Sealed Air turns to public to pick next Bubble Wrap design

Few things stay constant in the ever-changing world of logistics. But for over 50 years, there was one thing shippers (and receivers) could take for granted: The ubiquitous Bubble Wrap was a clear cushioning material with pearl-shaped air pockets, or "cells."

That changed with a loud "pop" in 2016 when parent company Sealed Air Corp. launched Bubble Wrap IB Expressions, an inflate-on-demand line that offered bubbles in the shape of hearts, smiley faces, and smiling stars. The company soon added colors and text-based options, such as "Happy Holidays" and "Merry Christmas." And plans are now under way to expand the line.

In January, Sealed Air invited consumers to cast their ballots in its "Pop the Vote" contest to pick the next design for its tiny bubbles. Ballot options included greetings (thank you, congrats, or hugs & kisses XOXO), shapes (ice cream cone, sun, flower, dog bone, or musical notes), and patterns (basket weave, cable knit, or chevron). As a followup to the contest, which was held to mark this year's Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day, the company said it would add the winning pattern to the Bubble Wrap IB Expressions line.

Last month, the company announced the winner was ... the dog bone pattern. That might sound like a dark horse candidate until you check out the company's Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day Web page and see how many fans love to snap photos of their cats and dogs frolicking under, over, and all around the material.