Packaging & Merchandising Design / Exercises

06/04/2023 - 27/04/2023 / Week 1 - Week 4
Anna Ong Su Kuan / 0353775
Packaging & Merchandising Design / Bachelor of Creative Media / Taylor's University
Exercises

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CONTENTS

- Instructions
- Feedback
- Reflections

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LECTURES

Week 2

What is Packaging?

Introduction to Packaging - Design
- The container / wrapping that holds a product & protects it
- Packaging design is the process of making the package look attractive & appealing to the consumer, while considering factors such as the target audience, brand identity, & practical considerations like ease & sustainability 

The Evolution of Packaging
5000 BCE: Earliest known packaging was made from natural materials (leaves, reeds, & bark); used to store & transport food & other goods
2600 BCE: Ancient Egyptians developed paper-like material made from the papyrus plant, used for packaging
1500 BCE: Ancient Greeks & Romans used clay plots, amphorae, & jars to store & transport liquids (wine & olive oil)
1850: First paperboard box was produced in England, paving the way for modern cardboard packaging
1890s: Cellophane (transparent & moisture-resistant film) made from cellulose, which then became famous for wrapping food & other products
1900s: First metal cans were introduced
1930s: First plastic packaging, made from synthetic materials (polyethylene & polyvinyl chloride (PVC))
1950s: First aerosol cans 
1970s: Focus on sustainability & environmental concerns led to the development of recyclable & biodegradable packaging materials
2000s: Rise of e-commerce & online shopping has led to the development of new packaging technologies such as bubble wrap, air pillows, & other protective materials 

Packaging Design
- Encompasses various elements, such as the shape, color, typography, imagery, & imagery choices
- Must also consider the practical aspect of the package, such as the ease of use, sustainability, & cost-effectiveness
- Must balance the need for functionality & aesthetics

Purpose & Function of Packaging

Protection
- Keep the product safe from damage during transport, storage, & handling

Identification
- Help customers identify a product quickly & easily
- Includes the product name, logo, & other important details 

Transportation
- To easily & safely move the product from the manufacturer to the consumer

Differentiation
- Help a product stand out from its competitors
- Should be distinctive & memorable, with unique color schemes, typography, the imagery 

Communication
- Can be used to communicate important info about the product, such as its features, benefits, & usage instructions
- Include clear & concise messaging 

Marketing
- Helping to create a positive impression of the brand & product
- Should align with the brand's overall marketing strategy & messaging (brand identity)

Information on Packaging

Product Name
- Name of the product must be clearly displayed 

Net Quantity
- Amount / weight of the product contained in the packaging must be indicated, usually in both metric & imperial units

Ingredients
- If the product contains any allergens / other ingredients that may cause harm to consumers, must be listed on the packaging 

Nutritional Information
- Nutritional info such as the calorie count, fat content, & sugar content must be included

Country of Origin
- Must be stated on the packaging 

Manufacturer Information
- Name & contact info of the manufacturer / distributor 

Warning Labels
- Certain products may require warning labels to inform customers about potential hazards / risks associated with the product

Packaging Design as Communication
- Visual problem solving is at the core of packaging design
- Achieved through a creative process in which physical & visual elements work together to communicate emotional, cultural, social, psychological, & info cues to the target consumer

Week 3

Understanding Board Tools & Techniques

The structure of packaging

4 basic structures in packaging:

The six-sides box
- most common polyhedron used in storage structures
- simple to construct & practical to stack, transport & display

The pyramid
- can be designed with 3 / more sides, its base will change accordingly to the design

The cone
- base is round with a single triangular side that turns around onto itself along the base
- an uncommon form of packaging design

The cylinder
- similar concept to the cone
- usually made from moldable materials such as plastic / metal

The Studio Techniques
- Die cutting
- Embossing
- Perforations
- Pop-ups
- UV varnish

Week 4

Packaging Material & Barcode

Types of Packaging Materials

Metal
- an air-tight container made of thin metal that requires cutting / tearing to open
- typically cans have a printed paper / plastic label glued to the outside cylinder body
Typical uses:
- vegetables, fruits, milk, nuts, etc
- must be recycled

Carton
- can be created in a variety of specific shapes & usages
Typical uses:
- eggs, milk, & juice

Plastic
- most common packaging material & one of the most difficult to dispose of
- almost 10% of our rubbish consists of different types of plastic
- a problem in landfills as they are bulky

Glass
- ideal material for foods, especially liquids
- inalterable, strong, easy to recycle 
- weight & shape may involve some difficulties for transport storage 

What is Aseptic Packaging
- a specialized manufacturing process in which food, pharmaceutical, / other contents are sterilized separately from packaging 
- this method uses extremely high temperatures to maintain the freshness of the contents while also ensuring that it's not contaminated with microorganisms

Aseptic Packaging Materials
- polyethylene; used as a barrier on the inner & outer sides of aseptic packaging (protect against moisture entering / entering the container)
- film foil; helps preserve the product by keeping light & oxygen out

Labels & Bar Codes

Barcode
- purpose to code info in a form that is easy to read by machine 
- 3 advantages of bar coding over manual data collection are (speed, accuracy, & reliability)

Week 6

Packaging & Branding 
- 4 Ps of marketing (product, price, place & promotion)
- plays a role in communicating the image & identity of a company 

The importance of packaging & branding for businesses
- attracts attention & differentiation from competitors 
- builds brand identity & recognition
- communicates brand message 
- influences consumer perception
- supports marketing & promotion

Consistency in Packaging & Branding 
- is important because it leads to brand recognition

Differentiation Through Packaging & Branding 

Some ways that companies can differentiate through packaging & branding:
- unique design elements
- creative messaging
- customization & personalization
- sustainability 

Emotional Appeal through Packaging & Branding 

Some ways that companies can use emotional appeal through packaging & branding:
- color psychology 
- imagery & graphics 
- brand storytelling
- personalization

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INSTRUCTIONS



Exercise 1 - A Case Study Exploring Existing Packaging Design

In this exercise, we are required to choose 4 different existing packaging design types (paper box, bottle, glass jar, can, etc). We can pick any brand of our choice. Each design needs to have a report that contains our observations & research. (Framework: Discuss the shape, layout, typography, color, images, and packaging finishes if applicable) 

Below are the slides that contain all of the information, this was made using Canva.



Exercise 2 - Box Making

In this exercise, we are required to pick 2 items/products that do not have appropriate packaging from our perspective. Once selected, we are to then design a new box for each item with the intention of improving the box design for better handling, storage, protection of the product, and displaying of the product. The size of the chosen product/item needs to be within 200~300mm.

The final work will be assessed based on the following criteria:
- Accuracy of measurements 
- Quality of the construction
- Attention to details 
- Problem solving 

Below shows the entire process of this exercise using Canva.

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FEEDBACK

Week 3
Specific Feedback
My lecturer doesn't see any major issues with both of my designs, so I can proceed along. 

Week 4
Specific Feedback
Overall, it looks fine but I need to be careful of the sizing.

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REFLECTIONS

Experience
Week 1 : Breaking down packaging is something I have done, so this task didn't sound too hard. 
Week 3 : Designing packaging for my 2 chosen products was not so difficult due to past experience, along with some basic knowledge that I know about in regard to packaging design.
Week 4 : Using the laser cutter machine is something I am not completely new at, however, not good enough to know how to use it with no assistance.

Observations
Week 1 : Having the physical product to be able to see & inspect makes it easier to type out the details.
Week 3 : The process did not take long due to the help of references from other designs, the cutting process was a bit time-consuming to ensure little to no errors were made to achieve as accurate of a result as I can.
Week 4 : Learning how to use the machine was not as difficult as I thought, I was also thankful enough to have done my design sizing on the canvas size. This saved me a lot of time as the file was able to read it just fine.

Findings
Week 1 : Having a rough guideline provided to us made it a bit easier to format & type out the necessary information.
Week 3 : Being able to use other websites that contain a lot of different types of packaging design helped me to create a design that works for my product.
Week 4 : Having an expert to guide us the first few times & teaching us how to use it was of great help.