2. Ask questions
Martha Stewart is a company known for good design, so it’s no surprise that its in-house design effort is well organized. Lara Harris is art director for Martha Stewart Everyday, the line of products sold at Kmart. She works in a group of seven designers that operates much like an agency. Each project starts with a creative brief and a kick-off meeting that includes designers, product managers, copywriters, and folks from production. “It’s the launch,” she says. “We make sure everyone is on the same page and see what questions there are.”

Her team executes numerous package redesigns— projects prompted by everything from a simple desire to freshen up to the need to boost sales. A recent overhaul for a line of glassware was more utilitarian: The open packages were resulting in a lot of breakage. Designers needed to figure out how to recreate the feel of an open box without it actually being open. The solution was to hire a photographer to do silhouette shots of the products. These appear on the sides of the box in the same way they’re stacked inside the package, mimicking the view you’d get if the box was transparent.

One of the most important aspects of any redesign, Harris says, is getting all your questions answered up front. Why is this being done? Who’s your competition? Who’s your audience? Another important line of thought, she notes, is asking what’s missing—or not working—with the current design. If there’s not a built-in process for establishing these signposts, she suggests getting organized and digging up the answers yourself. Her team, for example, visits competing retailers to see what a particular product is up against in the marketplace.

Educating consumers
“The package needs to be the salesman,” says art director Lara Harris. Copy on this cookware line’s new packaging tells buyers exactly what they’re getting and how to use it—the back of each box features a clip-and-save recipe.

A perfect gift
To create kitchen towels that would feel more giftable, designers at Martha Stewart worked closely with the copy department. The new packaging pairs fun sayings, such as Look Sharp and Go West, with illustrations to play up different towel styles.

Practical matters
The previous glassware packaging was open and gorgeous, but it also resulted in a lot of breakage. Silhouetted photography allows these boxes to maintain the look and feel of an open box without the breakage. Product and brand information are kept within consistent bands while tiny illustrations of cups, plates, or bowls emphasize the set count.

Color coded
This palette visually groups Martha Stewart cookware packaging. Purple signifies copper ware—“The color has to work with the pans,” Harris says. Test photography helped designers make appropriate choices.