PACKAGING & MERCHANDISING DESIGN - Exercise

FANN WONG JING EN｜0382237

Design Principles | Bachelor of Design (Honours) in Creative Media

MER60104 Packaging and Merchandising Design

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TABLE OF CONTENT

MIB      Note      Exercise 1     

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MODULE INFORMATION BRIEF (MIB)

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NOTE

Overview:  Choose FOUR (4) products (box, bottle, can, and tube) in the market that you believe have poor packaging design. Ensure the product is readily available for purchase.

Product Analysis:

Conduct a thorough analysis of the existing packaging design. Identify the specific shortcomings and challenges in the current packaging. Consider factors such as functionality, aesthetics, sustainability, target audience, and branding when evaluating a product.

Market Research:

Investigate the target market for each product and assess how the current packaging aligns with the expectations and preferences of the target audience.

Competitor Analysis:

Research and analyze the packaging designs of competing products in the same category. Identify trends and best practices in packaging design within this product/packaging category.

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EXERCISE 1

fig1.1 box 

1. BOX（I’m Meme Lip Tint）

Product Overview

The I’m Meme lip tint comes in a small rectangular cardboard box used to protect and display the product.

Functionality

The box gives basic protection during storage and transportation. However, it is only used once and usually thrown away after opening, which creates unnecessary packaging waste.

There is also an additional sticker label placed over the original packaging. This covers some important information and makes the product harder to read clearly.

Aesthetic & Visual Design

The packaging is colourful and eye-catching, but the design can also feel confusing. The main graphic looks more like a key ring accessory instead of a cosmetic product.

The words “Color Key Ring” stand out more than “Water Gel Tint,” so first-time users may not immediately understand what the product is.

Branding

The brand name “I’m Meme” is relatively small compared to the large graphic elements. Because of this, the overall branding feels weak and less memorable.

Target Audience

The playful design seems to target younger consumers. However, the unclear visuals may confuse buyers who rely on packaging to quickly understand the product.

Sustainability

Using an outer box for such a small product feels slightly excessive. Together with the extra sticker label, it increases material usage and creates more packaging waste.

Key Issues

• Confusing visual communication
• Weak product clarity
• Weak brand visibility
• Unnecessary packaging waste
• Important information covered by sticker label

fig 1.2 bottle

2. BOTTLE（Snake Brand Cooling Mist）

Product Overview

Snake Brand Cooling Mist is packaged in a small plastic spray bottle made for portable and easy cooling application.

Functionality

The spray bottle is convenient to use and easy to carry around, especially in hot weather. The mist application also helps distribute the product evenly.

However, the spray nozzle may clog after long-term use, and the small bottle size may not be practical for regular users.

Aesthetic & Visual Design

The overall design feels outdated compared to many modern skincare products today. The floral borders, decorative graphics, and multiple font styles make the packaging look crowded.

The combination of different languages and text sizes also affects readability.

Information Design

The back label contains a large amount of text in a very small font size. Important information such as instructions and ingredients is difficult to read quickly.

There is also no clear visual hierarchy between the different sections of information.

Target Audience

The product seems suitable for general users, especially in Southeast Asian countries with hot climates. However, the traditional packaging style may not appeal to younger consumers who prefer cleaner and more modern designs.

Sustainability

The bottle is made from plastic, which may be recyclable depending on the material type. However, smaller plastic packaging often creates more waste compared to larger refillable options.

Key Issues

• Outdated visual design
• Crowded layout
• Poor readability
• Weak modern appeal
• Possible spray nozzle clogging

fig1.3 tube

3.TUBE（Tepthai Toothpaste）

Product Overview

Tepthai herbal toothpaste comes in a flexible squeeze tube commonly used for personal care products.

Functionality

The tube allows users to control the amount of toothpaste easily. However, when the product is almost finished, it becomes difficult to squeeze out the remaining content completely, which can lead to product wastage.

The tube also deforms easily after repeated use, making it look messy over time.

Aesthetic & Visual Design

The packaging feels visually crowded and slightly outdated. A large amount of text and multiple languages are placed closely together without a strong visual hierarchy.

Important product information is not easy to identify at first glance. The typography and colour choices also give the packaging a more traditional appearance.

Target Audience

The product seems targeted towards users who prefer herbal or traditional toothpaste products. However, the heavy use of Thai language may make it difficult for Malaysian or international consumers to understand the product clearly.

Sustainability

The tube packaging is likely made from mixed plastic materials, which are difficult to recycle. This reduces the overall sustainability of the packaging.

Key Issues

• Poor information hierarchy
• Language barrier
• Outdated visual appearance
• Product wastage from tube packaging
• Difficult to recycle

fig 1.4 Can

4. Can (Hausboom Strawberry Candy)

Product Overview

Hausboom Strawberry Candy is a carbonated drink sold in a slim pink aluminium can. The packaging uses bright colours, cartoon graphics, QR codes, and promotional advertisements to attract younger consumers.

Functionality

The can is lightweight and easy to carry. But there is too much information printed on the surface. Important details like the flavour and product name are harder to notice because the promotional campaign takes up a lot of space.

Some of the text is also very small, so it is not easy to read quickly.

Aesthetic & Visual Design

The packaging feels very crowded. Too many elements are placed together, including graphics, icons, promotional text, QR codes, and different font styles.

The Hotlink campaign is more noticeable than the actual drink itself. Because of that, the design looks more like an advertisement instead of a beverage packaging.

The use of many bright colours and graphics also makes the can look visually messy.

Branding

The Hausboom logo is visible, but it does not stand out strongly. Most of the attention goes to the promotional campaign and QR code instead.

As a result, the packaging does not create a strong brand image compared to other modern drink brands.

Target Audience

The design is clearly targeting teenagers and younger consumers because of the playful candy theme and bright pink colour.

However, many younger consumers today prefer packaging that looks cleaner and more modern. Compared to current trendy beverage packaging, this design feels slightly outdated.

Sustainability

The aluminium can is recyclable, which is a good point. However, the packaging relies too much on temporary promotional graphics and advertisements.

This makes the design feel less timeless and creates unnecessary visual clutter.

Key Issues

• Overcrowded visual design

• Too many promotional elements

• Weak product focus

• Poor readability

• Weak branding

• Outdated overall appearance