10 Times Companies Took 'Creative Packaging' Too Far

9. Some of These Pieces Are Not Like the Others

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This bucket of toy building bits initially looks to be the ideal present for a young child. While letting their imagination do all the work of what they will create, it will get their motor skills active. A child may, however, also start to cry upon learning that many of the "pieces" in the bucket are useless. Opening the container exposes that it is hardly half filled and that they have placed a cone-shaped picture of its "construction pieces." They produced an optical illusion whereby the bucket seems to be more full than it really is. Regarding items, we are not supporters of any dishonesty. If you are going to lie, though, at least make it a decent one; this just seems nasty to whoever is opening the present. Children's toys with this kind of misleading packaging especially cause problems. Apart from disappointing the youngster, it also offers early lessons on consumer mistrust. Using a cone-shaped insert to create the impression of fullness is a strategy that plays on the excitement and expectation of gift-givers as well as children. This behavior begs moral issues with consumer marketing to minors and the obligation of toy producers to give accurate images of their goods. Furthermore, it might result in wasted resources since parents may purchase several sets believing they need more components only to find inadequate actual toys and too much packaging. Such misleading packaging can also sap a child's imagination and excitement for construction and play. Toy manufacturers are under increasing pressure to use more open packaging techniques as customers get more conscious of these strategies could result in industry-wide changes in how goods are presented and sold to households.