Today's xkcd posits that a good way to build brand identity would be to label each item with the simple description of its contents, using big black letters on a plain white background.
Readers of a certain age might remember that this is exactly what many of the original "generic" lines did, back in the 70s/80s. You could buy "BEER" or "SOAP" or "BEANS" - plain white wrapper, big black letters. Loblaw's version "No Name", used a yellow background. But, there were no graphics, no branding, nothing but a description of the contents. "Lost" even parodied this with their Dharma brand food packaging.
The stark packaging did distinguish the original generic brand cans from everything else, but it also looked cheap, which made buying those products feel a little risky.
In other words, I'm probably older than the guy who draws xkcd.
Seen the movie ‘They Live’? It’s been done there too.
And I remember buying Public Image Ltd’s album called ‘Cassette’ in 1986. You could also get ‘Album’ and ‘Compact Disc’. Same minimal packaging.
Before there was any PIltd, there was Flipper.
Generic packaging was the first thing I thought of too. I didn’t realize Randall Munroe was so young!
Also: before They Live, before PiL, (after Flipper) there was Repo Man.
nice eye liner, Emilio!
Put it on a plate, dear. You’ll enjoy it more.