Check it out! Structural Graphics’ piece was featured as the 60-second Super-cool Fold of the Week. Trish Witkowski of Foldfactory showcased our “Simply Cool Swinging Disco Ball Accordion Invitation.”
Structural Graphics designed and produced this disco ball invitation for RedRover Marketing in Tennessee for their client, the Regional One Health Foundation. They used this mailer to invite people to their annual ONE Night Fundraiser. The invitation shipped flat, but the paper die-cut spheres on the cover immediately twirl in succession when you open up the mailer to create the illusion of a dimensional disco ball.
It’s a fragile medium, yet it can also be considered durable and strong. We learn to use it as children – for paper mache, posters and essays – but it continues to teach us lessons throughout life.
Here at Structural Graphics, it’s no surprise that we give A LOT of thought to paper: how it works, what it is and what it can be. And paper engineer, Isabel Uria, is certainly a testament to that.
Isabel’s work is currently on display at the Drezner Gallery in Avon, CT until Sat., June 24.
“Being creative is inside all of us,” Isabel said. “Creativity is looking at a world of possibilities and acknowledging all the ways a problem can be brought to light and all the ways it could be solved. Creativity opens your mind. It is a path to visualize the past, the present and the future. Creativity is the opposite of war. It is the future. Evolution has happened because human beings have been curious to know and understand how things work and take that understanding to CREATE new developments and innovative things that serve our needs and help us. Creativity makes the world go around!”
Paper Possibilities is a celebration of our understanding of paper as an expressive material. The artists in this exhibit come from a diverse set of backgrounds. Some are paper engineers, some work with cut paper, some are origami artists, and some find their expressions in the creation of the paper itself.
This is the first exhibition of the Paper Artist Gathering, a group based at the Hartford makerspace, MakeHartford. They have been working together and sharing techniques since November of 2015, and are ready to put forth their creations. Their goal is to demonstrate that despite its reputation as a common material, the potential for expressions in paper is not yet fully explored.
“Some mail pieces are effective, some are engaging, some are beautiful. But very few can be called Irresistible Mail™” – the US Postal Service.
At the National Postal Forum in Baltimore, MD on May 23, 2017, The Lincoln Motor Company’s high-end video mailer, “See it First,” was selected as the Grand Champion Award winner of the “Irresistible Mail” trophy. The Irresistible Mail Award is a USPS program that highlights mail pieces that increase engagement through innovative design, print or digital technologies.
Sharing creative credits on the winning mailer are Structural Graphics who printed and hand-assembled the piece, Lincoln Motor Company, Ford’s ad agency GTB (formerly Team Detroit), Hudson Rouge.
Used to give customers a sneak peek before the vehicle hit showrooms, this mailer presents a video screen embedded on the inside of a display folder. Activating upon opening, the video delivers a story about Continental’s heritage and features, along with a tri-fold brochure describing the ownership experience, all delivered in a custom box. This piece was one of four finalists recognized at this year’s Forum, having been the winner of the 2nd quarter Irresistible Mail Award.
Additionally, you can find Structural Graphics on the 2017 USPS Irresistible site. Several of our pieces, created in partnership with MRM/ McCann and Sandy Alexander, are featured, including SleekPeeks VR Viewers, and OE, a slider design our paper engineers developed that features Near Field Communication and a “Twister” exploding page.
The old adage goes something like this: Don’t judge a book by its cover.
Except when it comes to packaging, that is.
Though packaging been around for generations, in today’s digital-savvy, uber competitive retail environment, first impressions are almost as important as the product itself, with innovative, fun, or even weird packaging helping a product to stand out from its competitors. At times, the way an item looks can actually make or break a sale.
Let me tell you a personal story…
Lots of you have probably heard about or even seen those small, egg-shaped EOS lip balms (yup, those ones). Well, I was recently talking with a girlfriend of mine who pulled one out of her purse and started using it despite the fact that she liked some other brands of lip balms better. So, why did she buy this one? Because it looked cute.
Whether it’s an edgy typeface that gets your customers, some cool pops of color or the versatility of an eco-friendly container, we’ve probably all had a moment like my friend here where we’ve purchased something simply because of the way it looks and, more importantly, for our perceptions of how a product will make us feel. (Here’s an example of how the psychology of packaging applies in the alcohol industry).
That’s the whole point.
Packaging, when done correctly, is ultimately what sells your product in the end. It draws attention, sends a powerful message and elicits a specific response from your customers.
Here’s an example of a packaging design we created for Nokia:
So, what’s a marketer to do to stand out from the crowd?
Well, if you’re a devout believer in creating a branded experience for your customers, making your product relevant and increasing your sales, follow these five Packaging Commandments and you just might create product packaging that will outlive us all.
Thou shalt embrace all manners of colors, patterns, textures and sizes.
Thou shalt never forget to think about the customer’s experience.
Thou shalt utilize all available space to the best of thou’s ability.
Thou shalt be playful, be bold, be simplistic – Thou shalt stay true to him/ herself.
Thou shalt always tell a good, compelling and powerful story.
Feeling insanely creative? Give us a call at 860-767-2661 or shoot us an email. Together we can make your packaging really pop.
What do Hyundai, Asbury University and Gillette all have in common? They all understand the high impact the Flapper can have on an audience.
The Flapper, one of Structural Graphics’ exclusive patented designs, is kind of like a book you just can’t put down. Kids love it. Adults do, too. What makes it so unique is the way it folds continually into itself, revealing four separate layers of messaging ranging from text, photographs and even QR codes.
Even better? They’re incredibly versatile. Not only can they be distributed as a flat self-mailer, but they range in sizes, too. We’ve produced Flappers that were very small (3” x 3”) as well as ones that are about the size of a standard piece of paper (8” x 11”). Clients have used them as magazine inserts, designed them to look like tablets, and have even included scratch-offs and coupons inside. The possibilities are endless!
But how exactly do you use a Flapper?
Here are a few tips to get you started:
If you’re using our French Door style (i.e. the one with a vertical front opening)…
1. Starting on the front side of the Flapper, fold open until the left and right flaps are folded back to display the second message panel.
2. Continue following the natural folds of the paper until you get back to your original panel.
If you’re using our Dutch Door style (i.e. the one with a horizontal front opening)…
1. Starting on the front side of the Flapper, fold open until the top and bottom flaps are folded back to display the second message panel.
2. Continue following the natural folds of the paper until you get back to your original panel.
Click here to visit our Instagram feed and see the Flapper in action.
Ready to design yours? Take a look at our Flapper How To Guide then let us send you one to play with and inspire you!
“The details are not the details. They make the design.” – Charles Eames, American graphic designer
Structural Graphics takes a special interest in what retail consumers want to see on product packaging, so when we came across Deborah Ginsburg’s article, “Top Packaging Design Trends for 2015” we perked up, eager to see what insights the founder and CEO of Strategia Design had to offer. Turns out, we couldn’t agree more. Continue reading →
Sometimes all it takes is a simple conversation with our sales team — the eyes and ears of our clients — and before you know it our paper engineers are ideating creative pop-up formats that bring brand marketing to new levels. Continue reading →
In celebration of the recent day of pride for Mexicans and Americans, we curated a list of 10 designs from across the web demonstrating the vivid and inspiring art landscape of Mexico. Continue reading →
The people that make up Structural Graphics all have one thing in common: they love to create and they love to visualize the world.
Because of their amazing talent and perspective, our print creations go beyond just marketing and branding — each project is a work of art. Continue reading →
Ever since March 20 (aka the first day of spring), we’ve been itching for blue skies, green grass, warm breezes and (lots of) sunshine. We’ve got so much spring on the brain that we’ve even been doing a bit of spring cleaning over at our Pinterest page. Continue reading →
At the National Postal Forum in Baltimore, MD on May 23, 2017, The Lincoln Motor Company’s high-end video mailer, “See it First,” was selected as the Grand Champion Award winner of the “Irresistible Mail” trophy. 
