How brands are throwing out the rulebook and winning big with packaging that makes you do a double take.

I’ve always had a soft spot for things that look like one thing but are actually another.

Maybe I should explain. As a kid, my prized possession was a Batman PEZ dispenser—a brooding Caped Crusader’s head flipping back to reveal tiny candies, somehow making sugar consumption feel heroic. That dispenser is probably worth a decent chunk of change on eBay now—if only I knew what happened to it…or my vintage 45 RPM singles…or my extensive collection of Hot Wheels cars.

It wasn’t just PEZ. I loved pens shaped like syringes, coin banks disguised as soda cans, and my alarm clock that looked like mini spaceship (which made waking up for school slightly more bearable). I even dreamed of having a bed shaped like the Batmobile—because who wouldn’t? I once saw a cigarette lighter shaped like a handgun. But that may be a little too on the nose.

Turns out, my childhood fascination with playful deception has found a new home in modern marketing. Enter chaos packaging—the delightful, rebellious trend that’s making products irresistible by making them look like, well, anything but what they are.

What Is Chaos Packaging?
Chaos packaging is the art of presenting products in forms that defy their categories. It’s the packaging equivalent of wearing a tuxedo to a beach party—bold, unexpected, and impossible to ignore. This rebellious spirit has become a quirky hallmark of modern marketing.

Michael J. Miraflor, an American marketing and venture capital consultant, coined the term in 2023 after noticing brands ditching traditional packaging for designs that challenge consumer expectations. The trend has since been covered in the Wallstreet Journal and the London Times. Think Moschino’s Fresh Couture perfume in a Windex-like spray bottle—an early disruptor that helped set the stage for today’s packaging anarchy.

Grabbing Attention in a Blink-and-Miss World

We live in an age of scrolling, swiping, and skimming. Chaos packaging breaks the dreaded consumer auto-pilot, forcing shoppers to stop, stare, and engage. In retail, that’s a very good thing.

Potts’, a UK-based brand, saw this firsthand when it started packaging its gravies and stocks in beer-style cans. The result? A 70% sales surge and expanded listings in major supermarkets like Waitrose and Tesco, selling 2.5 million cans annually.

Engine, an Italian brand, sells its organic gin in metal cans designed to look like motor oil containers, challenging traditional liquor packaging norms.

In South Korea, Samyang Ramen embraced the trend with limited-edition ramen packaged in ice cream tubs, sparking endless conversations and social media posts.

And then there’s Liquid Death, the water brand in beer cans that skyrocketed to a $1.4 billion valuation in 2024, proving that sometimes, looking like the opposite of what you are is exactly what sells.

Vacation’s sunscreen in whipped cream cans generated 5 million TikTok views weekly, turning SPF application into a viral sensation.

And the strategy even extends to personal products: Germany’s Einhorn condoms come in crisp-like bags, and Flo’s tampons are tucked inside ice cream tubs—because why shouldn’t a pharmacy aisle feel like a supermarket snack or freezer section?

Visually intriguing packaging isn’t just about aesthetics; it encourages user-generated content. People can’t resist sharing something unexpected, and in an era where social media drives discovery, chaos packaging is the ultimate attention hack for brands.

Nostalgia and Novelty Collide

Chaos packaging leverages cognitive dissonance—the mental hiccup we experience when reality clashes with expectation—like a good punchline or a magic trick. It’s this surprise that creates memorable brand experiences and enhances recall.

Moschino’s household cleaner-inspired perfume bottles blend high fashion with everyday mundanity, while Process Coffee’s VHS tape boxes hit Gen Xers and Millennials with a wave of nostalgia, ensuring no one forgets what’s brewing inside.

And then there’s Oshun’s electrolyte concentrate, packaged in soap dispensers, turning hydration into an oddly satisfying ritual. When a product surprises us, we remember it. And in marketing, memory is half the battle won.

Functional Disruption with a Twist

Chaos packaging isn’t just about shock value; it’s also about functionality. Novelty combined with ease of use is a winning formula.

Take Graza’s olive oil in squeeze bottles—disrupting the high-end olive oil market by making drizzling as easy as squeezing ketchup on fries. Or No Normal Coffee in Switzerland, offering instant coffee in squeezable tubes, perfect for caffeine fixes on mountain hikes. Even Potts’ beer-can gravy turns holiday dinners into a delightful “pass the… uh, beer gravy?” moment.

How Marketers Can Embrace Chaos Packaging 

• Think Outside the Box (Literally): Don’t just redesign—reimagine. What would your product look like in packaging from a completely unrelated category?
• Stay True to Your Brand: Unconventional design should reflect your brand’s personality. 
• Leverage Nostalgia: Tap into memories. If your product evokes childhood joy or retro charm, you may be onto something.
• Prioritize Functionality: Chaos packaging becomes even more compelling when it can also enhance usability. Oshun’s electrolyte concentrate in soap dispensers balances aesthetics with user convenience.
• Prepare for Virality: Design for social media. Packaging that sparks curiosity is packaging that gets shared.
• Test Market Reactions: Conduct focus groups or limited releases to gauge responses. Feedback helps refine your approach and avoid pitfalls.

Final Thoughts: Embrace the Chaos

In a world full of sameness, chaos packaging is the shake-up we didn’t know we needed. It’s playful, memorable, and, when done right, wildly successful. 

So go ahead—channel your inner child and imagine sweaters in cereal boxes, juice in shampoo bottles or a suitcase shaped like a washing machine. A little chaos never hurt anyone—unless, perhaps, if you mistake your gin for motor oil.

Sources:

• Michael J. Miraflor on Chaos Packaging
• The Times – Chaos Packaging Trend
• Wall Street Journal – Chaos Packaging