Packaging design
What is packaging design?
creating something for the purpose of enclosing and protecting products for distribution, storage, sale, and use.
It also refers to the process of design, evaluation, and production of packages.
"Packaging on a supermarket shelf has less than three seconds to grab the attention of a consumer." the design council
These three seconds are exceedingly important when you consider that more than 70% of purchasing decisions are made at the shelf. Add to this the fact that supermarkets can contain on average 40,000 packs to choose from, then that pack has got to work hard!
Sell the product! Protect the product! Facilitate the use of the product!
History of packaging
The first forms of packaging were natural materials that worked as a form of container - shells and leaves etc. as the world progressed, these materials were fasioned for the purpose of packaging - baskets made of reeds, wineskins, wooden boxes, pottery vases, ceramic jars, wooden barrels, woven bags
Paper may be the oldest form of what today is referred to as " flexible packaging." The earliest recorded use of paper for packaging dates back to 1035, when a Persian traveler visiting markets in Cairo noted that vegetables, spices and hardware were wrapped in paper for the customers after they were sold.
glass emerged 5000 bc, yet was only used to make jewellry. it was not until 1000 years later until the egyptians began using it to create jars.
unknown at the time, glass was one invention destined to revolutionise mans capacity to conserve and transport goods.
In the Middle Ages, wooden barrels became the most frequently used way of preserving goods. They were used for storing all kinds of solids and liquids, protecting them from light, heat and dampness.
The vast range of products made available to consumers brought about a change in lifestyle, providing them with greater choice and allowing trade to grow. therefore The need for packaging grew and From then on, the rate of innovation accelerated.
early 1800's - tin can late 1800's - cardboard box 1910 - alluminium foil 1920s - transparent cellophane 1930s - polytheylene (by accident)
Many of the most prominent innovations in the packaging industry were developed first for military uses. Some military supplies are packaged in the same commercial packaging used for general industry.
the market continued to grow rapidly. the competition continued to grow. therefore the identity of the companies and the look of the packaging began to play a big role in selling the product.
As of 2003, the packaging sector accounted for about two percent of the gross national product in developed countries. About half of this market was related to food packaging!
graphics and packaging design
Designers have two key tools to grab the consumers’ attention, graphics and structure.
"Packaging graphics must do more than simply look pretty. They must work to cut through the white noise that is the crowded supermarket shelf, and attract a potential buyer. Once they attract a buyer's attention, packs don't stop working. Designers have to make sure they convey information, about how much they and their contents cost to buy, the ingredients they contain, and whether or not they can be recycled."
The first thing you remember about a brand may well be its colour. Colour makes your product recognisable and its important that any packaging designer's response to a brief conveys understanding on what the colours they use will convey, and whether they are going to sit with or challenge convention.
Story Building a story into the packaging of a product is becoming increasingly popular way to convey provenance and brand essence. Doing so allows consumers to connect with the product on an emotional level.
illustration
When designing for different cultures, language, colour, texture, and sensitivity to illustration and visual imagery have to be photography also play a big considered. For instance, in part in packaging design. some countries pictures animals on packs are consider unlucky or disrespectful.
Cultural issues
structure and packaging design
The structure of a pack can serve multiple purposes: To create shelf standout and sell the product To protect the product To prolong the life of the product To facilitate the use of the product
what draws me to
packaging design?
I think the main things that draw my attention towards packaging is the way it incorperates many aspects of design - it brings together technical thinking and getting hands on branding graphics (illustration and photography) typeography production
i am also interested in the way the aesthetic of the package can differentiate peoples decisisions on buying products, and how the different aesthetics can give accross different messages and target different audiences or classes. i have not worked alot with packaging design before so i would really want to develop my skills within this field in the future.