Peacock Packaging

 

 

Sometimes it takes more than a pretty bow to get the attention you want
Peacocking: The art of dressing something up to attract attention

One of the many perks of working in the magazine industry is the copious pretty parcels and packages that come across my desk each day. As a general informer, companies enlist our help to announce the happy arrival of their latest miracle cream or ‘how to’ book to consumers.
As a ‘newbie’ to the office, it was my job to unpack these mascaras worth more than my day’s wages, and perfumes so shiny and new they hadn’t even hit store shelves yet. It felt like Christmas each time a big, brown box would arrive and I would be the first to open it and see what new product we could introduce to the world.
On one occasion, after a long weekend, a collection of 5-6 boxes, each no smaller than a microwave stood towering against my desk. ‘We would surely have enough products to fill an entire magazine,’ I thought.
As I began to open the boxes it was apparent the only feature I could construct with the days takings was a small column on overpriced luxury brand’s use of superfluous packaging.
Over the years (GFC included), PR companies continue to indulge in ‘impressive’ boxes filled with tissue paper, ribbons and everything under the sun to peacock their way into our publication’s pages.
But is this the best way to get noticed? Sometimes bigger does not mean better.