Lionel: recapturing heritage

As Old Spice moved forward in time, Lionel Trains revisited its heritage. The beloved model train brand originally bore the Art Deco-inspired design of its time: bold colors, rectangular shapes, and blocky, sans serif type. Over many years of corporate changes and ownership by dozens of brand managers, the integrity of the packaging deteriorated until nothing of the original branding was left. The firm One Zero Charlie “restored” the packaging for Lionel Trains, adapting the best of the old and modernizing it for today’s audiences. The designers returned much of the original packaging’s equity and added subtle changes to make it even more appealing.

BEFORE Early in its life, Lionel Trains introduced packaging that defined the brand for a lifetime: an Art Deco-inspired, clean line with a harmony of orange, navy blue, and white. The round emblem with the curved L in the middle, flanked by color, became a trademark.

DURING Over the years, however, the packaging design deteriorated. The trademark, colors, and other distinguishing elements all but disappeared from the boxes.

AFTER The addition of a creamy white color and an increased use of blue adds a contrast. The curved orange L on a blue background takes on its own prominence.