CR Blog
Subscribers: check the packaging!
Posted by Creative Review, 27 August 2009, 14:48 Permalink Comments (39)
CR subscribers will notice something unusual about their CR package this month when it arrives on their doormats. The issue comes in a noticeably perforated card envelope (sorry about the slightly out of focus photo above) - and is the first in a series of special Creative Review packaging solutions that will explore and utilise different materials and concepts, all developed for us by cyberpac.co.uk. So what's so special about this envelope?
Well, the envelope, once you've removed its contents, has a double purpose – carefully push out the perforated shape and follow the instructions printed on the reverse to make a special, Monograph sized file - in which you can store your recent copies of our monthly subscriber-only magazine. Here's our step by step guide to making your Monograph folder out of this month's CR subcribers package:
The instructions are printed on the back of the pack - yes, that's right - just there.
First thing to do is to (carefully) push out the perforated folder from the envelope...
You should now have the folder shape - which will look like this
Fold the card round to make the basic folder shape and slot the back bits together thus:
Now fold in the flaps at the bottom in numerical order - first 1, then the various flaps marked 2 and finally the flap labelled 3 will tuck in and hold the others in place. Et voila! Your Monograph folder is ready for action - and should look like this:
With a few Monographs in it, it will look like this:
39 Comments
Nice idea, but it doesn't travel well.
Ours came this morning mangled in the post covered in Royal Mail tape. Spoils the effect really.
2009-08-27 15:35:01
Fancy! How come the method of stitching has changed? I liked those loopy staples.
2009-08-27 15:38:19
nice work..
2009-08-27 15:39:05
genius! design with a conscience! i like
2009-08-27 15:55:58
Very cool idea. Would love to see it in person. Hopefully most don't have the same experience Gareth Jones did.
2009-08-27 16:32:37
Hi Gareth
I'm sorry to hear that your magazine arrived mangled. We were aware that this might be an issue - my copy regularly arrives looking pretty beaten up even in the normal polywrap - but we wanted to try something different. Please email me your address and we will send you another envelope that (hopefully) should arrive unscathed.
PatrickBurgoyne
2009-08-27 17:29:00
Lovely idea. Looking forward to it now!
2009-08-27 18:29:35
Very nice idea. Can we have another one pretty soon though!? Those of us who have been subscribed long enough to have every issue of Monograph have far more issues than those that can fit into the folder...!
2009-08-27 19:31:11
Nice idea but mine arrived mangled as well. I don't think the cardboard is thick enough either.
At least the magazine arrived nice and pristine so maybe using a sleeve in the future is the way to go.
2009-08-27 20:52:29
Hi David,
We still have a few of the envelopes left and if you would like a replacement sent out to you, please call CR customer services on 020 7292 3703. Thanks. Mark Sinclair
2009-08-28 10:12:29
Concur with the nice idea, but not Royal-Mail-friendly. Ours had a few holes in it - still managed to make the file, but it's a bit creased. And of course it'll only hold this year's Monographs, but that's probably the idea?
2009-08-28 10:32:37
Nice little distraction from work for a few minutes (though as usual I went straight to step 5).
Thank you CR.
-
2009-08-28 12:15:01
Nice idea, but mangled by Royal Mail
2009-08-28 13:24:17
Yeah, mine was rather mashed-up too. I wonder how many of those 'sorry we damaged your mail' bags the RM went through this week! Really nice idea though.
2009-08-28 13:53:20
Nice - except for the pre-delivery destruction the Royal Mail...
2009-08-28 13:55:46
A great idea, unfortunately I've stopped subscribing as I was fed up with my issues of CR being concertina folded by royal mail. I'll have to stick to borders and miss out on monograph - which is a real shame!
2009-08-28 14:02:01
My CR packaging had too unfortuanately fallen apart when it arrived at my house - was a shame as it was a different and exciting idea! I was lucky in that the magazine had not fallen out of the packaging. I did put it together and now too have a (if slightly battered) storage file! As much as I liked the idea, I think I would have preferred my magazine that I paid good money for to arrive in good condition, and perhaps that should be the main purpose of packaging, with anything extra being secondary to this!
2009-08-28 14:09:36
Mine arrived with several pieces missing and it barely containing the magazine... I have been a subscriber for over 25 years and this was easily the worst 'special container'.
2009-08-28 14:43:56
Such a wonderful idea encompassing creativity and sustainability, shame that mine barely made it through my letter box! At least it kept CR from being mangled with it,
2009-08-28 14:49:00
Mine came through fine. (Sorry everyone else!) Great stuff. I keep the old loop-stitched Monographs in a ring binder. The box is perfect for the new thick-covered, saddle-stitched versions.
2009-08-28 15:14:48
another victim of royal mail? or perhaps a case of nice idea not fully thought through.
2009-08-28 15:54:44
Mine wasn't mangled, but unfortunately my postie decided that it was too fragile to put through my letter box and left it propped against the door. Then the rain showers came! One very soggy and unusable CR!
2009-08-28 16:51:46
Yep, ours was a bit mashed
2009-08-28 16:53:06
Lovely idea but no-where near strong enough to survive the careful handling of Royal Mail.
2009-08-28 17:01:21
yes our cover was hanging by a thread. looked like it'd been run over by a bus
2009-08-28 17:20:14
Great idea! Mine survived the post and looks very good stacked next to my CR issues.
2009-08-28 17:23:12
Royal mail didnt even attempt to salvage my packaging, it came with half the packaging missing! I am impressed with the idea and im sure it is useful to the people who actually got theirs intact!
2009-08-29 12:55:58
My issue was also mangled, and parts that had already popped open were creased, Royal Mail often damage the edges of my copy, but this was by far the most damage issue I have ever recived. The folder when made up was too battered to use sadly. Nice idea, not very practical though.
2009-08-29 17:16:01
Great idea CR. Even if these are getting a bit mangled by Royal Mail, the concept is enough to inspire design that can live beyond its first intention. We are always trying to apply this to book design.
2009-08-30 15:55:36
Great concept. Looking forward to seeing what the guys do next month. Sure some of the Royal Mail effects create a more unique holder to the norm.
2009-08-31 12:14:16
Some great comments - thank you.
Given Creative Review’s aim to inspire, inform and stimulate debate; the idea of packaging which has a secondary use is not only laudable but demonstrates their ability to engage with their readers and rapidly meet their demands.
Apologies to those who did not get a perfect folder; it is a challenge to balance the needs of Royal Mail against pushing the boundaries of packaging design. We are constantly trying to do this and have showcased a few at cyberpaclab.co.uk
Look out for the next thing...
Will - MD Cyberpac
2009-08-31 22:16:35
Great looking packaging. I assume it is bio degradable.
2009-09-01 14:10:48
I like the concept very creative indeed. Obvious failed during the postal beating, but as a piece of marketing it has grabbed my attention. I found all the Monograph books I'd left lying around the office and dusted them off.
Some pics of my battered and bruised packaging: http://dbushell.com/blog/creative-packaging
2009-09-01 14:58:33
Love this and what a great way to truly recycle what we consume!
2009-09-01 16:31:07
Love this, what I good idea, I use these book stands to hold me art/design mags, get them from ikea, the good thing is they are wider then thse so less likly to full over. But cool idea, nice one boys.
2009-09-04 15:48:45
Very impressed - well done CR!
2009-09-05 18:17:42
I cannot believe so many people thought this was a great idea. After waiting almost two years for something to put these beautiful, award winning magazines in i was faced with a flimsy, useless piece of written on, creased,up cardboard. I think it's a pethic attempt at a pretentious 'eco' concept. At what point in the creative process did you think this could work. It's a totally functionless idea. Surely you know your magazine is not lettebox sized?
so surely the first question when this was pitched to you was how will it keep it's integrity when its folded through peoples letter boxes? Really, really dissapointed. i can give youa environmental angle for it... mine is in the recycling bin.
2009-09-30 17:26:14
Great idea guys, it's good to see you are giving packaging a second use!
2009-11-29 20:32:15
traveling may be the issue but it seems quite good.
2010-07-19 12:47:34
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