BLOCK 2: bad packaging design isn't exactly a 'bad thing'

What makes a packaging design good?

What makes a packaging design bad?

Recently i've realised that there is no real answer to these questions.

We package because we need to and how we package is up to each of us.

Package design can be:

• simple - some customers are ''too busy'' and therefore desire packages that are simple to buy and understand.
• of convenient quality - people want speed and convenience, without sacrificing quality.  Within a 10 - 20 seconds, shoppers make a category decision at the shelf.  It's important to understand that the quality of a package will convey the quality of the product and therefore imagery and design only have a second for success or failure.

Package designs are designed the way they are for a reason.  When designing, a strategy is required.  Packaging is one of the essential places where a strategy comes to life and forms meaning with consumers.

An example:

Packaging concept for Marlboro cigarettes.

The strategy for the packaging concept for 'Marlboro' cigarettes is to disgust and shock the target market.  'Plain Cigarette Packaging' aims to discourage the act of smoking by purposefully disturbing the consumer by visually reminding them of the effects of smoking on the packaging itself.  I have no idea if this concept has been introduced to the market, but I feel that it's the perfect example of how packaging designs can be truly horrible, but be successful -due to the set strategy. 

I plan to investigate the topic of 'cigarette packaging' in more depth, especially the threat to package them all in brown boxes.