Harry’s, a UK-based toiletries company, has added comic strips to their mystery item program.
Harry’s introduced the Mystery Item programme to their online retail experience in 2018, one year after the brand was founded. It has now become a permanent offer and has risen to become their second most popular product.
Items that the customer has ordered previously in the last year are omitted from selection, ensuring that they receive something new and different.
The product inside is hand-selected, ranging from bathroom and washing essentials to limited-edition items such as coloured razor handles.
“One of Harry’s goals as a brand is to surprise and delight our customers,” they said. “We are showing we are intentional about our customers receiving something special and tailored to them.”
Originally the packaging was just silver foil.
The initial Mystery Item wrapping prioritised a loose-fitting form in order not to prematurely reveal the contents.
Whilst Harry’s replaced the plain, reflective surface from the original packaging with the graphic panels, the pouch-like shape that masks the product inside was retained.
“The comic works to obscure the product, while adding a certain wink of fun to the consumer,” explained the brand.
The comic strips by Janne Iivonen set up a certain anticipation before opening the package.
Janne is an award winning Finnish freelance illustrator currently based in Brighton, UK.
His work is characterised by dynamic compositions, vibrant colour schemes and precise & clear line-work in the tradition of ligne claire. His fun and optimistic illustrations often feature a cast of unique characters depicted in a variety of everyday situations. His main source of inspiration stems from his daily observations of people and life around him, which adds a sense of relevance and realism to his work. Janne is most adept at illustrating the current zeitgeist with it’s fashions, technologies and habits, which feature prominently in his work.