Packaging is one of the world’s largest industries, with global sales
around $400bn a year. The SA packaging industry accounts for around 0.5% of the
world packaging market, with Plastic, Paper and Board making up about 70% and
metals about 20%.
When one stops
to think about it – packaging is essentially what sells a product. A delicious
and expensive chocolate wrapped in glad wrap will not sell. A cheap chocolate
wrapped in a sophisticated box, dressed up with a ribbon and sold for a ridiculous
amount of money will sell – as long as it looks good! Much of a product’s
success is based on visual perception – the impact and importance of sight
cannot be underestimated.
All products
aimed at a consumer of sorts need to be attractive to the eye in order to
facilitate sales. It is the packaging of a product – and all the little details
that make this so important. These details fall under various people within an organisation – the brand manager (in charge of working the
actual brand), the marketer (responsible for marketing the product and deducing
target market), the graphic designer (to sort out the visual appeal), the
industrial designer (in charge of the physical appeal and usability of the
package) and the engineer (to discuss the actual practicalities behind
converting idea to physical form). These people all need to learn to work
together in order to develop a product that will appeal to the target market.
When you think of packaging the first thought that comes to mind is the
wrapping that covers or protects a product, but besides protection packaging
covers a much broader spectrum. It is used to contain, describe, protect,
display, promote and market the product, and also to keep the product clean. Labeling
includes all written, printed or graphic material accompanying an agricultural
product at any time.
South Africa is definitely not lacking in innovation. You just have to
go look at some of the shelves at your nearest supermarket. Milk containers now
come with caps that seal, cereal boxes that keep in freshness, frozen food that
you can prepare in the packaging to food that heats itself. These are different
methods that companies are exploring to gain that competitive edge.
All products
aimed at a consumer of sorts need to be attractive to the eye in order to
facilitate sales. It is the packaging of a product – and all the little details
that make this so important. These details fall under various people within an
organisation – the brand manager (in charge of working the actual brand), the
marketer (responsible for marketing the product and deducing target market),
the graphic designer (to sort out the visual appeal), the industrial designer
(in charge of the physical appeal and usability of the package) and the
engineer (to discuss the actual practicalities behind converting idea to
physical form). These people all need to learn to work together in order to
develop a product that will appeal to the target market.
Sustainability and the
environment are at the forefront of global debate. This programme
is designed to help you understand what sustainability means for your company
and how to start applying its principles to your business, implement small
changes to your existing packaging systems while maintaining your bottom line.
This event will give you insights on creating functional packaging to meet
end-users growing expectation, how to benchmark environmental issues and their
influences in the packaging of tomorrow, understanding ethical consumerism and
its impact on brand packaging and benchmarking the concept of product
stewardship. Also, more knowledge on the added value of
packaging through good design, innovation and sustainability and through
increasing your ROI’s.
