Ever wondered what a smoky spider-flavored crisp would taste like? Or perhaps you're curious about a Bovril-flavored snack, created to celebrate a movie? This isn't a fever dream; it's a nostalgic journey back to the vibrant world of crisp packet design from the UK between 1970 and 2000.
This era was a golden age of creativity, with packets featuring everything from Chipsticks and Frazzles to the more obscure and rare varieties. The book, 'UK Crisp Packets 1970-2000', a 140-page compendium, is a treasure trove of childhood memories, showcasing a diverse range of designs.
Imagine Dennis the Menace endorsing bacon and baked bean flavors, alongside Golden Wonder's roast turkey and stuffing crisps. Or, picture Sonic the Hedgehog promoting salt and vinegar crisps! You'll also discover long-forgotten regional brands and special editions tied to iconic TV shows and films like the Spice Girls, Thunderbirds, and even Dr. Who.
This collection, curated by artist Chris Packet, is nothing short of eclectic. The designs range from straightforward to bizarre, like a Union Jack-themed cheese and onion packet celebrating the 1981 royal wedding or even comic strips reminiscent of seaside postcards.
But here's where it gets controversial... The book highlights the sheer range of lettering, illustrations, cartoons, and styles that feel playful and sometimes even cool. An early packet of Discos, with its wavy lines and 3D lettering, is as alluring as a record sleeve. Odduns, a cheeseburger-flavored snack, boasts a complex, geometrically impossible triangular shape. The influence of Pink Floyd's 'Dark Side of the Moon' cover is undeniable.
The story behind this collection began in 2018, when Packet stumbled upon a decades-old pickled onion Space Raiders packet in a disused London train tunnel. The packet, marked at 10p, had been remarkably preserved, sparking his interest. He then began collecting more, scouring the internet and receiving contributions from friends, including a packet found in a World War II bunker.
"My criteria is the artwork," Packet says. "I'm from a graffiti and art background, so I'm interested in design." He points to the evolution of Space Raiders packets, comparing the original by Brett Ewins, a renowned comic book artist, to modern versions. "It's like they've forgotten about the art of design," he adds.
Packet's book aims to memorialize this golden era. "After 2000, packets just lost something," he says. "Anything that looks like a 3D, computer-aided design model doesn’t appeal at all. You obviously lose a lot of character and detail with that.”
Annebella Pollen, a professor of visual and material culture, provides the foreword, emphasizing that these humble packets tell an alternative history, touching on gender representation and the decline of regional companies. She also notes the shift of crisps from bar snacks to kids' lunch boxes. Crisp nostalgia, Pollen believes, taps into those early moments of autonomy, like choosing what goes in your lunchbox.
And this is the part most people miss... These packets, though empty, are filled with memories, representing those early choices that were uniquely our own.
What are your favorite crisp packet memories? Do you agree that design has declined, or do you appreciate modern aesthetics? Share your thoughts in the comments!
