Packaging and Merchandising Design - Exercise

Week 1 - Week 7 
Jason Ong Ngie Min (0324104)
Packaging and Merchandising Design 
Exercises 

Lecture 

Lecture 1: Introduction to Packaging and Merchandising Design 
The lecturer started the class with a lecture regarding packaging design, mainly emphasising on the surface graphics of the packaging. The lecturer explained briefly regarding the important criteria for every surface graphics in a packaging design.

Outcomes from the lecture: 

• Every packaging is a 5 second commercial as it acts a silent salesperson. 
• Packaging acts as one of a tool for brand awareness. 
• The brand must be the "hero" of the product, not the parent company.
• The product's symbol impacts the features and also it's benefits. 

Lecture 2: Box styles and corrugated box styles 
The lecturer gave a lecture to the class regarding the existing variation of box styles along with corrugated box styles. The purpose for this lecture is to actually gain our insights regarding the choices of box styles we can make and choose for our upcoming assignments. 

Outcomes of the lecture:

• Different folding of the boxes provides different ambient of the product. 
• The types of foldings needs to be chosen wisely as different products requires different foldings. 
• Corrugated box acts as one of the essential packaging because it protects the bulk of a particular product. 

 


Lecture 3: Blister Pack 
The lecturer started the class with a lecture of blister pack in order to gain our insights regarding this particular style of packaging. Also, he conducted this lecture in advance as well the reason because we could have a general overview on how this packaging is executed before conducting the thermal forming exercise. 

Outcomes from the lecture: 

• Blister pack functions as a great protective product
• Blister pack gives the environment of an exclusive feeling
• Executions for blister pack may or may not be expensive, depending on the style of the packaging. 

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Instructions:

EXERCISES:

DIE-LINE EXERCISE – 10% (Week 4)
Construct box design dieline using Adobe Illustrator or Adobe InDesign. Choose any product as reference for the box design. Analyze the product dimension and sketch the idea of the box dieline. You will cut the dieline using laser cut machine to construct the box. Bring along a product and your choice of MATERIAL (paper, cardboard, acrylic, etc.) for the exercise.

THERMAL FORMING – 10% (Week 7)
Thermal forming is one of many techniques that can be used as package design. Its purpose is to hold, protect and to display any product.
Bring along few A3 transparency sheet and small items with no sharp end (small toys, padlock, etc.) for the exercise. 

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In-Class Exercise

Packaging Design Analysis 

After our first lecture, the lecturer gave the class a task which is to visit a premium grocery store that is around Klang Valley and match the products that is required by the lecturer. But before that, he gave us the list of the criteria that the lecturer wants then work it out with a pair of two. Thus, I paired with Kah Yee and we head to Ben's Grocery Store Publika and Jaya Grocer @ Empire Subang which we believe that these stores has the type of packaging that we need. 

Figure 1 : Required check-list 

Researched Packagings

  

Group Discussion - Types of Packaging 

As for this week's in-class exercise, we were to discuss in a group regarding the types of packaging that is existing and explain the features, pros and cons along with some examples of that particular category of packaging. We grouped together along with Agustin, Jacky and Vinessa for this quick discussion. 

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Die-line Exercise 

The lecturer showed to us the required submission for this exercise, also showed some of the interesting packaging templates from "The Die-Line". 

Since we are to learn to use the laser-cut machine, the lecturer brought us to the campus's workshop and briefly explained to us about the provided facilities that the campus which were the laser-cut room, 3D printing room and the workshop that were in-charge by Mr Fandhi. 

Figure 2 : Workshop 

Figure 3 : 3D Printing room 

Figure 4: Laser cutting room 

Not long after, I chose a template that were readily designed from thedieline and then started to improvise the size according to the product that I would like to place it in. 

Figure 5: Die-line

Figure 6: Final Outcome 

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Thermal Forming Exercise 

Since the lecturer gave a brief lecture regarding thermal forming, he brought us to the workshop and we started experimenting it with the help of Mr Fandhi. Also, we were to bring a few items that were small beforehand in order to mould the shape of the required packaging. 

Figure 7: Brief explanation of the process 

Figure 8: Melting of the plastic sheet while the product is under vacuumed 

Figure 9: Cooling of the sheet

Figure 10 : Final Outcome

Figure 11 : Final Outcome

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Readings 

1. How Your Product's Packaging Speaks to Millennials by Benjamin Liu 

In this article, the author discussed about the impact that Gen-Y aka The Millennials in the purchase of products that involved with designed packaging. He first speaks about the generic demographics regarding The Millennials in the purchase attitude and argue why is packaging is important for them. One of the importance are ;

• Good packaging can impact The Millennials when they were in the unboxing video on the Youtube platform. 
• Nicely designed packaging could have lived up their daily hype. 

Click here to read more regarding this article. 

2. Hot food at a press of a button by Interpack.com 

Interpcak.com shares an interesting article regarding an innovative packaging where the product can be heated by itself at a press of a button. The concept of this packaging is to create an exothermic reaction when the button is triggered. The idea of this innovative packaging is beneficial and could help with ;

• People who are in a rush 
• Campers / Hikers
• Emergency prep meal 

Click here to read more regarding this innovative packaging . 

3. Sleeve-labeled cans showcase beer's unusual character by Rick Lingle 

I found this article in packaging digest and it speaks about redesigning the label for a beer's company called Burnt City. In this article, the brewery chief operator discussed about how he visioned the design of the label is somehow contemporary, different but at the same time speaks to the brand story itself. This article interest me by a lot the reason because it hard and seldom for me to find a label design for a beer that somehow look like the label design that Burnt City created. 

Click here to read more regarding this article. 

4. 10 Packaging Innovations of 2017 by Edward Churchfield 

According to this article, the author discussed about the greatest packaging innovation in 2017. There were a wide variety of innovative packaging that speaks about convenience, creativity, and most importantly, a problem solving idea. One of my favourite packaging ideas were ;

• Six-pack ring cartoon that is suitable as a fish food for the fishes in the sea 
• Packaging that shrinks coast by removing wasted air 

Click here to read more regarding 10 Packaging Innovations of 2017