Building a Biscuit Business a series of activities

Designing a Biscuit

Biscuit Catalogue, 1884 Early biscuits may not have been chocolate covered, but they came in many shapes

Biscuit Catalogue, 1884 More playful shapes – who were these biscuits intended for?

Biscuit Catalogue, about Some fancy iced biscuits. Most working-class people would not have been able to afford such varieties

Afternoon Tea Display Tin, unknown date This case was probably used in a shop display The biscuits in silver foil are probably chocolate covered

Biscuit Catalogue, 1884 Some savoury biscuits

Cocktail Biscuit Catalogue, 1930s More savoury kinds – who were these designed to appeal to?

Packaging a Biscuit

a. Wrappers

Sample Booklet of Biscuit Wrappers, 1930s Each of these wrappers from the 1930s is distinctive, yet they belong to a single ‘family’. How does the designer create this effect?

Foil Biscuit Wrappers, 1936 A slightly more expensive range

Foil Biscuit Wrappers, 1933 A variety of shapes, sizes and designs

Sample Booklet of Biscuit Wrappers, 1930s Coloured and patterned silver foil gives a richness which is lacking in many foil-wrapped modern biscuits

Foil Biscuit Wrappers, 1933 These bright and bold designs also include some carefully drawn images

b. Rectangular Tins

Speciality Tin, 1880s An early rectangular tin, but with very elaborate and attractive patterning

Miniature Tin Design, 1933 Preliminary designs by a Huntley, Boorne & Stevens artist for the Miniature Breakfast Biscuit Tin, including full measurements

Breakfast Biscuits Miniature Tin, 1933 The completed tin

Working Drawing for 'Cries of London' Tin, 1973 Another design board for a tin featuring various street sellers

Biscuit Tin Design, about 1974 A design – but not a working design –this is to illustrate an idea; working drawings will follow if approved

Biscuit Catalogue, 1890s Many tins had simple paper covers, though few of these have survived These covers have a simple text and a coloured background with decorative touches

Iron Chest, Even using a rectangular shape you can create a ‘novelty’ design

Chinese Lacquer Tea Caddy, 1924 Another attractive novelty design, using a rectangular tin

1934 Assorted A bright, bold design from the 1930s

1934 Assorted This is the base of the same tin – the designer uses the space to illustrate the tin’s contents

Christmas Catalogue, 1936 These pages show a range of simple tin shapes, all of which utilize the same design conception

Jacob's Cream Cracker Tin A simple, immediately recognizable design – why do you think it works?

c. Novelty Tin Designs

Christmas Sheet, 1925 Tins like these were intended to be toys after use

Perambulator, 1930 Most novelty tins have a basic rectangular shape Adding a set of wheels transforms them into a pram, or …

Motor Van, … a van Which of these tins were intended for boys – and which for girls?

Farmhouse, 1931 A tin of biscuits such as this (and maybe a set of model farm animals) would have been a dream Christmas present for most children in the 1930s

Houseboat, A nice idea – but would it float?

Reading Boat Tin Advert, 1927 Another nautical idea - note the name of this ship! Finding a place for the lid is often difficult when you have a fancy design like this

Kitchen Range, 1926 Tins designed for children were often filled with small Iced Gem biscuits This tin is in the shape of an everyday object, but other were much more fantastical …

Coronation Coach, …such as this coach produced to celebrate the coronation Which would you have preferred? Why?

The Winner, late 1930s A unusual design - the race horses visible through the window can be spun around Was this designed for children or adults?

Advertisements

Advert, 1840s An early advert – no pictures, no slogans – just basic information

Nursery Biscuits advert, about An early use of photography in an advert

Advertising Sheet, around 1900 A very colourful image – why was it chosen?

'Early Flight' picture card, around 1910 One of a series of small picture cards Who were these cards designed to appeal to?

Afternoon Biscuits Advertising Sheet, This advert combines information with more modern techniques such as colourful pictures and jingles – “They must be H&P’s”

Jackie Coogan Biscuits, around 1921 H&P were keen to link their biscuits with film stars. Why? Jackie Coogan starred in the 1921 film The Kid with Charlie Chaplin

Shortbreads, Biscuits and Cakes Catalogue, 1929 Like today, many adverts use ‘glamorous’ images to sell their product …

Advertising Sheet, probably 1930s … while others are aimed at the ‘housewife’

Newspaper Advert, 1963 Many advertising campaigns also use free gifts and competitions to add to their appeal