TheHangTagBlog Year End Awards

Yes, even here at TheHangTagBlog we have a year end awards list. For our first year the selection is limited, so we will simply feature our top three hang tags for 2013.

Third Runner-Up: Calvin Klein Jeans Hang Tag

This wasn't my favorite hang tag this year by far, and I knocked it for the poorly implemented web address. However, the otherwise clean and simple design shows well, and is smartly executed. This hang tag also deserves praise for the quality materials used in its construction.

Second Runner-Up: Under Armour Cold Black "Fold Out" Hang Tag

This hang tag rated highly on several design counts.I especially praised the miniature vignette on the front, which worked well from a visual design standpoint as well as the product feature and marketing standpoint. The use of grey scale was also expert. There was a lot of design in this one, but also some constraint. Small points off for the repetitive feature list on the interior, as well as the somewhat boring reverse, but otherwise a favorite of mine this year.




Grand Prize for Achievement in Hang Tag Design: Izod Varsity Fleece Hang Tag

This was, far and away, my favorite this year. Strong, clean lines, clear branding, and restrained design. There are no gimmicks here, just a hang tag befitting a much more expensive product. The two tone red detailing garnered rave reviews, as did the placement of the text and the logo. Even the punch out hole for the zip tie was seemingly well thought out. When my major gripes are that the retailer price sticker covers too much of the hang tag, you know you are on to something.







And that concludes this year's awards list. Congratulations to all the winners, who win absolutely nothing but my accolades! Still, by my count this is the world's premier source of hang tag design and commentary, so that really means these are the highest awarded designs for 2013.

Under Armour Cold Black “Fold Out” Hang Tag

 This hang tag from sportswear maker Under Armour has a sharp front. Check out the way the varied greys form a horizon, with a sun flair coming over it. The sun is casting light on the Cold Black word mark, which leaves a shadow in front. This serves two purposes: it gives the hang tag some great depth, and additionally it plays on the “black out the sun” tagline below. Very rarely is such an interesting scene set on a hang tag. Furthermore, the greyscale is nicely implemented.

The inside of the fold out gives the product information. Under Armour believes this coldblack technology to be worth explaining, and does so. The use of greys is consistent with the front, although the white text over a fading background has varying levels of readability.

The inside features two pages, both French and English. Surely a cost-saving measure first and foremost, as otherwise the repeated language is a waste of space.

The reverse is more standard UA fare. The extra dark black stands in sharp contrast to the rest of the tag. Also, the deep blue size information just adds to the overall gloominess. The yellow “UA RUNNING” sticker on the, while out of place, at least is in the same area of the color sphere.

The front of this tag is exceptional, and truly a favorite. The level of design and attention to detail are more than enough to make up for a somewhat lackluster reverse side. Bravo to whomever drew this one up.

Estate Polo Booklet Hang Tag

This is an interesting hang tag. ‘Estate’ is a discount label selling at Macy’s, and they offer a pretty good  variety of hang tags. This one here is for a polo shirt. It is a booklet style hang tag. The front is a dark blue with gold lettering. This hang tag mimes Polo Ralph Lauren’s use of “The” as an authoritative identifier. The use of estate is certainly a classy touch, but it adds a layer of ambiguity. Is this an “estate” polo that has been with the family for generations? Is it meant to be worn to a residence that is categorizes as an “estate?” Is it like fine wine?

While the use of estate is unclear the indented perception is not. The laurel wreath and shield in gold foil, the deep blue back ground, and the gold lettering all imply old money, high society fashion.

The front folds open to reveal a solid blue reverse, and the underlying page is a traditional feature tag. The symbols used are the same as on this Greg Norman one, except that the sun is slightly different (I actually prefer the abstracted rays on this one).

The feature tag is the same on both sides, and as such only one is reproduced here. The inverse coloring is consistent to the front, but does not carry the same panache. Also, is the white lettering at the bottom in negative, or is it the blue symbols at the top? Impossible to tell.

The funny ambiguities in this hang tag are either sloppy work, or smartly subversive. I’m going with the former, based on the similarities between this discount brand and other tags featured here. One thing that really bugs me is the mismatched fonts used in the feature titles and the rest of the tag. I like the serif font much more in this application.

I’m also not a huge fan of the odd “booklet” design. Why have a “peek-under” feature tag if the front and reverse are going to be identical, and the reverse of the top layer is blank? There is essentially two pages of information, conveyed in four.

Victoria’s Secret Pink Hang Tag

This is another simple hang tag, from Victoria’s Secret’s Pink line. The front is fairly simple and straightforward, just the outline letters in Victoria’s Secret pink. All the text is stacked at the bottom, leaving a lot of empty space at the top.

The reverse is incredibly bleak. Most of the numbers and text are completely unintelligible to the average consumer. Even the sizing information is not very clear, with a simple S and P. The only thing that is clear, however, is the price.

This hang tag is fine in and of itself, but it does not fit the product at all. Lingerie, and especially fancy, expensive lingerie from Victoria’s Secret, is supposed to be of the highest class and quality. This hang tag is workmanlike and cheap. Furthermore, underwear from Victoria’s Secret is generally impractical for everyday situations, instead it usually is a luxury item bought for a special occasion. This hang tag is the exact opposite.

Greg Norman for Tasso Elba “Slim Fit” Hang Tag

This hang tag is for Greg Norman’s line of golf clothes, specifically a slim fit polo. This tag has some bright, catchy colors. First and foremost is the almost neon lime green. Neon has been making a comeback in athletic wear, most famously the Nike neon yellow that adorned their London Olympic shoes. Greg Norman’s use of green capitalizes on that trend, stands out to the consumer, and uses a color that relates well to golf.

Norman also has the benefit of the well establish shark logo, made from a line drawing of various neons. This is a traditional treatment of this logo, appearing on Greg Norman’s wine bottles. Although sometimes done in white, here it stands out in the neons.

The colors are important. “Shark” and “Greg Norman” well overpower the Tasso Elba brand. Tasso Elba, in fact, appears as simply a sewing company underneath the bold, bright Norman marks. Also, the shimmery gold fades quickly under the primary neon colors of the rest of the hang tag.

Play Dry, presumably another moisture wicking technology after Under Armour, appears as well. The reverse tells us that Play Dry is a trademark of Reebok. Thus, we see Play Dry, Reebok, Shark, Greg Norman, Tasso Elba, and the Shark logo as competing brands, all on one hang tag.

The reverse contains the aforementioned trademark information, as well as the currently popular “feature icons” in wide use in the industry. Oddly enough, “Easy Care” shows a washing machine. If “machine washable” counts of “easy care” in athletic wear these days, one must wonder how professionals stay outfitted.

The UPF information under the sun is a sticker. It may not be easily visible in the attached photos. The somewhat generic “excellent UV protection” language lead me to believe that it used to contain stronger language, and after complaints about deceptive advertising, it was hastily covered with the sticker. I was surprised, however, when I removed it and found it blank. It must have been instead for the easy change out if some items are UPF 30 or other designations.

This hang tag also contains a false booklet effect. The green “slim fit” appears to be a second piece of cardboard, but instead it is simply a different color.

I generally like the colors and layout of this hang tag, but it is overall very busy. Probably too much so. Also, the excessive piling on of trademarks and brands dilutes the product. Is it Reebok quality? Is it famous golfer Greg Norman? Is it Tasso Elba? Who knows? I’m also not a fan of the feature icons, but that is less offensive. What I do like, however, is the faux booklet style. Well executed and a stylish touch.

Vera Bradley Grand Traveler Hang Tag

This hang tag is from a Vera Bradley bag. Although apparel is probably the most common use, hang tags appear on all sorts of products. Purses, bags, and handbags are closely related to apparel anyways.

This one comes from a “Grant Traveler” bag. The front is a matte green, with the brand name in flowing cursive. Vera Bradley is known for its bright, colorful prints, and the stores are awash in sunny pastels. Thus, the single tone hang tag is somewhat incongruous. The cursive is well executed. It is flowing and full of flourish, which calls to mind letters written by well-heeled ladies, exactly the clientele that Vera Bradley markets too.

The reverse is plain as well. The product name leads, but almost more important for a Vera Bradley is the “pattern” name. Here we have Boysenberry. The names of the patterns deserve their own column, surely, but in this context they can be understood as tangentially descriptive. Still, Vera Bradley has done a good job of setting up both a “buy the matching set” and a “collect them all” approach to their color schemes.

I like this tag. It is unexpected, as high end luxury goods often spawn the overdone, unnecessary hang tags. Here, Vera Bradley is understated, with simple elegancy. I also appreciate the somewhat stark, but entirely practical, reverse side. The only issue I have with this type of a hang tag is that on larger items (such as luggage pieces) it has the potential to easily be lost in the folds. In a store that sells Vera Bradley exclusively, this is fine, but anywhere else it becomes problematic. Also, for the dedicated gift buyer, these small hang tags can easily become a nightmare. Nonetheless, this is overall a nicely done hang tag.

Nautica Jeans “Fauxback” Hang Tag

This is a hang tag by Nautica Jeans company, which normally appears on jeans. This is an example of a purely decorative hang tag. It offers no information about the product, the company that produced it, or anything else of use to the shopper.

What it does say, albeit in a roundabout way, is that these are an expensive pair of pants. A frivolous tag is an expense in and of itself, plus this one is printed on then, woven cloth. It was attached to the jeans with a thick braided cord.

As for the design, it is two tone, featured a deep navy blue printed on an odd golden color. The printing is deliberately distressed. The distressing on the front is less appealing as it is obviously overdone. On the reverse, however, I kind of like the ways some of the letters and numbers are illegible.

I like less the “surplus” style design. I think it is overdone and out of place here. A company that was founded in 1999 would never have used a tag such as this, unless it was created specifically as a “fauxback.”

Hang tags such as this are tough. Unlike most hang tags, which deliciously blend utilitarian and artistic elements, this hang tag has no such constraints. Thus, it loses a lot of appeal to me. On the other hand, I must admit that the design and execution are nice.

Where this one really loses me is that it is so unauthentic. This is an example of a company trying to be something it is not, and that is somewhat unforgivable

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