When a revolutionary product is introduced in an old structural packaging format, it is often the result of an aggressive timeline or a lack of a structural design process. Take wrinkle-releasing sprays for instance—they are relatively new products housed in old trigger spray bottles.

This product is designed to free us from the drudgery of the electric iron and to offer tremendous convenience as well. To use the spray, consumers are directed to place their garment on a clothing hanger and dispense a light coating of the wrinkle-releasing agent with the trigger spray. It’s a ritual that is, quite frankly, not being followed in the real world.

The more likely scenario has the consumer spotting a stray wrinkle as he is rushing out the door; in this case, the standard trigger dispenser falls short of being the optimum delivery system. Spray-and-go applications are difficult with this package because it doesn’t work when it is inverted, and the trigger is facing the wrong direction.

Based on these observations, the team at Swerve invented a pump spray with a switch that allows the pump to work upside down. Consumers press the red button, which disables the dip tube and allows the pump to draw product directly from the bottle. The package shape keeps the hand close to the center of gravity, making it feel light in the hand.

The pump is a simple vertical design with a custom shroud that gives the resulting bottle/closure combination an integrated look with an advanced, geometric “intersected” form. The spray exit point has a diffusing shroud that keeps the product mist exactly where the package is pointed.

This design illustrates how a second wave of structural packaging could be introduced to more accurately match consumer usage patterns and offer increased convenience. Most importantly, it demonstrates how revolutionary products demand, and yes, even deserve, a holistic, structured packaging design process. BP