10 Inspiring Cardboard Display Designs from Around the World

Cardboard displays are an essential tool in retail marketing, combining both function and creativity to captivate customers. From sleek minimalism to bold, eye-catching designs, cardboard displays offer endless possibilities for showcasing products in innovative ways.

Around the world, brands are using cardboard displays not just for practicality, but to tell a story, engage customers, and create memorable shopping experiences. In this post, we’ll explore 10 inspiring cardboard display designs that push the boundaries of creativity and design.

1. Coca-Cola’s Recyclable Vending Machine Display – USA

Coca-Cola’s cardboard vending machine display is a brilliant fusion of function and design. The display was designed for a promotional event and mimicked the appearance of a real vending machine, all made from recyclable cardboard. The interactive element of the display encouraged customers to try different Coca-Cola flavors, enhancing engagement while promoting sustainability.

Why it’s inspiring: This display not only captured attention with its unique shape but also reinforced the brand’s commitment to eco-friendly practices.

2. IKEA’s Flat-Pack Cardboard Display – Sweden

IKEA is known for its flat-pack furniture, and it brings that same innovative thinking to its retail displays. The brand has created stunning cardboard displays that mimic the look of their famous furniture packaging. These displays are simple to assemble, easy to ship, and highly customizable to suit various product categories, from home accessories to seasonal promotions.

Why it’s inspiring: IKEA’s displays reinforce the brand’s identity and commitment to practicality, while also showcasing the company’s environmentally friendly ethos.

3. Nike’s Interactive Shoe Display – UK

Nike took cardboard displays to the next level by incorporating interactive elements in their shoe displays. At pop-up events, they created large-scale, life-like shoe boxes made of cardboard, which included digital screens. Customers could interact with the display to explore product details, watch promotional videos, and virtually try on shoes.

Why it’s inspiring: The integration of technology with cardboard displays enhanced the customer experience and made the product more engaging.

4. Levi’s Sustainable Cardboard Display – France

Levi’s created a striking sustainable display at a Paris retail event, featuring cardboard mannequins holding their latest jeans collection. The cardboard was sourced from recycled materials, reflecting Levi’s commitment to sustainability. The simplicity of the cardboard mannequins highlighted the jeans and aligned with the brand’s eco-conscious values.

Why it’s inspiring: The minimalist design and eco-friendly materials created a visually appealing and environmentally responsible display.

5. Lush Cosmetics’ Eco-Friendly Pop-Up – Japan

Lush Cosmetics often uses cardboard displays for seasonal campaigns and pop-up events, but their display for a recent campaign in Tokyo truly stood out. They created a large cardboard “bath tub” where their bath bombs and soaps were displayed. The creative and playful design emphasized Lush’s brand persona while also being entirely recyclable.

Why it’s inspiring: The playful, theme-driven design was memorable and helped communicate the brand’s fun and eco-conscious image.

6. Apple’s Minimalist Cardboard Displays – Global

Apple’s retail displays are known for their sleek, minimalist design, and their use of cardboard in promotional displays follows this aesthetic. Using simple, monochrome cardboard structures, they have created sleek podiums and stands to showcase their products. These displays blend seamlessly into the store environment and allow the products to shine.

Why it’s inspiring: Apple’s cardboard displays show that simplicity can be powerful, proving that even the most basic materials can elevate a brand’s aesthetic when done right.

7. The North Face “Explore More” Display – South Korea

The North Face collaborated with cardboard manufacturers to create a unique outdoor-inspired display for their Seoul store. The display mimicked a mini-mountain range made entirely out of cardboard, with jackets and outdoor gear positioned along the slopes. The design was inspired by nature, reinforcing the brand’s focus on adventure and the outdoors.

Why it’s inspiring: The creative use of cardboard to mimic the natural environment not only showcased the products but also connected with the brand’s outdoor ethos.

8. Cadbury’s Giant Chocolate Bar Display – Australia

Cadbury created a fun and playful cardboard display that took the shape of an oversized chocolate bar, designed to showcase its new range of chocolate products. This display was both eye-catching and interactive, inviting shoppers to break off pieces of the giant cardboard chocolate bar, mimicking the real product.

Why it’s inspiring: The fun and interactive element encouraged engagement, making it more than just a display— it was an experience.

9. Volkswagen’s Cardboard Car Display – Germany

Volkswagen is no stranger to innovative display solutions, and one of their most memorable designs involved a full-scale cardboard car. The display, used in a Berlin showroom, was designed to highlight the eco-friendly features of their latest electric model. It was an impressive feat of design, showcasing the car’s sleek lines and features using only cardboard.

Why it’s inspiring: This full-scale display took the idea of a traditional car show display and completely reinvented it, showing how cardboard can be used to create large, functional structures.

10. H&M’s Fashion Forward Cardboard Display – Sweden

H&M used cardboard displays creatively during a fashion campaign promoting their sustainable line. The store featured large cardboard structures resembling shopping bags and clothes racks, designed to emphasize the brand’s commitment to eco-conscious fashion. The display featured a mix of geometric and organic shapes, making it a striking centerpiece in their stores.

Why it’s inspiring: The stylish and modern design conveyed the fashion-forward attitude of the brand while highlighting their sustainable initiative.

Conclusion

Cardboard displays have proven to be a versatile and creative tool in the retail world. From interactive designs to eco-friendly materials, brands around the globe are using cardboard displays to tell their story, engage customers, and create unique in-store experiences. Whether you’re aiming for playful, minimalist, or bold designs, cardboard offers endless possibilities for innovative marketing.

Ready to make an impact with your own cardboard displays? Packwins offers custom-designed, high-quality displays that bring your vision to life. Let’s create something inspiring together!