Grape Solar’s new GoCharger™ line gets a visual boost with the heavy-duty Rhyno power unit.
Solar power is steadily growing in popularity as a clean way to supplement the ever-growing energy needs of our society. It is not unusual to see solar panels on homes and businesses as people try to help combat rising energy costs, but in most cases, the panels are large, stationary, and require expert installation. What if you could harness the power of the sun to recharge your cell phone on a hike? Or run a cooler on a camping trip instead of bringing along bags of ice? Grape Solar in Eugene, Oregon is making it possible for us to do just that with their new series of GoCharger products.
We recently had the opportunity to work with Grape Solar to design the packaging for their new heavy-duty Rhyno 500 portable power system. While this unit won’t just clip onto your backpack like the GoCharger 7.5, it will gladly stay behind at your campsite and store power for you to use in any number of ways. You can use it to recharge your tablet, smartphone, or digital camera. You can power a laptop for 5 hours or run a CPAP machine overnight. Since the Rhyno 500 has a built-in 40 Ah Lithium Ion battery, it will continue to provide you with electricity even after the sun goes down. It has a sturdy carry case for easy, safe transport and storage, and it makes a great addition to any outdoor adventure or disaster preparedness plan.
Since the Rhyno 500 case is perfectly capable of protecting the system, there was no need to package it in an additional box for display in retail locations. In order to provide product information and discourage tampering, Grape Solar asked us to design a wrap to enclose the case in the store. The finished wrap runs underneath the handle to keep it positioned and prevent opening the case. The packaging has a bold, simple design with clearly visible product information.
Much of the inspiration for the style of the wrap comes from the product name and description. Key concepts like “Heavy Duty”, “Durable”, “Simple” and of course the “Rhyno” itself are represented in the design elements of the finished packaging. Dark colors with a stone texture communicate a sense of solid durability. The rhinoceros, beyond the obvious product name tie-in, evokes power and strength.
This type of portable solar generator is going to be a completely new idea to most shoppers, so the packaging should grab people’s attention and then immediately answer their questions about the nature of the product and its capabilities.
Grape Solar is rethinking the applications of solar power to make it a realistic and easy solution for people on the go. Maybe you aren’t ready to commit to a solar conversion of your home (if you are, Grape Solar can certainly help you with that too), but it’s easy to imagine how having the ability to tap into the sun — to keep your devices working when there are no outlets handy — might make your next outdoor experience that much better.
Stay tuned for more fun, innovative, and portable solutions from Grape Solar.
The new Rhyno 500 power unit packaging…
“DesignPoint was able to take our short product description and create a truly unique and attractive design. The retail package for our RHYNO-500 case exceeded our expectations. The design lets our customers know what the product is and how it is used, as well as portraying the image of a rugged and high-quality piece of equipment. DesignPoint’s attention to detail allowed us to get the package right the first time. We are very pleased with both their professionalism and creative minds.”
— Sara Thomas, Grape Solar