One of the 10 finalists in Fresh & Easy's reusable bag design contest is the design (above) by Janeil Lim, of Los Angeles, California.
Lim says this about the inspiration behind the bag's design: "I wanted to represent the diversity and colors that abound in modern day America. I wanted to also highlight through my own creative style the fun and excitement that me and my partner feel whenever we come to fresh&easy and the joy it has brought to our neighborhood. I wanted to create something striking and engaging that makes everyone smile."
We think Janeil Lim achieved all she set out to, based on the inspiration she describes above. And if the design doesn't win first place in the contest, Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market would be smart to create a reusable shopping bag using it, which it can sell in its stores.
Why? Because the multi-culture theme of the design, along with the excellent use of color, depicts the ethnic melting pot that is Southern California, where Tesco's Fresh & Easy is headquartered and where 101 of its 176 stores are located. That's a communications and marketing message the grocer would be wise to associate with its stores, via Janeil Lim's multi-ethnic-themed and colorful reusable bag design.
'Green' Food & Grocery Retailing
El Segundo, California-based Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market's Design-A-Bag reusable shopping bag design contest has ended, and the grocer is asking members of its "friends of fresh & easy" e-mail marketing- loyalty program to vote for their favorite bag, out of 10 finalists it's chosen from the 800 designs submitted in the contest, which began April 5. [See our April 4, 2011 story: Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market to Launch Reusable Bag Design Contest Tomorrow.]
Non-members of "friends of fresh & easy" can vote for their favorite bag designs by signing up for the program, something the grocer hopes people will do so it can add new members to its data base.
This is the second year United Kingdom-based Tesco's Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market has conducted the reusable shopping bag design contest, which it kicks off in April, to tie into Earth Month and Earth Day.
Interestingly, 500-fewer (800) bag designers entered this year's contest, compared to last year, when, according to Fresh & Easy, there were 1,300 submissions.This is despite the fact this year the grocery chain opened the contest to teenagers 13-17. Last year, contestants had to be 18-years-old and above to enter.
Being a legal resident of the U.S. is also required in order to enter.
One theme that resonates among nearly all of this year's 10 designer-finalists is ... using color as an inspiration.
As you can below and see here, many of the finalists' reusable bag designs make ample use of color as part of their respective design elements. Also see Janeil Lim's bag design pictured at top for a good example of using color as part of her multi-cultural-themed bag.
There are some excellent bag designs among the 10 finalists, which should make the choice by the "friends of fresh & easy" members a tough one.
Voting for the contest ends July 10. Tesco's Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market says it will announce the winner and finalists July 26.
The first place winner - last year it was Josephine Close of Southern California - receives $5,000 in multiple Fresh Easy gift cards, which the grocer says represents one-year's worth of groceries. The nine semi- finalists each receive a $100 gift card.
The winner's design will also be turned into a reusable shopping bag by Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market, which it will offer for sale in its stores in California, Nevada and Arizona, beginning later this year, a spokesperson for the grocery chain says.
Josephine Close's winning bag from last year is currently on sale at the 176 Fresh & Easy stores for 79-cents. [See our January 19, 2011 story - January 19, 2011: Customer-Designed Reusable Shopping Bag Now On Sale At Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market Stores. The bag is pictured in the story as well.
Which bag design from these 10 finalists is your favorite? Predictions on which designer will win are welcomed in the comments section.
Related Stories
April 4, 2011: Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market to Launch Reusable Bag Design Contest Tomorrow
January 19, 2011: Customer-Designed Reusable Shopping Bag Now On Sale At Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market Stores
July 27, 2010: The Winner of Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market's Reusable Bag Design Contest Is...
June 17, 2010: Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market Picks Eight Finalists in its Reusable Bag Design Contest; Website Voting Through June 30
April 19, 2010: Tesco's Fresh & Easy Joins Kroger Co. in Holding Earth Month-Earth Day Reusable Bag Design Contest
Also: Click here for a complete selection of stories fom Fresh & Easy Buzz on the reusable shopping bag topic and issue
