2025 Brand Brief: How to create a winning concept for Carrefour’s GIFT BAR
Carrefour Global Brand Identity Director, Tatiana Ryfer-Emberger, shares her top five tips to help you create a standout entry for this year’s Pentawards Brand Brief.
Carrefour Global Brand Identity Director, Tatiana Ryfer-Emberger, shares her top five tips to help you create a standout entry for this year’s Pentawards Brand Brief.
For the 2025 Brand Brief, we’re teaming up with French retail giant Carrefour for an exciting new real-world challenge. Carrefour is launching the GIFT BAR—a collection of special kits for festive occasions like Christmas, Easter, Valentine’s Day, and Mother’s Day. Open to students, recent graduates, and interns, we want YOU to develop the naming, packaging, and overall identity of this exciting new product line.
To help you craft a standout concept, here are some key tips from Carrefour:
1. Think Beyond the Box
Packaging is important, but so is in-store visibility. Your design should not only make each kit look appealing but also draw attention to the GIFT BAR area in stores. Consider how your design can attract and engage customers at the point of sale.
2. Make It Clear What’s Inside
Customers should immediately understand what they’re buying. Whether through transparent windows or illustrations, your packaging should give a quick, enticing preview of what’s inside the kit.
3. Keep It Sustainable and Accessible
Carrefour is committed to CSR policies, so keep packaging minimal yet functional:
- Avoid unnecessary primary and secondary packaging to keep costs down.
- Use recyclable materials or packaging that can be reused as part of the kit to reduce waste.
4. Focus on Creativity, Not Costly Materials
A great idea doesn’t need expensive printing techniques or luxury materials. Keep the design simple and cost-effective, letting the creative concept do the work instead of relying on premium finishes.
5. Sell a Story
Your concept needs to go beyond packaging—it should tell a compelling story. Think about the bigger picture:
- What feeling do you want to evoke?
- How does the naming, look, and message come together?
- Stay on brief and create something that feels cohesive and meaningful.
Now it’s your turn—bring your creativity to the table and make Carrefour’s GIFT BAR a must-stop for every celebration!