Zirp Insects – Edible Insects

Creative Director & Illustrator: Simon Hagleitner
Designer: Gerlinde Gruber
Photography: Dominik Geider & Gerlinde Gruber
Project Type: Produced, Commercial Work
Client: ZIRP INSECTS
Location: Vienna, Austria
Packaging Contents: Insects
Packaging Substrate / Materials: Cardboard
Printing Process: Offset

ZIRP INSECTS is an Austrian start-up for edible insects. In 2017 we launched our new product range. We created a cute family of illustrated insects to attract consumers attention and overcome prejudices.

Even though insects are super healthy, taste better than you might think and need way less resources than other live stock, convincing people to give them a shot is still an enormous challenge.

Eating insects is a serious matter. Climate change is threatening humanity and even the United Nations Food Organization FAO is suggesting insects as an alternative low-CO2 protein source. But to make people change their mind on such a delicate matter we needed to reach them on an emotional rather than on a rational level. ZIRP INSECTS tries to help people, to get over their anxiety and disgust with a fun and light-hearted design approach. We address their inner child, showing them that to try something new is fun and rewarding.

Therefore we created a simple and cute family of illustrated insects boldly placed on the packaging. They attract the consumers attention while connotating the topic in a positive way.

What’s Unique?
Regarding the packaging itself, it was very important not lose focus on the serious sustainability idea behind the product. To stay credible towards our buyers, the packaging needed to fit highest environmental standards. Therefore it is produced from recyclable PEFC-certified cardboard. The custom made dieline allows the usage of low paper grammage without compromising the boxes structural integrity. The box works completely without glue and can easily be opened up and flattened. In that way the printable space gets doubled. This allows to add much needed information like cooking-instructions in the boxes inside without wasting valuable resources on extra package inserts.