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The Evolution of the Easter Egg Packaging Design!
As Easter sneaks up once more, we can’t wait to wrap up in the duvet and treat ourselves to our body weight in chocolate. But as is the case for most of the population we will probably get stuck on choosing which eggs to buy for our loved ones. From the gooeyness of the cream egg to the prestige of all things Lindt. What is it that makes us buy a particular egg, is it the easter packaging design and how has Easter evolved over the years?
All things retro
In recent years we have witnessed a change in mindset within the chocolate and confectionery sector. As the nostalgia design trend sweeps through the marketing world, it’s the chocolate giants who have reaped the rewards of all things nostalgic.
It wasn’t until the 60’s that we first saw the emergence of branded eggs and yes you guessed it, it was Cadburys who led the way. With sub-brands like buttons becoming an instant children’s favourite.
The packaging was very much like everything in the ’60s, garishly bright in colour and only incorporated the legendary Cadburys purple within the logo itself. The design of the foil that wrapped the egg was where the time was spent, as this increased the mystique and glamour of the egg itself.
If we jump back to 2020, the Cadburys Buttons easter egg has fallen to much more of a budget option. The egg is now aimed at a younger audience and is somewhat the ‘infant’ option when it comes to Easter eggs. The design itself has changed entirely, although a much more graphically improved character now adorns the box rather than the internal foil. The foil itself is classic Cadburys purple and could b considered much less appealing than its 1960’s counterpart.
The artisan egg
One particular winner in the easter egg sector has been the artisan egg, and surprise, surprise, almost all of them adopt nostalgic packaging. Why? When times are hard, we tend to turn to something that makes us feel comfortable and safe, something that reminds us of home when we were younger. In order to transport the potential customer to these times, brands use packaging and marketing replicating designs similar to that of their childhood.
You needn’t look any further than the ‘extra special’ range of confectionaries at your local supermarket to realise that nostalgia does sell. From Marks & Spencers to Tesco, and everyone in between, the design trend is simple, often elegantly coloured packaging, including golds, much like that Willy Wonka golden ticket all those years ago. The prestige product allows brands to knock up the price point and aim at an older, more sophisticated clientele.
For the love of Smarties
One of the nation’s most beloved eggs is one of the longest-serving. The Smarties egg is so popular because it is everything an easter egg needs to be. It’s the smooth chocolate of the egg as well as the crunch of that smartie shell (don’t put this one in the fridge – those crunchy little fellas could break teeth!)
If we transport back to the ’70s we can see the egg was originally packaged in an elegant oval box, printed in an of-white neutral colour to allow the cartoon artwork and the kaleidoscope shades of all those delicious smarties to really pop from the box.
When compared to the current product, the imagery of all those delicious smarties is all that remains. As the Nestlé family favourite now lives in an eye-catching marine blue box.
So, why the packaging design change?
Well when comparing to the designs of yesteryear, it’s important to remember that the easter egg itself was a treat which was often reserved for the wealthy. Perhaps why the regal packaging of the 60s and 70s has been adopted by the artisan eggs of today.
In comparison, Easter eggs are now incredibly commonplace, with some of the biggest brands offering £1 options as well as a grossly oversized product at around £10. The competition now revolves around catching the eye, which is why eye-popping colour combinations and larger-than-life branding is the key to success at Easter.
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