Exclusive Harvis — Packaging Design for Premium and Gift Teas
"You can't visit guests empty-handed," as our hospitable people say. But sometimes during the holidays, we come across gifts that make us want to pass them on to someone else at the next wedding without even opening them. Every manufacturer dreams of their tea becoming that precious gift—a true present brewed at the head of the table for the most cherished people.
With exactly these noble intentions in mind, the Exclusive brand approached our agency to create a packaging design for their premium and gift tea line named Harvis.
1. Problem and Task
The market is overflowing with tea packaging—you can find them by the dozen. But our task wasn't just to make "a box with tea inside." We needed to create packaging that spared the buyer the hassle of wrapping it in additional glossy paper. From the moment you pick it up, it had to send a clear signal: "the product inside is not cheap."
On top of that, the design had to appeal equally to both men and women, delight the eye, and bring a festive mood. In short, the task was to elevate an ordinary product to the level of a truly worthy gift.
2. Research
As always, we started by "measuring seven times and cutting once." What are our people drawn to when choosing a gift? We usually look for eye-catching, substantial, and elegant visuals. Moving away from the boring, uniform boxes on the market, we decided to combine classic majesty with modern vibrancy.
We also thoroughly studied a new format for cardboard boxes and, most importantly, the concept of special metal tins (tubes) that further increase the product's value and can later be repurposed around the house.
3. Solution
To convey a premium feel in the design, we developed the products in two different formats:
- Bright visuals: For everyday but highly refined pyramid tea bags, we chose bright and juicy colors. On the fruit and herbal tea packaging, we placed a unique color for each flavor alongside incredibly vivid, lifelike images of the fruits. Just looking at them makes you instinctively want to have a cup of tea.
- Premium quality: Our main move was the giftable metal tins! Take a look at the royal blue, dark red, and emerald green metal containers in the pictures. The embossed, golden patterns on them gave the packaging a truly palatial grandeur.
In this process, we didn't just draw the design and step aside saying, "the rest is on you." We controlled the work from A to Z. From the shape of the packaging to the final printing, we communicated directly with the manufacturers in China, agreed on technical details, and stayed on top of the process until the product successfully hit the market.
Result
There is an unwritten rule in business: big clients don't trust an agency with everything right away. First, they give you the hardest, most mind-boggling task that requires a large team and a lot of time as a "test." If you don't drop the ball, they give you other projects later.
That's exactly what happened to us. After successfully passing the test with the complex design of the metal packaging and its pre-print supervision, the client's trust was fully justified. As a result, the Exclusive Harvis brand unhesitatingly entrusted us with the design of more than 10 new products (SKUs).
What do you say? Could you proudly gift the products in these pictures to your closest people, in-laws, or mentors? This alternative from our local brand is just as good as the famous international brands, right? We look forward to your thoughts!
