By Andrew Liszewski
Governing bodies have tried many different ways to discourage smoking including dramatically increasing the price of cigarettes through taxes, by forcing tobacco companies to include graphic and disturbing imagery and warnings on the packaging to even requiring them to be hidden away behind closed doors at stores. And while this brilliant redesign of cigarette packaging isn’t the end all solution to the problem, it’s another step that will hopefully discourage more people from smoking.
The flip-top cigarette box is actually incredibly well designed when it comes to portability, accessibility and even marketing. So Eric Askin figured that by breaking the rules of design it could actually discourage people from using a harmful product, and that’s what led to the creation of his diamond-shaped packaging concept. It fits terribly in a pocket, the cigarettes are harder to access or share, less of them can be stacked on a shelf and when they are, the branding is obscured, they’re more difficult to ship and they’re more expensive for tobacco companies to make and manufacture. Of course the new packaging would have to be mandated the same way the current warning labels are, but I think it’s a brilliantly simple way to make the terrible habit even more of an inconvenience.
[ Erik Askin – Design to Annoy ] VIA [ PSFK ]
Whoa! that box looks so much cooler than the original! i think imma pick up smoking!
People will never get it. If someone wants something, they do what they need to do to get it. I'm going to invest in metal cigarette cases.
You already can't smoke in public places in most states, if you chose to smoke you must pay outrageous taxes.
what ever happened to personal choice and freedom? If I want to enjoy life and inhale smoke, or eat fried food, or drink alcohol, or even smoke pot… what is it any business of yours?
More reason for me not to kick the habit..:)
Seems like an interesting concept… but I somehow see shades of sadism in it 🙂
I like the idea, but face it, its never gonna be mandated and no company would do it willingly.
What you mean here is that a drug addict will do anything they can to get it, since that's exactly what a smoker is. I should know, as I used to be a 60-a-day one.
While you're at it, can you please design hamburgers and french fries so that it's more difficult to get them in my mouth. Oh, and also put the gas refill door on the underside of my car. It's just too easy to fill my car with fuel, so I drive it all the time. Also, I drink too much sugary soda, so please redesign the can so that I must drink out of a pinhole on the bottom. Please, please almighty, all-knowing cigarette-box designer guy, tell me what else I shouldn't be doing with my life and then redesign it so that I will be discouraged.
On the other hand, how about you leave me frakking alone and let me be. Stop acting as though you know what's best for me.
I do not care if you stopped smoking or began drinking gasoline, What I want to do to my body is none of your buisness
I do not care if you stopped smoking or began drinking gasoline, What I want to do to my body is none of your buisness