I have spent a lot of time thinking about packaging – particularly over the holidays as we all purchase and receive gifts. Companies like Amazon focus on speed and reliability while others like Rue La La put a lot of care into visuals, emotion and even virality (future post coming). As pictures and reviews of the forthcoming Google Nexus One make their way online, I was struck by the care and uniqueness of the packaging and branding by Google / Android. It is clever and powerful. It is also a stark contrast to the blunt and robotic messaging of Droid:

- Droid is here: compromise officially deactivated. (ad here)
- Jump from page to page like a caffeinated cricket in a room full of hungry lizards. (ad here)

Meanwhile, the Nexus One packaging oozes Google’s brand and is more fun than rigid / tough (like the Droid). From the ‘get started’ pamphlet to the start screen to the phone’s casing, it is obvious that this is:
- a Google phone
- an Android device
- is equipped with 10,000s of applications
- has character and funkiness

Engadget has a great review and photo gallery of the Nexus One. Here are a handful that highlight the above points and check out all of the photos on Engadget:

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