24.04.2025 - 22.05.2025 | Week 1 - Week 4
Maisarah binti Mohd Sufian | 0358458
Packaging and Merchandising Design | Bachelor of Design (Hons) in Creative Media
Exercise: Case Study
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LECTURES
Week 1
For this week, we mainly listened to The Business School students pitch their products to us for us to develop their branding and identity. Besides that, Mr Shamsul briefly explained to us our assignments and expectations for this semester. For this week, we can get started on our individual case study exercise.
Week 2
Labour Day
Week 3
Introduction to Packaging Design
Packaging
- Is a critical part of daily life, impacting the way we live in this global society.
- It has to meet the demands of changing consumption, locations and occasions based on the way we live.
- Is the container or wrapping that holds a product and protects it.
Packaging Design
- The process of making the package look attractive and appealing to the consumer, while also considering factors such as the target audience, brand identity and practical considerations like ease of use and sustainability.
- With effective package design, brands can make their product stand out and connect with consumers on an emotional level.
Evolution of Packaging
Ancient Times (Before Modern Civilisation)
- Used natural materials such as leaves, bark, coconut shells, bamboo and animal skin for food items.
- Ancient Egyptions and Chinese used clay pots to store oils, grains and spices.
Early Civilisation (Mesopotamia, Egypt, Rome)
- Used glass bottles and clay amphorae for storing olive oil, wine and medicine.
- Romans started labeling containers with clay seals (like early branding)
Industrial Revolution
- Major shift in packaging due to mass production and factories.
- 1810, Peter Durand invented the tine can for preserving food.
- Paper packaging and cardboard boxes began being widely used for shipping.
20th Century (1900s-2000s)
- Packaging became commercialised and visual due to supermarkets and advertising.
- 1950s Plastic packaging became popular, cheap, lightweight and versatile.
- Coca-cola, Kellogs and similar brands started using signature colors, logos and typography to stand out.
21st Century - Era of Sustainability & Digital
- Focus shifted towards eco-friendly packaging, biodegradable, recyclable and less plastic.
- Many brands now use paper, glass and reusable materials.
- Rise of smart packaging, like QR codes and NFC tags for interactive experiences.
Packaging Design
- Must consider various factors, such as the target audience, product positioning, brand identity and marketing strategy.
- Involves creating a visual and sensory experience that resonates with the consumer and communicates the product's value and benefits.
- Encompasses elements such as:
- Shape
- Color
- Typography
- Imagery
- Material Choices
- These elements work together to create a cohesive and visually appealing package that stands out on the shelves and captures the consumer's attention.
- Successful packaging design must also consider practical aspects, such as:
- Ease of use
- Sustainability
- Cost-effectiveness
- This balances the need for functionality and aesthetics to create a package that is both effective and visually appealing.
Purpose and Function of Packaging
Protection
Designed to keep the product safe from damage during transport, storage and handling. E.g. a fragile item like glass needs extra padding or reinforcement to prevent in from breaking.
Identification
Helps customers identify a product quickly and easily. Effective design includes the product name, logo, and other important details that allow customers to easily recognize the product on store shelves or online.
Transportation
Easily and safely move products from manufacturer to consumer. Gaining functionality, the package serves to help transport, carry, ship and distribute the product.
Differentiation
Helps a product stand out from it's competitors. Effective design should be distinct and memorable with unique color schemes, typography and imagery that helps the product stand out on crowded shelves.
Communication
Used to communicate important information about the product such as it's features, benefits and usage instructions. Effective design should include clear and concise messaging that helps customers understand what the product is and how it can be used.
Marketing
Used as a powerful marketing tool, helping create a positive impression of the brand and product. Effective design aligns with the brand's overall marketing strategy and messaging, creating a cohesive brand identity that resonates with customers.
Information on Packaging
Product Name
It must be clearly displayed on the packaging so that customers can easily identify what is being purchased.
Net Quantity
Amount or weight of the product contained in the packaging indicated in both metric and imperial units.
Ingredients
Listing whether the product contains any allergens or other ingredients that may cause harm to consumers.
Nutritional Information
In food products, nutritional information such as the calorie count, fat content and sugar content must be included.
Country of Origin
Where the product was made must be stated.
Manufacturer Information
Name and contact information of the manufacturer/distributor must be included.
Warning Labels
Certain products require warning labels to inform customers about potential hazards or risks associated with the product.
Packaging Design as Communication
- The core of packaging design is visual problem solving:
- Introducing a new product
- Improving the appearance of an existing one
- Creative skills, conceptualizing and rendering to three-dimensional design
- Design analysis and technical problem solving are to be resolved into innovative solutions.
- A means of expression, one that attracts a target consumer market and achieved through a creative process where physical and visual elements work together to communicate emotional, cultural, social, psychological and informational cues to the target consumer.
Week 4
Box Styles
Common Types of Boxes in the World of Packaging
Folding Cartons/Paperboard Boxes
Very common, for example, cereal boxes.
Common Elements:
Made of art card ranging from 190gsm (light products) to 360gsm (heavy product)
Tuck Top
Reverse Tuck End (RTE)
The top closure tucks from the rear to the front, and the bottom closure tucks from the front to the rear.
- Cost effective (can run more boxes at a time on the same sized paperboard unlike STE)
- Easy assembly
- Compact storing (stores flat)
- Quick to load product in
- Good for lighter weight products
CONS
- Not good for heavy products
- Not as aesthetically pleasing because of the visible raw edges on the front of the box.
Industries that commonly use RTE
- Health and Beauty
- Cosmetics
- Pharmaceutical
- Electronics
- Nutraceutical
Straight Tuck End (STE)
Both the top and bottom closures tuck from the front to the rear
- More luxurious than RTE because of no visible white raw edges.
- Avoids blockade between the tuck flap and any front window film (see-through window to display the product)
- Easy to assemble
- Compact storing (stores flat)
- Good for lighter weight products
- Quick to load product in
CONS
- More expensive, manufactures less boxes at one time per paperboard sheet
- Not good for heavy products
Industries that commonly use STE
- Health and beauty
- Cosmetics
Snap-lock Bottom (TTSLB)
Aka "1-2-3 bottom", has a bottom closure that closes in 3 simple steps.
- Good for heavier products (bottom closure can handle more weight)
- Quick loading (easy 3 steps)
- Compact storing (stores flat)
- Easy assembly
- Sits well on retails shelves because package bottom is flat.
CONS
- More expensive than a bottom tuck box
- Takes slightly more time to "set-up"
Industries that most commonly use TTSLB
- Health and beauty
- Toys
- Food
- Pharmaceutical
Tuck Top Auto Bottom (TTAB)
Has a bottom closure that makes setting up the box a breeze
- Good for heavier products (bottom closure can handle more weight)
- Ultra fast assembly
- Super speedy loading
- Compact storing (stores flat)
- Sits well on retails shelves because package bottom is flat
CONS
- More expensive than a bottom tuck or snap-lock bottom because the factory has to perform an extra step by gluing the bottom
Industries that most commonly use TTAB
- Health and beauty
- Cosmetics
- Toys
- Food
- Pharmaceutical
Closure Types for Tuck Top Box Styles
- Can include "Slit-Lock" or "Friction Fit" lock features for extra snug hold and to prevent the top from bowing.
Rigid Boxes
Sturdier, do not fold of collapse and often used for higher end products where perceived value is important or heavy products in need of extra support.
Corrugated Boxes
Aka corrugated board, corrugated fibreboard or combined board. Also commonly known as cardboard boxes, "shipper boxes" or "master packs".
Commonly used as:
- To ship a company's retail-ready products to stores
- Primary retail packaging the same way a folding carton is used
- Floor POP displays
Typically has three layers, a wavy or fluted layer (where the strength is) sandwiched between two outer flat layers.
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EXERCISE - CASE STUDY
Instructions
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