GE LIGHT BULBS

If GE re-packaged their light bulbs to look like this spec design, I doubt anyone would buy their competitor's light bulbs.

Student Kevin Kwok of Art Center College of Design recognized the hypocrisy in GE's energy-smart line of light bulbs. The packaging itself is not so energy-smart. Add to that GE's current unkempt, busy design (see below) and you have a product ripe for a re-do. Kwok deftly utilizes post-consumer cardboard that can be mailed back to GE with a used bulb for recycling. He also makes sure to design it in such a way that removes all superfluous elements to keep just the bare minimum of necessary information. Even the GE logo is knocked out so that another colour does not have to be introduced.

The design itself is very elegant and on-brand, however it does tread on uncharted territory for light bulb packaging. Since light bulbs provide light, it has been a longstanding practice to make packaging bright white or yellow to convey the benefit of the product. Well, here in 2009 we all know that light bulbs provide light and it is anachronistic to adhere to this dated practice. Kwok's design shakes this up, so at first his packaging conjures up images of candy, candles or some kind of food. This is due to the bright colours and the consumer expectation that such good-looking packaging is reserved for food/beverage products. It is refreshing to finally get over the standard white/yellow/green packaging for light bulbs.

Once you get over that ingrained expectation, it becomes easier to like this design and its use of dark brown. This shade of chestnut brown is at once rich and natural. The five colours -- each referring to a specific wattage -- are all in muted tones that complement the brown very well and chromatically refer to the faded look that natural dyes and printed materials have. The only criticism is that the need to colour code wattages might be overkill, but if they are all presented together on a store shelf the product looks beautiful and will certainly outshine its competitors.

(Below: GE's current packaging for a dimmable energy smart bulb)