monotonous and boring; designers get limited space

and tons of text to add, but when the typography is done well, it is

quite astonishing. Candy wrappers are no different; they come

in a variety of styles and can display beautiful typography. The

typography on the candy found at World Market, Target, and

The Merc varied greatly from store to store.

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WORLD MARKET is a store that brings the

beauty and excitement of global bazaars to the

customer. Cost Plus World Market was started

by a businessman in 1958, and the company

continues to carry great housewares, jewelry,

wines, and food from all over the world.

The packaging for Glee Gum is retro and

fantastic. The use of bold color and type-

faces makes this packaging strong.

ackaging, from its label to its texture and aesthetic appeal,

has always played a part in distinguishing one product from

another, and it serves as a functional connection between

consumer and product. Packaging plays a role in whether it

will be purchased or not; the consumer likes to connect and

respond to the wrappers. Stafford Cliff, author of 50 Trade

Secrets of Great Design Packaging said “part of the joy of

packaging is touching it, seeing how it catches the light, how

its three-dimensional character trigger responses.”

Sugar was expensive in the

Middle Ages and it was a

product that was available only

to the wealthy.

bet’cha didn’t know:

“Good packaging design is a key part of retail success.”

[CONWAY LLOYD MORGAN]PACKAGING DESIGN

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MUCH OF THE TYPOGRAPHY IS SUBTLE;

not too bold or obnoxious. Since many of the

candies at World Market are from different countries,

the typography varies greatly. John Berger, author

of What is Package Design? said “Certain countries react

differently to colors, the style and content of images,

and words.” Packages had a beautiful variety of

typefaces : serif, sanserif, a variety of hand drawn type,

and script fonts.

MUCH OF THE TYPOGRAPHY IS SUBTLE;

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Milk chocolate was made by

Switzerland’s David Peter who

added milk and created the

fi rst milk chocolate in 1876.

bet’cha didn’t know:

The packages for Chimes

Gourmet Ginger Chews

candy are beautifully

designed with hand

lettering and illustrations.

“Certain countries react differently

to colors, the style and content of

images and words.”–John Berger (What is Package Design?)

>> duplo is a candy created by the Italian candy company Ferrero.

>> Chocolove candy bars are come in a variety of exotic fl avors and their wrappers are boldly colored.

>>The typeface on these Brix chocolate bars was one of the few serif typefaces in the store.

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>> Lychee Gummy Candies show a perfect example of a typeface in a different language.

>> World Market carries their own brand of candy and they use a simple sanserif typeface.

You can see that the candy companies wanted and focus on

how the typography communicates to the consumer, not just

post their name all over the candy. I was really drawn to the

unique and different typography and sophisticated color palettes that I found here.

`

TARGET is a chain of discount stores that carry

clothing, shoes, jewelry, health and beauty

products, electronics, compact discs, DVDs,

bedding, kitchen supplies, sporting goods, toys,

pet supplies, and hardware supplies.

hen busy shoppers are flying through a store, they have little

time to notice every package. Designers must work to make

their package stand out and become the most desirable

to the eye. Candy packaging is no different; their wrappers

hope to persuade the customer to pick them, constantly

competing for attention among their sweet neighbors.

Over 35 million pounds of

candy corn are made each year.

bet’cha didn’t know:

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TARGET CARRIES PRIMARILY BIG BRAND NAME CANDY.

Brand name packaging uses bright colors and bulky fonts. The typographic

value on the candy and wrappers are standard and look very

commercialized. They also have a very sterile feeling about them.

The companies who produce these candies paint their name big and bold

over the packaging, creating an extremely saturated and obnoxious

typographic palette. I did not see any hand-drawn fonts on any of the brand

name candies, adding to the generic feeling of the store.

TARGET CARRIES PRIMARILY BIG BRAND NAME CANDY.

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“Typographic selection is

important when considering

a brand’s personality.” –John Berger (What is Package Design?)

>> The type on this Smarties bag is outlined, and very saturated.

>> This choxie packagaing was the most interesting at Target.

>> The type on this Smarties bag is outlined, and very saturated.

The typography found at target is very standard. Some text is

outlined to add emphasis, as found on the Twizzler and Milk

Duds packaging. Bright, saturated colors were found every-

where, not allowing the consumer’s eye to rest anywhere.

>> The type on this Smarties bag is outlined, and very saturated.

>> The isle markers found in Target are bright too. >> This choxie packagaing was the most interesting at Target.

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Seven billion pounds of candy

and chocolate are made in the

United States every year.

bet’cha didn’t know:

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The vivid color palettes for Ice-

Breakers mints really stick out in

the check out line.

THE MERC is a thriving Lawrence, Kansas co-

operative grocery store. They provide a variety

of products that are organic, fair-trade, and

local. The Merc is an organization that exem-

plifies environmental, economic, and social

sustainability, as well as encourages a sense

of connection to others.

andy wrappers are no private commodity. These

confections are sold to the masses. When a designer

produces something so public, like a candy bar, it must

be designed with the greatest care. Candy bars have

names, descriptions, ingredients, nutrition, and company

information. All of these small details need to be displayed

on the package in a legible manner so that the consumer

can read and understand the information quickly (Berger).

All of the candy at The Merc had great color on

the packaging, and the typography was really

strong; each package was unique.

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THE MERC CARRIES ORGANIC, LOCAL, AND FAIR TRADE PRODUCTS.

They do not carry a huge amount of candy, but what they do carry

is sold in bulk with no labels on them, and they sell a variety of

granola bars. Each package seems like it was designed with care.

I was really drawn to the variety in colors on the packaging. The

typography was a mix of serif and sanserif, as well as script and

hand-drawn. The packages had great textures and the most exper-

imental type of any of the stores I visited.

THE MERC CARRIES ORGANIC, LOCAL, AND FAIR TRADE PRODUCTS.

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The hand-drawn typography on the packag-

es seen here is pleasing to the eye and draws

the customer’s attention to the product.

“ To compete with so many brands

in the market today, a product

should stand out from the rest

while in supermarkets or shops.”bestdesignoptions.com

World Market, Target, and The Merc all carry candy that

visually varies from each other. Many products and brands,

including candy, are closely tied to the typography on their

wrappers. While some candy packaging is very generic

and plain, some typography is beautifully done, and leaves

the customer ashtonished at the type in front of them. In

a world that is visually dominated by the typography that

surrounds us, typography is constantly impacting the world

in a variety of ways we do not expect.

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thanks to these sources:• designer-daily.com

• countrycandydelights.com

• bestdesignoptions.com

• What is Package Design? By

John Berger

• 50 Trade Secrets of Great Design

Packaging By Stafford Cliff

•Packaging Design By Conway

Lloyd Morgan

typefaces:DIN [Regular, Bold]

Rockwell [Regular, Bold]

Wisdom Script

camera:nikon d5000

Emily Mullett

Designer as Author

Patrick Dooley

University of Kansas

Fall 2011