I like to think that designers are like super heroes. They have powers to change people’s perspectives and bring about a change. No, graphic design alone cannot save our planet but, it can definitely contribute to the cause.

Let’s talk about designer Andrew Kim and his Eco soda bottle concept. When it comes to beverages and packaging, the only square containers are juice boxes and milk, all other bottles are, for the most part, round. There is nothing wrong with round bottles—except that they are hard to ship.

So, Andrew designed a rectangular bottle made of 100% plant-based, sugar cane byproducts that is 100% recyclable. The rectangular bottle is made with a 25% slimmer cap, which is stackable and also collapsible when empty.

With the more efficient design, an additional 3,949 bottles can be shipped per shipping container. And, the new design would eliminate the carbon footprint of shipping more than 320 million bottles a year.

I hope soda manufacturers will be inspired by this design and think about how they can improve the world around us by reinventing their products.

We might be seeing more up-trending financial charts, but overall, the economy is still in the tank.

And with tough economic times, comes price-sensitive customers. Manufacturers know that raising prices could be a recipe for disaster, so they’re opting to shrink the size of their packaging instead.

For instance, Georgia Pacific, maker of Quilted Northern toilet paper, chose to hack ½” off the length of its standard roll in lieu of increasing the price. This pricing strategy has become more prevalent in recent years, and I can’t help but wonder what impact these sly practices will have on companies’ bottom lines in the long term?

We all know the value of a loyal customer and this frequent downsizing seems to be nothing but a sneaky price increase that will surely upset customers once they catch on to it. While the smaller product might go unnoticed at first, customers may switch brands permanently when they realize these manufacturers are shrinking products behind their backs.

What do you think, should manufacturers “wipe out” these dishonest practices? Would you switch brands because of shrinking products?

In part one of this blog I mentioned ways to work with your printer to save costs. Now, I’m going to address ways you can plan ahead on projects to ensure you’re producing pieces in the most cost-effective way.

Be flexible with paper choices. Most printers carry “house” stocks that they purchase in large volumes and keep in stock. By using house papers instead of specifying stocks you can save considerable money. For example, on letterhead you might usually spec Classic Crest but your printer might have a house uncoated text that looks the same—the savings can be substantial based on quantity.

Use conventional sizes. 8.5×11 or 9×12 are the most cost-effective sizes for brochures and folders. Unique sizes may seem fun and interesting, but sometimes they don’t fit on parent sheets, which increases costs.

Group pieces together. Take advantage of opportunities to “gang run” items of the same stock and color. It’s an excellent way to save paper and money.

Smaller quantities? Go digital. Digital printing has come a long way. There are many paper options now that weren’t available a few years ago and, quality has improved dramatically. Digital isn’t great for larger quantities—anything over 1000 pieces—but for small jobs it’s a cost-effective fit!

Do you have tips or money-saving print ideas you can offer?

Corporate holiday gifting is always difficult. It’s a fine balance between personal and professional. Yes, you might have conversations about Jane’s love of martinis, but gifting a flask with your company logo is probably a bad idea. Here are some tips to help you this year.

It’s not all about you! Remember, you want them to enjoy this gift. Avoid giving standard promo items like pens, shirts with your logo or anything for an iPhone. Here’s a rule—if you’d give it away at a tradeshow it’s probably not a good holiday gift.

Think family. A gift your client can share with their family is a great idea. Games, cool toys, tickets to the movies, museums or zoo make excellent gifts and can be easily given in a pinch.

If all else fails, go with food! You can’t go wrong with good food. Pick a local favorite. Giving something unique to your region is great and supports local businesses. Some of my favorites in Ariz. are Urban Cookies and Fairytale Brownies. Plan ahead for these items—custom goodies take time to produce but are well worth the effort.

Most importantly, consider the recipient. Show them you care and that you know and value them as a client or vendor.

Have you given or received any unique corporate holiday gifts? Do you have any gift ideas?