The HangTag Blog Awards: 2 in 10

Hello and welcome to the HangTagBlog Awards! This will be our second major awards presentation! In case you are unfamiliar, the award scheme is here. This will be a second 2 in 10 award, covering hangtags 21 through 40.

Although the posting schedule remains slow and somewhat varied, these entries are all at least from 2016, so a major improvement from the previous go around. Let's see who the nominees are this time:

#31 - Stoosh
#32 - Carter's Little Collections "Christmas Tree"
#33 - Carter's Little Collections "Wolf"
#34 - Harper
#35 - Michael Kors "Jet Set"
#36 - Joe B by Joe Benbasset
#37 - Summer Oasis
#38 - Cat and Jack
#39 - Star Wars "Union Suit"
#40 - Old Navy "Active"

Wow - when I first started looking over this post, I was worried that I would struggle to find any to award. When I compiled this list, though, I realized that the opposite is true. What a collection!

I ooh'd and aah'd over the super cute designs of the Carter's pair, especially in light of the fact that typically Carter's has terribly designed hang tags. I also praised the Harper tag for clean and simple design that spoke volumes about the product and set the tone perfectly. Summer Oasis scored points for being surprisingly coherent and complicated, and was likewise a clean and focused design. On top of that, the Cat and Jack set really caught my eye, and looked much more expensive than they should have.

Ultimately, both Cat and Jack and Summer Oasis are going to be the winners here. If you put the baby items next to each other, Carter's is relying heavily on one cute design element on an otherwise bland tag, while Cat and Jack is a really great, all encompassing design. Summer Oasis also bumps up next to Harper in a really direct way, and for my money the Harper hang tag is solid but can't quite hang with this crowd. Summer Oasis meanwhile, has a bright, intricate design that matches with the clothing, and also contained the stylish front back wrap around.

The Honorable Mention this 2 in 10 is definitely the Stoosh tag. One of my truest inspirations is Paul Lukas over at Uni-Watch, and his side project of Groom-it, and this hang tag contained a very nice implementation of the ubiquitous metal ring.

Hang Tag Review #37 - Summer Oasis

I've previously written about Target's Xhiliration House Brand, but this one is a sub brand (or maybe a collection is what Target wants you to call it) of Xhiliration. It is on their website here. The front has the name of the collection and the year, flanked by colorful flowery designs. The reverse has the full pattern.

If it isn't clear already, I like this hang tag. A lot. The front is excellent, simple and clean. It very clearly states the collection name, and gives a date for reference. Adding the date adds a bit of exclusivity and rarity, which is enjoyable. It avoid becoming pretentious, however, by not adding a YoungEST or other silly 'classic' elements.

I also find the way the pattern wraps around to the front of the tag to be really nice. I like the colors and design, and the way it sits on the solid black is nice. One of my favorite parts, however, is the way the hang tag design so clearly complements the actual clothing patterns as well. If you review the Target website, you can see that the same pattern is used on this dress.

This all should be taken with a bit of a caveat, however, as the only reason this tag looks so clean is because it is on the same hanger as the house brand tag. If it were by itself, it would almost certainly  add in some extra information that would clutter and take away from the overall appearance. Still, this is a great find and surprise for a Target brand hang tag.

Xhilaration Hang Tag

Xhilaration is Target’s house brand that they slap on everything from swimsuits to lamps. It seems to be aimed squarely at the female from 18-24 set, as the items are mostly trendy clothing pieces and dorm-chic furniture. Eiffel Tower desk lamp? Xhilaration. Faux vintage Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Tee? Xhilaration.

Marketing commentary aside, this hang tag takes the same shape as the Calvin Klein Jeans one from earlier. It is long and hangs vertically. The front is mostly pink, a bright background shade with a slightly darker filigree design. The design is nice. It is actually subtle and tasteful, unlike many of the products it adorns.

The text is interesting as well. All lower case, but the font is a spectacularly poor choice. The letters are all drawn loopily and occasionally connected. However, the most prominent letter, the first, consists of stark straight lines. It does not connect, and in fact is the only thing set at 45 degrees on the entire hang tag.

There is also a balance issue on the front, with both the wordmark and the filigree design occupying the bottom portion. Thus, the top is a naked flat pink. This may have worked if the hanging hole was centered, but off to the side, it just lacks balance.

The reverse is an absolute mess. We start with a horrific use of a QR Code. Why include one at all? The front uses consistently soft lines, the back is a high contrast machine readable code. Below it is obnoxious ad copy, which includes a second facebook web address. The icing on the cake is the final line, however, which explains that if you do not have a scanner capable of reading the QR code, you can download the Target app, which has one. It is mind boggling that Target would need three overlapping ways to get you to visit their facebook page.

The bar code and sizing information section is nicely done. It all fits in a compact space, and is generally readable.  It is a rare bright spot, however, as the reverse contains an additional sticker space, presumably for discounts.

It should be obvious from the above, but I’m not a fan of this hang tag. While the thought is there, it was clearly overrun by the need to throw in as many references to social media as possible. This hang tag is selling Target’s facebook page more than its clothing, and that is a shame.