The Beat Is Real with Ernest Packaging's Cardboard Drum Kit

Ernest Packaging Solutions is taking its cardboard designs to a whole new level with its newest Cardboard Chaos creation – a drum kit made entirely out of cardboard – that shows its mettle when played by Stone Temple Pilots’ drummer Eric Kretz.

The drums follow previous Cardboard Chaos innovations that include an authenticated cardboard Fender Stratocaster, a cardboard skateboard that stood up to a Tony Hawk vertical-ramp ride, a surfboard wave tested on the beaches of Los Angeles and a snowboard for the Signal Snowboard team. The idea behind the series, created in partnership with Ernest’s agency Liquid and Signal Productions, is to demonstrate how Ernest Packaging is moving the packaging industry forward with a focus on solving complex problems with an eco-friendly use of plain old paper.

“What better way to show the evolution of packaging in today’s Amazon-delivery driven environment than to build seemingly impossible products out of cardboard,” explained Tim Wilson, president of Ernest Packaging. “Every day our customers come to us with complex packaging issues from supply chain management to packaging design and more. By building drums, guitars and skateboards that actually work, we are proving our ability to bring innovation to our industry and our customers.”

The new Ernest Cardboard Drum Kit was created by an integrated team that included Ernest’s director of design solutions Mike Martinez, in partnership with drum craftsman Sahir Hanif, founder of Masters of Maple. It took the team over a year to build the drum set but the finished product stands up to the hard-rock beating of drummer Eric Kretz of Stone Temple Pilots.

“The Cardboard Chaos series has enabled us to deliver the ultimate in product demonstration in an entertaining way through an ever-expanding vision for how cardboard can be crafted in highly customizable ways,” explained Scott Gardner, CEO of Liquid. “This is part of an integrated marketing campaign we have created with Ernest, Signal Productions and MK&R that includes a wide variety of content designed to educate the Ernest customer and also attract new talent into the company.”

As Ernest’s longtime lead agency partner, Liquid with Signal Productions concepted the Cardboard Chaos series. For the new Drum campaign Liquid, Signal and social media agency MK&R are managing all logistics, scripting, storyboarding, and production. The agency group is also rolling out a wide array of social and digital content across YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and LinkedIn, as well as creating blog posts, integrating the work on the Ernest website and creating communications for employee channels.