Invisible Packaging

One of 3M’s best-selling brands of tape is one that is all but invisible when used on paper. Capitalizing on this trait, German ad agency Kolle Rebbe, carried the invisible theme to retail product packaging, garnering a Clio Award—the Oscars of advertising—for its creativity.

The cleverly designed box, which actually contains five rolls of Scotch Magic Tape, employs a thin mirror to give the illusion of an empty box of “invisible” tape. The rolls of tape are hidden behind the mirror.

The result is a container that while visually engaging, almost certainly baffles some shoppers, while intriguing others. A thread on Gizmodo.com discussing the package quickly drew a variety of comments.

“Clever idea,” said one. “The old mirror magic trick, with the name Magic Tape. Brilliant!”

“You know why packages come with clear windows to see the product, right?” countered another. "It’s because consumers actually like to be able to see exactly what they are buying.” But in the next sentence pronounced the package as a brilliant marketing idea.

Another poster clearly (pardon the pun) got the idea: “They are trying to sell ‘invisible tape’ here. So, if they want to sell invisible tape, and if you look at its packing and it looks invisible even though you know it has the product in it, then the package has to be labeled as marketing genius.”

Taking an opposing yet practical view, one person referred to the package as a “super big waste of space,” but was quickly countered by another: “A waste of space? Sure. But the fact that you (and others) took time out of your day to contemplate this product tells me that, from a marketing standpoint, this is far from a waste.”

And one didn’t actually care about the tape: He just wanted the box.

It is clear that packaging, as it presents a product, continues to make a difference to consumers. It may be in the utility of the container, such as the Hungry Jack syrup bottle, elegance of design, or simply an imaginative and visually engaging box.

As one commenter put it, “Ah, retail! As someone who dabbles in packaging engineering for a company whose product never sits on shelves, it's amazing the lengths designers go to when people have to pick their product off a shelf.”