Packaging & Merchandising Design - Exercises

Edita Chew En Thung / 0357357

Publishing Design / Bachelor of Design (Honours) in Creative Media / Taylor's University
Task 1

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Table of Content

1. INSTRUCTIONS

2. EXERCISES

3. FEEDBACK

4. REFLECTION

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INSTRUCTIONS

fig 1.0 | Module Information Booklet (MIB)

Overview:  Choose FOUR (4) products in the market that you believe have poor packaging design. Ensure the product is readily available for purchase.  2. Product Analysis: Conduct a thorough analysis of the existing packaging design. Identify the specific short comings and challenges in the current packaging. Consider factors such as functionality, aesthetics, sustainability, target audience, and branding.  3. 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.  4. 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 category.  Exercise – Packaging Design Analysis

1. CAP KAPAK packaging

i. Functionality

Strengths:

- Rectangular shape is stackable and storage-efficient for retail shelves and home storage.

- Lightweight and slim; easy to handle.

- Protective enough to cushion the glass bottle to some degree.

Weaknesses:

- The box is not sealed securely (there's no tamper-evident feature so there's no telling if its used or opened), which means it could affect the safety perception.

- No easy-open feature (e.g. tear tab or perforation) — may be hard for elderly or weak-handed users to open cleanly.

ii. Aesthetics (Visual & Graphic Design)

Strengths:

- Strong brand recall with the “axe” illustration and traditional layout, it's visually consistent across generations.

- Colour palette (green, blue, white) creates a medicinal, clinical feel, aligned with product function.

- Multilingual text (Malay, English, Chinese) reflects accessibility in multicultural markets.

Weaknesses:

- Extremely text-heavy with little visual hierarchy; difficult to read at a glance.

- Outdated font choices and layout, lack modern appeal or polish.

- Lack of imagery beyond the axe logo, doesn’t show product use, effects, or emotional benefit

- Visual noise: Too many font sizes, boxes, and inconsistent spacing make it look cluttered

- Lacks shelf impact, easily overlooked among modern wellness packaging.

Summary

Minyak Angin Cap Kapak (Axe Brand Medicated Oil) maintains its heritage value in current packaging yet struggles to meet modern requirements for packaging standards. The rectangular paperboard box enables efficient lightweight storage with compact dimensions that work well for retail display and packaging distribution. One main weakness of the present design is its absence of tamper-evident features and easy-open features including tear strips and perforations that could create access issues for the elderly who form a significant part of the user base. Text-heavy content fails to show modern organization in a design that retains historical elements. Multiple languages used extensively in the text creates visual clutter that reduces quick scanning efficiency of this box. The combination of selected font styles with limited spacing without white space elements worsens visual perception and reduces shelf presence.

The combination of green, blue and white colours creates a professional appearance yet maintains a dated aesthetic appeal to the audience. Utilizing green blue and white colour combinations creates a perception of trust but results in a lifeless design. The famous axe logo appears on the package despite a general lack of contemporary branding professionalism. Axe deodorant does not deliver memorable slogans nor storytelling elements to create interpersonal relationships with buyers. Designing packaging without natural elements like mint leaves or user-related examples results in reduced product effectiveness visual communication and scenario demonstrations.

Despite consisting of paperboard the box is recyclable but the packaging does not display any information about eco-certifications or recycling methods. The customer base shows growing concern for environmental responsibility thus a lack of sustainable information could damage the brand's reputation. The trust-building features of multicultural branding and consistent branding through multilingual content cannot overcome the packaging design's failure to adapt to recent consumer expectations. The design needs structural modernization to enhance competition by implementing user-friendly structure together with clear branding combined with environmentally sustainable communications that maintain brand recognition.

2. WATERMELON FROST packaging

The packaging of Sanjin Watermelon Frost (Spray) 3g Powder unites traditional Chinese medicine principles while adopting selected aspects from modern health branding. The box combines a small rectangular form which users can effortlessly store in handbags or first-aid kits and display in pharmacy shelves. Its robust packaging material achieves necessary protection of the product especially considering the spray bottle contains powder particles. Installation of easy-use indicators alongside security features which authenticate product tampering should be incorporated into the current packaging design. The omission of protective safety features from a product meant for oral ingestion could reduce user trust and affect their experience of hygiene.

Traditional elements define the complete visual identity of this design. The packaging exhibits a clean white or pale background that uses green accents while displaying stylised text in English and Chinese. The current design works well for established users who recognize traditional medicine but it could create confusion for new users and customers unfamiliar with the brand or product market. The layout contains dense typefaces which fill most available space making it difficult to instantly understand the product's intended use. The presentational approach appeals to current Sanjin Watermelon Frost customers but produces confusion among first-time buyers and Chinese people who are unaware of this brand and its product categories.

Packaging design contains minimal marker elements to show users how they should use the product. The absence of graphical representations or visual statements highlighting pharmaceutical and herbal advantages of the product represents an unfulfilled possibility to capture current pharmaceutical/wellness market trends. The absence of visual displays of product medical and herbal benefits prevents contemporary healthcare branding opportunities. Modern health consumers are becoming more aware about environmental matters yet the packaging does not display recycling symbols or make any environmentally-friendly claims.

A lack of eco-friendly design becomes apparent through the coated cardboard with plastic internal bottle and spray cap components used in the packaging. This product fails to display recycling symbols along with environmental responsibility declarations even though environmentally-conscious health consumers have become a prominent trend. Functional packaging embeds traditional design elements which fail to deliver contemporary readability and emotional appeal while lacking sustainability in its method of construction. The redesigned product has to establish a balance between keeping historical cultural elements and making it user-friendly while enhancing ecological corporate statements so it becomes accessible for worldwide consumers and local customers throughout markets.

3. ZIPPER TOP food storage packaging

Design along with functional features on the TOP POINT ZIPPER TOP Food Storage Bag creates difficult experiences for users while also making shelves less attractive. The primary packaging fault relates to its unstable construction. A tear runs across the dispensing area of the box demonstrating poor tear-strip planning or inadequate cardboard material for repeated tear attempts. The unsuccessful design of the product significantly impairs usability since users need reliable and swift access for products used in daily kitchen tasks.

The product's striking yellow and magenta colors can be stunning but clash with modern simple designs that some consumers prefer over an unprofessional appearance. Chosen font variations with layout organization do not create effective information priorities for the consumer. The product shows no evidence of sustainability practices or recycling methods despite modern consumers wanting environmentally friendly disposable plastics. The red chilies illustration captures food freshness but it fails to maintain visual cohesion with the rest of the design elements.

From the standpoint of branding investigation the visible text does not establish a memorable brand identity. Stakeholders expect transparent communication about sustainable efforts and recyclable materials but the current package design omits both elements.

This product seeks households and small food businesses along with those who want organized food storage solutions as its target market. Households and small food businesses as well as people who shop in this segment are looking for simple product access combined with robust materials alongside evidence of freezing protection and leak prevention and sustainable practices. Present packaging methods fulfill some customer needs but fails to meet others entirely. The new packaging design requires reinforced cardboard frames with simple slider systems to release the bags to maintain market competitiveness.

Packaging design requires a reinforced cardboard frame combined with a dispensation mechanism for sliders to improve performance against market competitors. Improving the package design should include modern neutral color schemes combined with basic text organization structure and easily comprehensible symbols for use instructions. The addition of sustainability statements including "BP-free" and "recyclable box" and "eco-conscious production" to PRODUCTS will create alignment between customer beliefs and product requirements in modern markets.

4. Dolpin Modelling Material packaging

Dolphin's "Modelling Material" package uses colorful designs and "age 3+" text to attract students between three and adult years old. The packaging features bright colors alongside cartoon characters together with playful icons like butterflies and moons and colorful cakes which suit both children and their caregivers as target customers. Through the "Ready To Use & Fun" message and 10 colorful options displayed prominently customers immediately understand how usable this product is for them. This packaging ships alongside several disadvantages. Users cannot see actual materials or colors of the product contents due to the front window cut-out on the package making them unsure about purchasing. Thinner cardboard used in packaging faces risks that children may damage it during use and this could result in decreased sustainability and decreased product durability. The aesthetic presents itself as cheerful yet it becomes cluttered because a combination of design elements mixes together in an unbalanced way that makes the product features difficult to follow through logically.

In terms of branding, the Dolphin logo lacks prominence and identity consistency; Consumers struggle to identify the branding because it fails to create a memorable narrative about the brand. Despite the positive effect of “Fun with Dolphin products” branding the design lacks integration with overall branding identity. The present packaging system has sustainability issues since it does not display either recycled materials or recycling possibilities which contemporary parents with environmental interests now demand.

Research on the market shows that children starting at age 3 are the primary users while purchasing decisions rest with parents and teachers. Parents seeking to buy educational toys want items that are free from potential harm and maintain order in addition to teaching functions. Packaging design should use safety-oriented marking systems to display contents and ensure ease of operation thus leading to better customer solutions.

Play-Doh and Crayola lead the market by designing their packages in ways that display powerful branding along with visible products and easy resealing options. The brands clearly show their safety certifications in visible areas while applying reusable packaging materials and integrating safety elements into their design. Dolphin needs better packaging quality for two purposes: enhancing the material's durability and visibility as well as sustaining the brand identity. Enhancements to packaging would create more attraction for youngsters while their adult caretakers become more receptive to the product.

FEEDBACK

N/A

REFLECTION

Findings

In the particular course namely Packaging and Merchandising Design, I was able to get an overview of the basic designs such as hierarchical designs, balanced designs, and designs with major brands. I got to understand how to transform ideas into tangible and well-designed packaging. This process enriched me how design influences consumers’ decision-making process at the point of purchase.

Observations

During all the project-based activities, I realised the importance of the decisions that are made in the process of design for the target brand and potential consumers. Working with my fellow group members and receiving feedback made me realise the necessity of cohesiveness of the message that is being passed on by the design. I also observed that perfectly placed merchandising techniques make the products easily visible to the customers and at the same time influencing their decision making. The module also focused on the ability to match appearance objectives with marketing goals to ensure the end product looks irresistible in stores.

Conclusion

In general, this module proved to be insightful by improving my technical and strategic sight on design skills. I more confidently combat problems in packaging practices and with a further understanding of the communicative function of imagery in merchandising. From this activity, I have also been able to enhance my independent and team working skills to develop effective and feasible concepts. In future, I will strive to improve my performance and endeavour to grow my understanding of the multiple strategies in packaging that may be relevant in today’s market.