The original design of the Jack in the Box burger/sandwich wrap had been in use for many years.

The goal of this redesign was not only to revamp the graphics and create a system that would ultimately help with order efficiency.

The designs initially proposed by the advertising agency David & Goliath, albeit bold and exciting, weren’t entirely feasible from a financial or print production standpoint. It was my job to figure out how to amend these designs and work with the packaging vendors to make sure everything was ready for press when the time came.

Before we nailed down the final designs for the sandwich wraps, we had to figure out the appropriate text and graphic sizing and the right amount of space from the edges. In addition, it was important that once a sandwich was wrapped, the product name was still clearly visible and legible. Since it was too costly to print samples this early in the process, and the Operations team wanted to test out different sizes and spacing, I devised a creative workaround. Using tracing paper, which had a similar consistency as the actual wraps, I made rough mockups to help us find the right size and placement of the final elements.

Based on the findings from the initial tracing paper mockups, I began working on the rest of the design. To help with order speed and accuracy, we tested the use of graphic icons to help denote ingredient substitutions and whether an order was placed inside the restaurant or in the drive-thru. The Operations team also requested that we make each of the four quadrants distinctly different, creating visual cues for restaurant staff in addition to the product name (i.e., solid blue quadrant = Chicken Sandwich). So, strategically using color and patterns, I created four distinct quadrants.

As with the earlier tracing paper trials, it was essential to test how these would look once wrapped. This round of testing ensured the quadrant graphics were still clearly visible and identifiable once a sandwich was wrapped in the packaging. After reviewing this example above, we felt that the quadrant graphics needed to cover more surface area. At the same time, we still needed to be mindful of the amount of ink being used to stay on budget and ensure the new ingredient icons were large enough to print clearly on press.

At this stage, I was working on finalizing the designs and working with the packaging vendors to ensure everything would run smoothly once we went to press. I had found a happy medium with the ink usage so that each quadrant had more color/graphics and simplified and boldened some ingredient icons to avoid filling in on press. We were now ready for one last round of testing!

Before we were ready to have printing plates made, the Operations team wanted one more set of test wraps to try out. It was far too expensive and wasteful to have print plates made, but it was also vital that we have a substrate similar to that of the final product. Working with the vendors, we were able to come up with a cost-effective solution by having them print samples on a tracing paper/vellum material on an office-grade laser printer.

When I returned to freelancing for Jack in the Box in 2021, it had been a year and a half since I last worked with the brand. They had recently undergone a brand refresh, including revised graphics, color palette, and overall aesthetic. Having worked on the last packaging refresh, I was asked to help update the sandwich wraps with the new brand elements and compose a strategy for how to update the rest of the suite; bags, cups, boxes, etc.