Miss Hilary
Jay1021
Week5.docx·
· Welcome to Week 5
At the conclusion of this week, you should be able to:
Evaluate the challenges and solutions of packaging as a communication tool; the technical elements of labeling, marking, and coding; and the printing methods.
Course Learning Objectives:
After successfully completing this course, you will be able to:
1: Examine packaging as a profession and examine the resources available to individuals in the packaging profession. 2: Compare the various frameworks for packaging design, function, research, and planning of a package.
3: Examine the challenges in the typical transport and distribution chain and the use of structural packaging design as a solution. 4: Examine various types of packaging materials.
5: Examine handling and transportation systems. 6: Identify hazardous materials packaging and packaging issues. 7: Interpret Hazardous Materials regulations with respect to liability, unique packaging requirements and bulk packaging.
Krasovec & Klimchuk: Chapter 9-10 , Appendix II & III
· LESSON
· Topics
· Packaging as part of the sales and marketing function
The two areas that are inter-related and often overlap are graphics and packaging. Therefore, a good understanding of both is important when working in either area. For example, when doing the structural design of a box, it is important to understand if the box will be printed and what method will be used to do the printing. The material specified for the box will be dependent on the printing method. The design of the box is often somewhat different depending on how it will be manufactured and the machine that will be used to manufacture a particular box is often determined by the printing requirements. This week we will discuss the graphics in packaging and how they are used and printed on paper and plastic. We will also discuss the advantages and disadvantageous of the uses of paper and plastic in wrapping products. Finally, we will discuss how packaging is used in a retail environment.
The marketing and manufacturing/distribution functions are often at odds with each other in regards to packaging. A balancing act must happen for most packages. Marketing has very specific goals that it wants to meet that often have nothing to do with the goals of manufacturing and distribution. M&D wants to put out the products, get them into the customer’s hands, yet they have to wait on marketing to print up and design the packages. A dichotomy is at work here.
Marketing
Marketers want consumers to know, by a picture, of what a product is. We all know what a Kit Kat or a Hershey bar looks like. What about a bag Doritos and all of the other flavors and we all know what a Coke or Pepsi looks like. Even our little ones know the happy meal box or box of Legos. Marketers spend time and money to come up with packages that will speak to us with symbols and/or pictures on their packaging.
Marketers have become very perceptive in the designing of packages. Usually you have a team of people who are creating the packaging. Some companies may hire outside help to bring the fresh new ideas. Packaging is used to evoke emotions in people. Packaging within itself is used to portray the product that is inside. It will give the features of the product; show the ingredients, quantity or anything else that is included. Marketers have to be smart about what they want to portray. They do not want to put anything on the package that can be offensive or even hurt the products image. For example, Apple products, in my opinion, are a status symbol. The package is all white and has nothing but the apple on it. However, to some it is just a device. To some it is something to say you stand out. To apple it is cost savings for them because they do not have spent much money on print material, graphics, or even color boxes. Microsoft and Sony put pictures on their packages of the product. Not only that they display what is included in the box along with the console they also use the box as an advertisement of their popular games. In addition, the box has directions of how to handle the contents and a website for customers to get more information. Both of these companies use paper for its packaging. It is easier to use and to print the information upon the package. Tide uses paper for its dry washing powder and a plastic bottle for its liquid. However, on the plastic bottle they have to use a label to display the graphic of the product.
Advantages of Paper
Paper is used in many forms in retailing. According to International Paper (2015), 87 percent of consumers preferred paper when asked which product they would buy if they saw the same product packaged in both paper and plastic.
Paper packaging for retail use is very flexible and easy to manipulate in the packaging of many products from, electronics, toys and home décor products. Corrugated material is designed to increase the paper’s durability and makes it ideal for protecting items inside boxes or containers. While having many different packaging options for protection, paper is relatively cheap and can decrease the cost of packaging material. There are a few disadvantages with paper however, that first includes being physically compromised if wet or left out in certain weather conditions. Paper products are highly vulnerable to heat and could create fires if set or stored near flames or a heat source.
Plastic retail packaging provides many options to consumer and retailer for products. Being able to be manipulated or formed to provide a thin or thick layer of protection for many sensitive products. Plastic coating is ideal for those products not wishing to be scratched. Plastic also allows items to be vacuum free of air and moisture to extend the life of a product without causing damage. Being able to see through plastic makes it ideal for many consumers to know and see what they are getting without opening a box causing damage that can occur with other forms of packaging such as paper packaging. Plastic on the other hand is difficult to recycle and is not biodegradable like paper. Being sold on or in certain products it can be hazardous to a certain age such as infant and small children along with pets group and could cause death.
However, with the selection of paper it becomes a more viable choice for our environment. Plastic takes forever to disintegrated. We have seen many commercials about recycling and keeping our environment clean. So it really puzzles me that there is such a large amount plastic being used in the packaging of products especially when paper can be coated with a special lining that can hold liquids in. I wonder if we can find more uses of paper as a replacement for the plastic bottle so we would not have to use as much plastic.
Supplemental readings and websites:
www.brandpackaging.com Brand Packaging Magazine
References
ITC. PACKit Cross-Cutting Module-Packaging Design
International Paper Company. (2015.). Why is paperboard the best packaging option? Retrieved from http://www.internationalpaper.com/documents/EN/Sustainability/CPB-D2E- why-paperboa.pdf
