Abstract: In recent years, about 26% of China's export commodity packaging has grown at an annual rate, but the level of packaging design for export goods is quite different from that of the world. This paper discusses the problems of packaging design through years of experience in foreign trade companies engaged in packaging design.
Keywords: export goods packaging design text and images color structure printing regulations
Packaging, as the name implies, the package is a bar, the equipment is put. In ancient China, from the Paleolithic period, the ancients trussed the stems of plants and used foods and water in plant leaves, fruit shells, animal skins, and shells. During the pottery period, there were simple clay pots filled with wine, and there were quite a few copper food wares and wine wares from the Shang dynasty. In the Tang Dynasty, wrapping paper was widely used. Packaging has actually existed since the exchange and circulation of commodities. Initially, the mark and font size are printed on paper to exchange goods, which is the prototype of packaging. "Han Feizi" records the story that Zheng bought his father and returned his bead, indicating that packaging has been very important long ago.
Today, the concept of packaging function that is advancing with the times is not comparable to the past. Packaging not only protects goods, facilitates transportation, use, promotion, and other functions, but also shows the soft functions of molding brand image, product image, and even the development of corporate image. The power of the image. Nowadays, it has developed into the fourth resource for enterprises (manpower, material resources, and materials) and packaging design is one of the powerful tools for developing corporate image.
The packaging industry occupies an important position in the national economy. In 2003, the total output value of the packaging industry in China exceeded 270 billion yuan, and it bears the task of packaging over 100 billion US dollars of export commodities every year. Since China has had the window of the Export Commodities Fair, the first difficulty in the circulation of export trade is the backwardness of packaging design.
In recent years, China's export commodities have increased at a rate of about 26% per year, but the packaging design of exported goods is far from the world. Although Made ln China (Made in China) can be seen everywhere, most of them are cheap goods. The packaging design of domestic products lags behind international standards. It is estimated that the domestic design level is 10 years different from that of Taiwan and Hong Kong, and that Taiwan and Hong Kong are three years away from the United Kingdom, France, the United States, and Japan. At present, China's export product packaging design is backward in five major areas:
1 text and pattern
Text and patterns are two elements of packaging and decorating design, and are visual languages ​​for conveying product information and expressing content. The poorly designed packaging does not take into account the overall sense of visuality. It merely piles up too many words on each “face†in an attempt to arouse consumers’ desire to purchase. The result is counterproductive. Export goods should be dominated by texts, with little or no Chinese characters, and full use of the promotional meaning of words. Some designers are unaware of the regulations of the importing country on the packaging of goods. They have been detained by the customs due to non-conformity, or they cannot be listed for sale.
Packaging patterns play a supporting role in the writing, and many designs for export packaging do not have international features. Patterns and texts are not divided into different levels. They compete with each other, and are disorganized. They reduce their competitiveness in sales. "Bat" brand electric fan is a famous brand in the domestic electrical appliance industry and has won international awards. However, when it is exported to France and some European countries, it has to change the "bat" brand trademark to the "astronomical" brand trademark because The name bat represents evil and ugliness in some European countries. It is a symbol of inauspiciousness. There are glass products exported to South Korea, as long as there is no pattern of foreign glass, they think that China's glass pattern is not South Korean nationality, not good sales. While in the local small quantities of engraving the most popular glass pattern, but sold a good price. In short, the decorative text should be clear, easy to read and full of charm. The product description should be concise and clear to the customer. The pattern must be beautiful, full of internationality and artistry.
2 colors
Color is a tool, a bait, a messenger. Broadly speaking, color is a kind of symbol, a straightforward language that is easy for people to understand, and is conducive to the elimination of language language obstacles and difficulties in interpretation. Due to the differences in geography, history, culture, customs, and religion of different countries, consumers have different preferences and taboos for colors. Designers' one-sided use of the colors loved by individuals or their own people will arouse the resentment and even resistance of foreign businessmen and consumers. The color of this nation is only suitable for use on goods with rich ethnic characteristics. Therefore, the color of packaging should pay attention to the international and the nationality of the country of sale.
For example, black, the United States, Spain, people love, Americans use black to represent the East, black and January and aesthetics. Japan and Thailand don't like it. They think black is lost. The international famous brand "Coca-Cola", red and white colors, to the Arab (Middle East and other countries) have to be changed to green, because green is the symbol of life and auspiciousness of the people of the Arab countries. A make-up Lu company exported "Ballet" brand cosmetics, the color of the box was designed pink, and exported to Belgium, but it is loved by men, and men love pink. In France, ladies love pink, and men love blue.
A company's export of "Yan" brand Christmas lights, its quality is better in the same kind of goods, but in the international market does not hit the overhead road, foreign companies reflect the poor packaging design. The company’s designer changed the original packaging color to white red. At that time, the company received good news at the Export Commodities Fair. Its order volume increased by 160% compared with last year, and it also increased year by year. It now exports $3 million annually. Christmas lights are used by Western countries at Christmas time, and red symbolizes Christmas. After the improvement, packaging can fully reflect the characteristics of Christmas light goods and enhance its ability to sell products in the market.
(to be continued)