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GSI
Pizza Chain Brand-builder

When most folks think of packaging innovation, graphics — or decoration — is what comes to mind. This involves new colors, text, and images.

But packaging innovation also includes a second dimension: Structure. This involves new panels, forms, and overall carton shape. Structure is the architecture of a box; graphics is the paint job. For an interesting-but-barely-noticeable innovation, change graphics. For a slightly more eye-catching innovation, change structure. For an explosive head-turning innovation, change both … AND incorporate GSI.

GSI Example 1
An Iconic Pizza Box

This single mock-up using a Pizza Hut graphic was made for illustration. It has not been manufactured, used, or sold.

GSI Photo Collage
You may download a collage of exciting GSI box photos by clicking here (a 120K file) ... or, if you like, may view them individually by clicking on the links below.

GSI Example 2
GSI Example 3
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GSI Example 17

GSI stands for Graphics-Structure Integration — a revolutionary concept in corrugated pizza packaging. GSI is the synergistic melding of a particular box structure with a particular graphic to create an impact that's greater than what either element would produce by itself. Through GSI a multi-unit pizza enterprise can imprint a key message, brand, illustration, or symbol onto the mind of everyone who sees its box. This can make its carton the most powerful idea-promoting medium in its marketing arsenal. And — amazingly — in most cases it can be done at no increase in cost over the current box. This applies to Pizza Hut, Domino's Pizza, Papa John's, Little Caesars ... virtually any major chain.

For example, if a pizza company were to use a box that's a 3-dimensional embodiment of its logo (like the example above), every time a consumer removed a slice of pizza from the box, the product would, in effect, be coming forth from the logo. This is the closest possible connection that can be made between product and logo. Hence, this type of package created through GSI is the strongest brand-building and differentiation tool that a company could employ. We refer to it as an Iconic Pizza Box — which, simply defined, is a box possessing a structure that embodies the company's icon (i.e., logo). Simple, indeed, yet immensely powerful!

Properly implemented, GSI is an incredibly powerful marketing tool capable of supporting numerous sales and promotion strategies. When pizza company executives first discover it, branding is what comes to mind. However, GSI can also play a major role in image-building, quality-building, differentiating, and promotion. (For discussion of these topics, see Creating a Sales-building A-bomb.)

Correll Concepts creates packaging concepts, but does not manufacture boxes. (If you're looking for a box manufacturer reference, send us an email.) We deal in innovative designs that your current box-maker can produce. These concepts involve both innovative structure and innovative graphics.

To explore how GSI might be applied to your company's carton for dramatic impact, contact John Correll - 734-455-5830 or email john@correllconcepts.com. Most likely, you can have a GSI box at no additional packaging cost ... in other words, free of charge. Please note — Correll Concepts is a packaging design specialist, not a box manufacturer.