bisquick
food / packaging
When I looked at the current box packaging for Bisquick Baking Mix, I thought of how messy it was the last time I used it. The narrow box does not allow enough room for a measuring cup and the powdered mix inevitably ends up all over the counter and trapped between the inner plastic bag and the box. I decided a cylindrical package would be the best solution; the shape represents several meaningful aspects of the Bisquick brand and the size provides ample room for scooping and measuring. Along with mirroring the shape of pancakes and biscuits, the round shape also represents the movement of time (hands moving around a clock), the circular motion of stirring, and the round shape of a mixing bowl. In order to create a cohesive feel, I simplified the Bisquick logo and used the extended swash from the “k” to form an oval that encircles the name; the incompleteness of the oval is a nod to the quick, informal nature of this baking mix. ​
During the ideation phase, I sketched out ideas for cylindrical containers made of cardboard, glass, and metal. The cardboard design mimicked the shape of an oats container, with a simple paper label. The glass and metal containers were designed to be reusable, with discounted paper packages (like flour bags) that could be purchased for refills. Both types of refillable containers would have paper labels that could be easily removed, in order to make them more attractive for countertop use.
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I also experimented with some alternate lid ideas: a lid with a knob handle in the shape of the “i” droplet and a lid with a detachable/built-in measuring cup. I finally determined that, despite the seemingly eco-friendly aspect of refillable containers, the carbon footprint of producing and transporting glass or metal containers would far outweigh that of biodegradable cardboard containers.
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After deciding to move forward with the cylindrical cardboard container, I began tweaking the look of the Bisquick packaging to give it a fresh, simplified look. Nearly all of Bisquick’s competitors use photographs of pancakes on the front of their packaging, so I decided an illustrative approach would really allow Bisquick’s products to stand out. Because this is a popular brand among parents, I made the design playful and appealing to a younger audience by selecting simple, flat illustrations. I continued this approach throughout the entire label design and exclusively used illustrations instead of photographs.
