My design concept was to make the packaging itself a directly related part of the overall presentation of the product within. The box, in essence, could function like a landing ship, complete with a frontal opening from which the tank could be extracted.
To build my design, I researched the ships that brought the tanks to their beach landing zones in WWII.
The design of box needed to represent the shape, color, markings and function of an LST. I designed the shape to look like the forward hull of the landing ship. The color needed to be navy grey, and I added hull markings like welding lines, painted insignia, and even some single-dimensional deck guns to give the presentation greater context and familiarity. Finally, the box needed to open at the front of the bow, like a real LST., with the bow opening outwards to release the tank. This required a pull-tab solution that would keep the product secure but also allow for easy opening without damaging the box.
Final assembled product. Note the pull tab with instructions on the back side of the box needed to properly remove the contents.
