SEMESTER 04

AUG 2017 MINIMALISM

in
food
packaging
design

Kua Ruo Yan / Rowanne,

0320754, Bachelor of Arts

in Graphic Communication
Design, DIS 60105,
Design Research
Dissertation.
 MINIMALISM
in
food
packaging
design

Kua Ruo Yan

Copyright © 2017, Kua Ruo Yan.

Minimalism in Food Packaging Design.

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any
manner whatsoever without written permission except in
the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles
and reviews.

Every effort has been made to credit the artists and/or

copyright holders whose work has been reproduced
here. We apologise for any omission, which will be
corrected in future editions, but hereby must disclaim
any liability.

First published in Selangor, Malaysia in 2017 by

The Design School, Taylor’s University.

The Design School

Taylor’s University Lakeside Campus
No.1, Jalan Taylor’s
47500 Subang Jaya, Selangor Darul Ehsan
+6 03 5629 5000

www.taylors.edu.my

Designed by Kua Ruo Yan

Typeset in Futura Std
CONTENT LIST

PART 1 PART 2 PART 3 PART 4

01 06 17 50
Annotated Research Analysis &
Introduction Bibliography Methodology Discussion

PART 5

03 24 71
Problem Collected
Statement Primary Data Conclusion

04 73
Research
Objectives References

05 79
Research
Question Appendices
PART 1 INTRO- 02

DUCTION

This dissertation contains five major parts and three appendices.

In Part I, researcher generally introduced the readers with selected
topic through indicating its problem statement, research objectives,
research question and background information. Part II focuses on
the issues and arguments in the literature with citations as a support
system. Part III contains description and justification of the selected
research methodologies and collected primary data that were
relevant to the research objectives that aims to address the research
question to create in-depth analysis. Derived from a general topic
narrowed down to and expanded to deeper elaboration about
what the researcher intended to study, Part IV relates the literature
review and analysed data to the discussion. The final chapter,
Part V finalises the findings and suggests recommend actions and
its limitation if there is any.
03
PROBLEM RESEARCH 04

STATEMENT OBJECTIVES

Japan is often acknowledged as one of the industry leaders in
packaging design and has led the way in packaging innovation,
but what’s clear is that Japanese packaging has a unique soul
of its own and it stands out on the shelf (Japanese Packaging
Unraveled, 2015).
1. To identify the essential factors and characteristics that influence
Japanese minimalist food packaging
2. To study what are the suitable characteristics of minimalist design
in Japanese packaging that can be borrowed by Western packaging

Japanese consumers place a heavy emphasis on the overall

appearance of products, where comparing to consumers from
other countries, they not only appreciate the content, but also the
external look of the product that they purchase as an integral part
of product experience, not to just contain the product (Marber &
Wellen, 2007), whereas most Western packaging appeared limited
and merely ‘contained’ on the packaging (Creative Japanese
Packaging & Product Design, 2016). Much of the Japanese food
packaging we see is very simple and clean, with distinctive colour
palettes. Emptiness and well-organized contents and visuals are
highly embraced.
In Japanese packaging, the aesthetic doesn’t equate with overtly
decorative or elaborate, but strongly influenced by its culture and
minimalistic style.
Thus, I intend to study the characteristics and factors of influencing
Japanese packaging, focusing on chocolate packaging, that can be
borrowed and applied on Western packaging design.
05
RESEARCH PART 2
QUESTION

Minimalism is often perceived as mundane, superficial style

of design. Anyhow, we can never deny the fact that its goal is
to communicate the essence or essentials, in order to let the user
experience purity and elegance, where aesthetics and functionality
are of equal. Why is minimalist essential in design? It has allowed
designs to become true and honest, leaving out the unnecessary
(Lim, 2012). It is challenging to pursue or even to master minimalism
as to decide which elements to be eliminated yet still conveying
your brand personality, and able to stay distinctive, to stand out
from competitors. However, reducing down the details to absolute
simplicity isn’t always the best solution. It might just look unappealing,
too generic and also, losing its own personality. What are the
suitable Japanese minimalist design elements that can be borrowed
and incorporated into Western packaging?
The following section will look into key literature that help
formed this dissertation and at the same time, widen the perspective
of researcher.
The search and review of the literature is an
argumentation analysis in the evaluation of existing
knowledge, strictly within the realm of research topic.
As an absolute foundation for research, this part
features examinations and critical study resources
to enrich the discussion.
07
ANNOTATED 08

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Kaufmann, E., n.d. The author’s research studies the development of packaging Sakuma, Y., 2015. The This article focuses on the perception of Japanese consumers
Packaging Design in design. In particular, a comparison between European and Importance of Package towards packaging design. The author first introduces the key
Europe and Japan: Design to Japanese
Japanese culture has been made to study the trend of packaging concepts of common terms and phrases that are relatable to the
Radical Reduction or Consumers: The Role of
Extravagance. Media design. Kaufmann started with the significant factors that influence Visual and Informational topic. An experiment of has been conducted at a university of Tokyo
Technology, [online], the development in reflecting or improving the design through Elements of Package through the approach of various research methodology. The results
pp. 16-27. examining the historical and cultural aspects of a product. His work Design in Decision of her research have outlined visuals elements as an important
has covered several significant subjects such as different purposes Making. International criteria of packaging design may have a greater effect on decision
Available at: Marketing Management,
of packaging based on the theory of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, making, compared to informational elements. In the article, Sakuma
<https://www.feloidea. [online] pp. 19-28.
com/showcase/assets/
the adaption of current design trend and results of packaging design has presented a theoretical framework and detailed explanation
arbiten/EvaKaufmann_ makeovers for certain companies that reflected the importance of Available at: that helps in examining the impact of packaging elements on the
PackagingDesignIn acquiring thorough knowledge of the brand or product in avoiding <https://www.doria.fi/ process of consumers’ buying decision. Moreover, she also worked
EuropeAndJapan.pdf> extravagancy. The limitation of the research is that Kaufmann only bitstream handle/10024/ on improving the reliability of data in order to achieve a higher
provides little insights to the discussion. Although there is lack insight 104862/Sakuma_Thesis. accuracy of analysis and findings. Therefore, this article is significant
[Accessed 8 April 2017]. pdf?sequence=2>
given by the author himself, the information provided in this article in providing information of consumers behaviour that concentrates
is found relevant to my research for the understanding of different [Accessed 9 April 2017]. on the snack market as well as packaging design in Japan that is
aspects for the considerations that can be made in designing a valuable and certainly up-to-date for my research.
packaging. Moreover, the topics discussed are evidence-based and
obtained from reliable sources.
09
Tomiko, O., 2009. This article aimed to study the aspects of creating simple-looking
Simpler Packaging. design to appeal to the consumers. The author effectively discusses
Graphic Communication
the approaching of minimalist principles on design, either it is for
Department, [online] pp.
22-32. ecological or aesthetical purposes. Besides highlighting the emerge
of simpler packaging from designing and printing aspects, her
Available at: article also includes further exploration into the shift in contemporary
<https://digitalcommons. design and how it has affected the printing industries in producing
calpoly.edu/cgi/viewcon
new packaging. A few case studies on simplifying design of brands
tent.cgi?article=1011&
context=grcsp>
carried out that are supported by both successful and failure attempt
of evidence has been discussed in detail. Other than that, Tomiko
[Accessed 15 April 2017]. shares the changes of observations about her idea of ‘simplification’
from the very beginning of the research till the interviews with
packaging companies’ experts as well as designers were conducted.
This article is found useful as the content of the case studies as well
as the author’s insights can be adapted to fit researcher’s topic from
the definition to the cause and effect of the application of minimalism
on packaging design.
10
Shekhar, Suraj Kushe; This article intends to explore a study between chocolate
Raveendran, P.T., packaging cues and young consumers’ behaviour. The authors’
2013. Chocolate
research focuses on the perception of consumers targeting at
Packaging Cues and
First Moment of Truth: three age groups (secondary school, graduates, post-graduates
An Exploratory Study on from different institutes) towards newly launched chocolate bars
Young Consumers’ Mind. to study the influence of chocolate packaging for national and
Management Studies. international brands, as packaging tends to increase the value of
[online] pp. 1854-1861.
chocolate and reflecting the quality of contents. Findings obtained
Available at:
by the researchers are that packaging of chocolates were crucial
<https://www.growing in attracting young consumers, ‘material’ and ‘ingredients’ were
science.com/msl/Vol3/ the other factor variables that found to be significant for certain age
msl_2013_204.pdf> groups. This study has a limitation that make it less practical for the
use of research, in which it mainly focuses on how demographic
[Accessed 16 April 2017].
variables will be influenced by national and international brands
of chocolate packaging. However, the article is still relevant to the
research question of dissertation through understanding the essential
factors in designing chocolate packaging that would affect the
purchasing decision of consumers.
11 12

Kyoko, H., n.d. A This study compares the colour schemes and design of packages Kuroyanagi, J., 2016. In this article, Kuroyanagi has stated “Innovation and tradition
Comparison of Colour of sweets in the US and Japan from the viewpoint of the cultural Japanese Packaging should not be separated from each other” in which explains the
Schemes and Images in Unravelled. A
history of colour. The researcher clarified the fundamental cultural uniqueness of Japanese packaging that always stand out of the shelf
the Package Design of Perspective on Global
Sweets in the US and differences or distinction by hypothesizing that the colour scheme Packaging, [online] builds on the country’s culture, traditions as well as ideals. Since the
Japan. Art & Design. of the packaging of sweets can be a root cause of forming colour pp. 78-79. Nara period, it is without a doubt that the food packaging design
[online] pp. 2-8. culture. In her experiment, the colour charts in Figure 3 & 4 showed in Japan has been connected closely to their history and culture and
that Japanese chocolate packaging uses warm and light colours, Available at: shown high appreciation to the beauty of nature. He discusses his
Available at: <https://storage.dow.
and illustrative images of nature or ingredients. On the other hand, expectations on Japan in influencing the packaging in the market of
<https://www.academia com.edgesuite.net/
.edu/11914822/A_
American packaging design applies colours in high Chroma but dow.com/packaging
South East Asia. Moreover, he also provides a focused perspective
Comparison_of_Color_ low value, and visuals are Influenced by American comic illustration /in_perspective/in3/ on the role of Japanese packaging in the education through the
Schemes_and_Images_ as they are mainly targeting at children. However, there is lack of in-perspective-edition use of historical documents. Kuroyanagi as a Japanese graphic
in_the_Package_Design supporting evidence on the preparation and measurement of colour -3.pdf> designer has provided his viewpoint into the concept of “packaging”
_of_Sweets_in_the_US_ schemes. While this article is relatable to the dissertation as colour is that suggests the importance of improving the quality as well as
and_Japan> [Accessed 9 April 2017].
one significant element in approaching minimalist design, it requires consumers’ experience. This article provides understanding of the
[Accessed 16 April 2017]. more evidence to prove that how Japanese and Americans use main features of Japanese packaging design from a perception of
colours on the packaging design as marketing strategy that reflects a designer based in Japan in which highly helps the research in
their own unique culture. defining and considering the adaption of minimalism in the design
of food packaging.
13
Benady, D., 2016. This article suggests contemporary design trends in packaging
Future of Packaging. industry. The author holds the opinion that minimalist design is the
Packaging Designed to
latest trend for packaging, where people will be more attracted
Promote Brand Values,
[online] p.6. by bold and simple design. In the article, he furthers pointed out
a few global brandings that have attempted minimalism for
Available at: rebranding purpose. As Benady stated “The demands of the digital
<https://www.testvalley era are forcing brands to take minimalism seriously”, design has
ypkg.co.uk/userfiles/
to be straight to the point in order to catch consumers’ attention.
downloads/50/future-
of-packaging-special-
Nevertheless, he concludes that it could be so successful that it is
report-2016.pdf> able to stand out among other brands, or just ended up looking
clinical and lack in personality. The author has included relevant
[Accessed 08 May 2017]. examples of the modern packaging with further discussion from
the aspects of authenticity and personalities. This article reflects
the advantages of studying current trend in Western packaging
industries and prioritising brand values, which clarifies reasons
that result in the increasing demands of design companies in
approaching minimalism.
14
Garaszczuk, M., n.d. This article intends to study the difference between minimalism
Attentional-Capture and complex design. The author addresses the use of visuals and
Efficacy and Brand
information to communicate the brand value effectively to the
Qualities of Minimalist
Packaging Design. audience. In the study, Garaszczuk analyses the attentional-capture
Psychology. [online] properties and perceived qualitative attributes of minimalist to
pp. 19-28. understand the effectiveness of minimalist design in breaking through
the marketplace. An eye-tracking session and brand personality scale
Available at:
were carried out in response to the growing use and approach of
<https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/
cgi/viewcontent.cgi?
minimalism. The evidence regarding its topic is fairly consistent and
article=1021&context statistically significant: minimalist design has gained a higher score
=psychK_uht> in comparison to complex design in terms of brand personality that
is interrelated to consumers’ attention and perception towards food
[Accessed 16 April 2017]. packaging. The data collected throughout the experiment is clearly
an important review of quantitative research from a behavioural
frame of consumers to be taken as a reference. This article is found
associated with the research on studying how consumers perceived
brand personality from different dimensions when they are exposed
to minimalist food packaging design.
15 16

(a) Japanese Package Both books are presenting mainly visuals, featuring the award- This next section will look into methodological approaches and
Design Association and winning design and today’s most attractive and innovative packaging strategies in backing up the researcher’s analysis and conclusion
Rikuyosha. eds., 2009.
solutions respectively. Uffelen’s book deals more specifically with through accessing the sources of facts.
Package Design in
Japanese Biennial Vol. food packaging design, particularly in the matter of emphasizing
13. Tokyo: Fuji Kazuhiko. aesthetics and functionality in drawing consumers’ attention.
Intendedmainly for presenting an overview of designers’ concept and
(b) Uffelen, C.V., 2013. inspiration, both books do not provide further explanation or practical
Packaging Design.
advice in designing packaging. Nevertheless, as the sources that
Salenstein: Braun
Publishing AG.
can be obtained online are considered limited, it is important to be
exposed to books that showcase worldwide awarded packaging
design. In these two books, examples of both Western and Japanese
chocolate packaging found under the chapter of confectionery
packaging design can be used as visual references for case studies to
be explored and studied in-depth to support this research. This plays
only a supportive role and where the intention is to support the idea
of minimalism as one of the packaging design cue in communicating
to the audience effectively when it comes to food packaging.
 PART 3
Lester (2006) suggested that “field research,
in general, refers to any studies conducted outside
the library, set up in an objective manner in order
to control subjective feelings.” It can be carried
out through investigating sources or documents and
conducting experiments or observations. This section
lays out the description of the research methodology in
addressing the research question presented in Part I.
The multiple approaches conducted in this study to
measure the variables and evidence as well as its
validity and reliability were utilised to this end.
RESEARCH 18
METHODOLOGY
3.1 Qualitative Research
“Qualitative approach to research is concerned with subjective
assessments of attitudes, opinions and behaviour. Research in such
a situation is a function of researcher’s insights and impressions.”
(Kothari, 2004)
Generally, techniques of observation, focus group, depth
interviews and case studies are used. The research is done on
much more individual basis, ethnographic study can improve
the external reliability as well as validity of data.
In this research, e-mail interviewing has been chosen which it
allows to interview a number of interviewees at once regardless
of their geographical location or time zone with the access to the
Internet. However, one of the disadvantages is that it requires
a period of time for data collection due to unforeseen reasons.
The information is to be analysed by comparing their answers to
the answers of other designers to find consistency or variation on
minimalism in food packaging design.
19
INTERVIEWEES
01
Kuroyanagi
Jun
Japanese packaging designer, Kuroyanagi
is the winner of Golden Award in the Japan
Package Design Awards 2015. Featured in
the article ‘A Perspective on Global Magazine’,
Kuroyanagi has mentioned the emergence of
Japanese influence in South East Asia. His
background and experience as an awarded
packaging designer would be able to provide
valuable and important insights into minimalist
design. Moreover, Mr Kuroyanagi has worked
exclusively in packaging design that approaches
the simplicity and elegance of Japan that rely
on its ancient culture and traditions.
20
02
Driv
Loo
The founder of LIE (acronym of Little
Ideas Everyday) Design & Art Direction
located at Paramount Garden, Petaling
Jaya. Graduated in graphic design &
advertising in 2004, some of his works
as well have received notable awards
and recognition in publications. He is then
returned to Kuala Lumpur and founded LIE.
With his partner Magdalene Wong, most
of their work including self-initiated projects
are highly inspired by minimalist design.
Other than that, LIE Design has been
designing for clients such as the Japanese
restaurant, Kakigori and Kaiju Company.
21
03
Yuta
Takahashi
Inspired by Apple’s design, Takahashi
is an art director and designer based in
Japan mainly working on branding, book
design as well as packaging design. His
features of work are crafted equally simple
and aesthetic strive to sustainable design and
cultural growth. Mr Takahashi has designed
a distinct minimal chocolate packaging that
reflects its simple pure ingredients in which
he won an award for the design. However,
there are some opinions saying that his
stripped back design is “unusual, not sure
how well it would work on shelf as it has
no appetite appeal.” (Gilbody, 2017)
22
3.2 Quantitative Research
“Experimental approach is characterised by much greater control
over the research environment and in this case some variables are
manipulated to observed their effect on other variables.” (Kothari, 2004)
For instance, questionnaires, data collection and data analysis.
A large amount of data or results gathered can be analysed statistically
to generalise the finding.
Survey questionnaire is chosen as one of the research methods to
gather evidence and understand the perceptions, preferences, attitudes
as well as behaviours of respondents by presenting a list of well-crafted
questions. The online survey will be developed by using the Typeform
online software platform.
23
QUESTION
-NAIRE
Set 01
The aim of the research is to study the suitable characteristics
of minimalism in Japanese packaging design that can be borrowed
and incorporated into Western food packaging. Hence, designers
as well as design students (both locally and overseas) are targeted to
receive different point of views and certainly their design knowledge
regarding minimalist design in food packaging. The questionnaire
form is attached in Appendix 2.
Set 02
Other than respondents with design background, non-designers
are targeted as well to receive different points of view from the
consumers regarding minimalist design in food packaging as design
is actually made for them. It is very important to understand if
the attempt of design is effective in communicating with the target
audience. The participants were required to fill in the questionnaire
form attached in Appendix 3.
COLLECTED 24
PRIMARY DATA
E-mail Interview with Yuta Takahashi
1. What do you consider to be the Japanese approach to
packaging design?
Collected Data: “In Japan there is the word “beauty for purpose”.
This is not the expression of beauty by adding something, it is the
beauty that is achieved by maximizing the value it has itself. This
is not a concept that is limited to design alone. It coincides with
the spirit underlying traditional Japanese cuisine such as sushi and
sashimi. That is the spirit of “doing nothing in vain”.
Review: The interviewee explains the idea of beauty for a purpose
that is highly embraced in Japan. He has stated a clear distinction
between adding elements and expressing its own value to the fullest,
either it is to be incorporated in design or even lifestyle. The claim
made by Kuroyanagi as an expert in the specialised area of this
research topic assists to achieve a deeper level of understanding on
the design approach from the perception of a Japanese designer in
appreciating the concept of simplification or minimalism.
25
2. In your opinion, are there any differences between Western and
Japanese food packaging? What are they?
Collected Data: “There is also a minimal package in the West. And
in Japan there is also a Western package. Certainly, we can make
a difference in design between the West and Japan. But what matters
is that Japan has Western elements as well, and there is also a
Japanese element in the West. In other words, it is not a difference
by the country, there is a difference in philosophy.”
Review: The data collected plays a significant role in supporting the
necessity of studying historical, cultural and behavioural factors, that
it is the philosophy of various factors that helps in shaping the value
of a design to achieve minimalism.
26
3. What are the considerations to borrow and incorporate Japanese
minimalist design elements on Western food packaging?
Collected Data: “There are many designs successfully incorporating
minimalist design into Western package design. However, trying to
incorporate Japanese minimal design into Western culture is not a
problem. Rather, I think it is important to think “why do we need to
do that?” For example, “sashimi” attempts to maximize the freshness
of fish. As you do not need to waste seasoning when doing it, it will
result in a simple dish. In other words, it was not the purpose of
making simple dishes, but the aim was to maximize the freshness of
fish. Whether it is a simple dish is only a secondary problem. I think
that the same way of thinking can be used for design.”
Review: This question intents to receive interviewee’s advices to
offer up a window through which to view the various possible
ways that can be taken as considerations in achieving minimalist
design. Unexpectedly, Kuroyanagi did not spell out the difficulties
or constraints of adapting minimalism in Western packaging design.
He further expresses the example of maintaining maximum freshness
of sashimi in supporting his point of view, which is found relevant
in suggesting the possibility of incorporating Japanese minimalist
elements to Western food packaging design.
27
4. What is your advice for designers to avoid overusing of the
elements of minimalism?
Collected Data: “It is to think about purpose. It is not the purpose
of doing a minimalist design. It is important to think about “what is
the purpose” of the thing to be designed? If I sharpen its purpose,
I think that it will result in a simple and minimalist design as a result.”
Review: The suggestion of the interviewee to strip things down to
their essential and identify the core purpose is rather significant
for the objectives of this research in understanding the main
consideration of designing Japanese packaging that should be
taken when it is brought to attempt in Western packaging design.
28
5. And lastly, what are the benefits and risks of using minimalist
design in food packaging?
Collected Data: “Background of design is people’s lifestyle, values,
behaviour and culture. There are various inventions in the world
today, there are discoveries, new products are released, and new
information is being disseminated. The times are changing slowly,
and the values and behaviours of people change in that. We would
like to visually express designs that are consistent with lifestyle of
people who are changing. When a designer can express a design
suitable for the times, people feel that design is “minimal”. Because
“minimal” is that there is no unnecessary thing, because it means
that there is no discomfort at the same time. In other words, design
that has no discomfort is because it is a design that matches
your personality.”
Review: This again highlights the importance of designers to be well-
aware of design trends that is constantly changing from time to time
for meeting the needs and wants of consumers, not forget to identify
suitable approach of design and utilise its elements that aims to solve
their problems.
29 30

Questionnaire Set 01 2. Where do you work or study?

1. Are you a designer (graphic/multimedia) or design student? Description of Collected Data: The majority of respondents are
based in Malaysia, which stand at 93%. 2 respondents are from
Taiwan while 1 respondent is from Japan.
Description of Collected Data: Out of 44 respondents, 55% of the
Review: The data collected is significant in understanding the
respondents are design students, while fifteen of them are designers
possibilities of the exposure of food packaging that may influence
and the remaining five respondents has chosen others (courses
the decision of respondents.
taken or professions that are related to design field).
Review: The answers and advices provided from the perception
of designers and design students has higher reliability and can
be taken as considerations in receiving different point of views
regarding minimalist design in food packaging.
31 32

3. I prefer a simple minimalist design as opposed to fun cluttered

design in food packaging.

Description of Collected Data: 84% of the respondents has

chosen simple minimalist design over fun cluttered design in
food packaging.
Review: This reflects on the majority of the respondents are more
likely to choose simple-looking food packaging design due to
their education background or working experience that has been
introduced with the idea and knowledge of minimalism. The data
collected can be used to suggest the significance of discovering and
studying different factors and influences for approaching minimalist
design on packaging.
33

4. You are to design a chocolate packaging for a company.

Which approach will you consider for the attempt?

Description of Collected Data: Majority of designers (39%) have

chosen packaging design B. On the other hand, the least answer
that has been chosen by the respondents (2 out of 44 designers)
is packaging F labelled with Ornate.
Review: A comparison between different types of possible
packaging design approaches with its representative sample within
the same category. This intends to determine if minimalism is in a
dominating position in current creative industries which this will
assist in the study of my research on why companies tend to choose
the appeal of minimalist design as their solution.
35 36

5. Based on your selection for the previous question, why would

you choose the attempt?

Description of Collected Data: Most respondents explained the

design looks simple yet it’s neat and clean, well-balanced design
is able to capture their attention easily.
Review: Further elaborations received from the respondents that
helps in rationalising their choices of attempts of respondents
as designers that only focuses on one particular food packaging
from the previous question. The results are relevant for the case
study of chocolate packaging in my research, which would provide
suggestions on how minimalism can be adapted from the Japanese
food packaging.
37
6. Questions from 6a to 6d are based on the following images.
Examples of (A) Japanese and (B) Western chocolate packaging
are shown. Examples of Western and Japanese are given as a focal
point for respondents to articulate which approach of design stands
out the most or more successful in conveying message as part of
the feedback.
38
Description of Collected Data: Words used the most to describe A
are simple, elegant, classic. Packaging B has been associated with
wordings like fun, colourful, childish and commercial. 77% (34 out of
44) respondents agreed that packaging design A is more appealing,
while 50% of them hold the opinion that packaging design A is more
effective in communicating with people.
Review: From question 6a to 6d, the examples of Western and
Japanese are given as a focal point for respondents to articulate
which approach of design stands out the most or more successful
in conveying message as part of the feedback. Data acquired showed
that majority of them are drawn to minimal packaging design yet
some of them still hold the opinion that fun colourful packaging is
more successful in communicating. This reflects that the attempt of
minimalist design on food packaging is able convey the message
successfully and appeal to the consumers at the same time if its
design elements are well-utilised. Other than that, data above also
indicates that a larger sample size is required or it may cause to
receiving inconclusive results.
39
Questionnaire Set 02
1. What is your occupation?
Description of Collected Data: Majority of the respondents for this
questionnaire are students.
Review: Understanding the background of respondents as their
lifestyles and preferences may differ from one another due to their
occupational classification. It is significant to study the perception
of consumers towards the aesthetics and functionality of food
packaging from Japan and the West.
40
2. I prefer a simple minimalist design as opposed to fun cluttered
design in food packaging.
Description of Collected Data: As opposed to Questionnaire Set 01,
more than half of the respondents in Set 02 lean more towards to
fun design than simple minimalist design in food packaging.
Review: Conceptually, the analysis can be relevant to reach an
understanding of respondents’ cultural background in which outlines
their level of awareness on minimalist design that highly influences
their choice of food packaging design.
41 42

3. Which element you find the most important in food

packaging design?

Description of Collected Data: 54% of them agreed that visual is the

most essential element in food packaging, followed by typography
(product information), colours, functionality and simplicity.
Review: Packaging design is the key factor to captivate consumers’
attention. Results obtained can be taken as a guideline for the
researcher to suggest what should designers prioritised to integrate
the visual language with other elements when it comes to food
packaging design.
43 44

4. Which chocolate packaging do you like the most?

Description of Collected Data: Non-designers are asked to choose

the chocolate packaging they like the most. A short answer question
is also prepared for them to give an explanation or insight on their
choice of approach in chocolate packaging design. Majority of
non-designers’ respondents (37%) have chosen packaging B. The
least answer to be chosen is packaging F (2 out of 63
non-designers).
Review: The results shown illustrates which attempt appeals the
most and the least. This is found apparent to assist the research by
studying the relationship between consumers’ buying behaviours
and design solutions on a specific food packaging.
45 46

5. Questions from 5a to 5d are based on the following images.

Examples of (A) Japanese and (B) Western chocolate packaging
are shown. Examples of Western and Japanese are given as a focal
point for respondents to articulate which approach of design stands
out the most or more successful in conveying message as part of
the feedback.

Description of Collected Data: Creative and delicious, colourful

and fun are the wordings used most by the respondents to describe
Packaging A and B respectively. Majority agrees that Packaging A
looks more attractive and effective in communicating with people.
Review: This is a key data to determine how different approaches
of design evoke different emotions of consumers. This helps with my
research for a further understanding on the perception of consumers
towards the aesthetics of food packaging design between Japanese
and Western culture.
47 48

Words associated to:
Packaging A - Creative; Simple and mature; Elegant; Classic;
Luxurious; Sweet; Attractive; Cool.
Packaging B - Complex; Complicated; Fun; Cheaper; Joyful;
Colourful; Delicious.
While collecting the primary and secondary data for the
dissertation, it is also essential to develop the ability to generalise,
define, describe and exemplify the information obtained and
ideas in a limited scope. Therefore, the following section suggests
significant issues based on the defined research topic that aims to
reflect the overall viewpoint and analysis of the researcher.
PART 4
51
ANALYSIS 4.1 Minimalism, Reductionism and Simplicity
& DISCUSSION
A graphic style you may have heard of: minimalism. Simplicity or
minimalist, complexity or maximalist all have a role to be considered
in design. More recently in many facets of design, from interior
design to fine arts and photography, we have seen minimalism
started as a trend, has evolved into a way of thinking, and even
a lifestyle.
Minimalism has existed for decades. It is important to understand
that minimalism is not a new concept but a recurring significant
phenomenon through time. The concept of minimalism is embodied
in the principle of the architect, Mies van der Rohe in his famous
quote, “less is more”. In fact, the elements of minimalism can be
traced in the Modernist time period, associated with the geometric
abstractions of Bauhaus, De Stijl art movement (1917-1931), Russian
Constructivism (1920s), as well as the American minimal arts
(1960s). However, out of the Western modern art realm, minimal is
also very practised in the Japanese culture, so much that it embodies
the art and culture (Moghov, 2011).
Most of us might believe that the words minimalism and simplicity
are interchangeable. Simplicity is defined as “the state or quality
of being simple”, while minimalism is given the definition of “any
design or style in which the simplest and fewest elements are used
to create the maximum effect” (Carver, 2012). Baczek (2014)
pointed out that “reduction sparks a conservatism that blinds our true
understanding of need from a vast compilation of resources.” What is
the difference between these terms? From my point of view, minimalism
as a design style that is characterised by the emphasis on simplicity
should not be confused as reductionism or an absence of design,
but a powerful method, a solution to complexity and as such style is
restraining itself in its own usefulness. There is a sense of beauty but
53
also, and more importantly, a reason to the simplicity of minimalism. the myths and misconceptions of minimalism. He has pointed out that
Additionally, McFarland (2017) also suggests minimalism as a there is an oversaturation of graphic works that overuse negative
design style that “embraces a generous use of negative space, space, apply monochromatic palette and frequent use of Helvetica as
sparse typography, limited colour, and a strong sense of hierarchy” the typeface in adapting minimalist design. Moreover, he also argues
which reflects the essence of embracing function over form in that minimalism should be seen as a graphic style that acts as a
creating a balanced harmony between essential elements. response to social factors, instead of a design trend. These common
misconceptions that surround minimalism studied and clarified by
Minimalism has been one of the most significant design movements
the author are significant to the interpretations of minimalist design
in the early 21st century as it suggest a framework that is simple and
principles to take packaging design to a different approach from
neat in nature and only necessary elements for functionality purposes
the ornate, decorative design that have saturated, at the same time,
are included in the design. It is a way of thinking, a process, a
promoting a clearer concept of what minimalism is.
solution that strips the subject down only to its ‘core’ essentials for
the design to be free from distraction (Minimalism in Design, 2014). In order to balance aesthetics with functionality, minimalist design
Hence, minimalism is often challenged by designers because of how has been constantly adapted as a design solution for packaging
seemingly “simple” it is. to appeal to the consumers. In the words of Obendorf (2009),
“Simplicity, minimalist design and aesthetics are terms that commonly
One of the most common misconceptions about minimalism is the
positively annotated and associated with good design and high
impression that the simplified design execution is easier and can be
usability” that have been used by companies as the selling point
created with very little effort. However, nothing can be further from
of their products. The following discussion will bring together
the truth. While minimalism is about a return to the basics, it is never
evidence on how the characteristics of minimalism influenced by
easy to achieve. An effective minimalist design is not only determined
historical and cultural factors that are also linked to its appeal and
by its success in stripping down to the most essential elements, but
functionality. Conceptions of packaging design will be brought up
also striking a balance between them that emphasizes both style
and comparison is made between Japanese and Western cultures.
and usability. As a result, other than being creative and innovative,
minimalism also requires designers to have a thorough understanding
in maximalist design as well as the design elements to avoid being
boring or looks similar to other designs. On the contrary, the simpler
the design is, the bigger the opportunity to introduce it with more
possibilities and even unexpected twists. (McFarland, 2017)
Tolley (2016) expresses his view of minimalism as “a form of
restraints that comes to the fore as a reaction to overtly ornate and
expressive graphic trends, often during times of social flux”. Besides
featuring the examples of most recent contemporary graphic design,
this book has provided insightful information that further discusses
55
4.2 Perception of Aesthetics and Functionality of the product, use natural motifs such as flowers as key visuals
of Packaging Design between Japanese and and replicate natural materials such as wood in plastic, as well as
Western Cultures polystyrene foam.
Apart from that, another unique aspect of Japanese packaging
is that it celebrates the experience of opening the packaging.
Each packaging conveys a different story to the audience.
(Kuroyanagi, 2016) Japanese packaging generally suggests paper
Looking back in time, there always was a style that left its indelible
folding practices adopted from their origins and is easy to be opened,
mark on its era- from the spectacular baroque to the modern age,
without requiring much strength or tools like scissors. As a result, the
which was a radical change in all areas of life about the tradition,
audience will not only appreciate the contents but also its packaging
the style has influenced the art, architecture, furniture as well as
because they are required to open it carefully, in which they are able
fashion. So, a culture was and is always oriented by a style, which
to enjoy and be fully amused by the unwrapping experience. This
also determines the characteristics and design elements used.
exemplifies how Japanese packaging is designed to help consumers
Culturally speaking, there are perceptional differences and values
transition from one mood to another, experiencing emotions such
gained through history and tradition and this clearly affects the
as anticipation, surprise and delight (DeNaro-Bickerstaffe, 2009).
package design of products when it comes to Japanese and
Apparently, we can see that Japanese packaging design is unique
Western cultures.
because it builds on ancient traditions and ideals. “Innovation and
The prestige of tradition inspires innovation (Niponica, 2014). tradition should not be separated from each other,” concluded
Traditional Japanese design with its simplicity and clean forms is Japanese graphic designer, Kuroyanagi Jun (2016).
considered as one of the predecessors of minimalism before the
Terpstran (1987) has defined culture as “the integrated sum total
influence of the West. This is a reflection of Japanese culture itself
of learned behavioural traits that are manifest and shared by members
where simplicity has long been valued, and all that’s not essential
of society”. Whilst on the surface of most countries of the world
to the functionality of a thing is not included in its design (Ivanoff,
demonstrate cultural similarities and being standardised, there are still
2014). Tracing back to the history of Nara period, Japanese
differences existing, hidden below the surface. One could definitely
packaging has been found closely connected to nature. According
talk about Europe and America which both belong to the West,
to Hideyuki Oda (1975), the author of ‘How to Wrap Five Eggs’,
however, these two countries are different in outlook when one looks
food was wrapped in natural materials like bamboo sheath, rice
into its history and culture. Therefore, the design of a packaging
straw and paper-thin wood shavings. This was not only considered
can be interpreted differently across the aspects. In this dissertation,
practical, but also visually appealing and successfully emphasises
researcher intends to study specifically in the American food
its natural charm and shapes. Because of Japan’s appreciation and
packaging design as the representative of Western culture that differs
respect towards the beauty of nature, it has highly influenced today’s
from the typical oriental nation- Japan, and adapting a more linear
food packaging design. Designers are mostly inspired by the nature
and mechanical way of thinking. As an example, after the Second
World War, when there was nowhere affluence, the emergence of
 Figure 01: Figures 02 & 03:

Iconic American The use of nature

chocolate elements as key
packaging design visuals on Japanese
food packaging

57

suggesting colourful and friendly packaging design from America

were something special where it gave the people hope and love of
life after living through such a horrible time in history (Kaufmann, n.d.).
Packaging design is rich in cultural and historical implications
(Valdillez, 2012). Every culture has its own unique characteristics.
Kuroyanagi (2016) once emphasised in his article that “the
commitment to enriching consumers lives is grounded in the ideals
of traditional Japanese aesthetics which dictate that even ordinary
products must be enhanced with a ‘pleasant touch’ and elicit certain
emotional responses in the audience.” In Japan, packaging is seen
as an integral part of the product experience rather than just a way
of containing a product. This characteristic includes the concepts of
emotional and affective design and the messages they can transfer
to the audience (Mercaldi et al., 2016). This again asks the question:
what is the best way to communicate the aesthetics and functionality
through the use of design criteria in terms of visuals, colours and b. Colours
white space to authenticate the visual identity of packaging design?
On one hand, there are claims that the meanings of colours are
learnt from the environment and therefore, colours meanings should
a. Visuals hold true across cultures (Osgood,1975). Hupka (1997) also
highlighted that “an integration of the two concepts contends that
Certainly, decisive is not just about the perception of the primary emotions stem from evolutionary responses and these relate
designers, it is influenced by all culturally and historically aspects too universal sensory perceptions about colour while compound
(Kyoko, 2011). Findings obtained by Shekhar and Raveendran emotions are learnt and these may lead to differences in colour
(2013) suggested that packaging is crucial in attracting consumers, associations across cultures.” In Japan, certain colours have special
in particular the visuals. In Japanese food packaging design, the symbolic meanings. The power of the meaning is specified by the
simple illustrative images of fruits, green tea, or milk are often used colour composition. Less colours means power, clarity and symbolic,
to inform and evoke these flavours. Unlike Japanese, American while the use of more colours indicate complexity and less symbolic
sweets tend to feature illustrative images of contents or an accurate (Kaufmann, n.d). As a case in point, red is indicated as the special
visual representation of what you feel rather than ingredients in the colour for Japan, which it represents the sun and is shown on its
background of the packaging. nation flag.
 Figure 04:

The overue of
minimalism in food
packaging design
suggested by
Antrepo agency

59
The Western meaning of black and white represents ceremony
colours, where white stands for wedding and purity and black
for elegance. On the other hand, while red, white and black are
symbolic colours of traditional ceremonies in Japan, Japanese
women are dressed white at the funeral as the colour of sorrow
and red is often the colour of the wedding kimono.
Accordingly, the representation of colours also reflects the colour
of the packaging design. The use of colour in packaging of long
established and best selling, basic items versus seasonal, limited, or
regional novelties are poles apart. The seasonal, limited ones suggest minimalist design study conducted by the Istanbul agency, Antrepo
more drastic colour schemes, whereas the long sellers do not often (Warmann, 2010) who has attempted minimalism in a series of
change the design and colours (Kyoko, 2011). The study carried conceptual packaging design for well-known market products
out by Kyoko in comparing the colour schemes of sweets packaging through stripping back of the existing graphics.
between Japan and America has suggested that Japanese packaging
uses warm and light colours, while the American packaging design It can be summed up that packaging design are highly relatable
generally applies colours in high chroma and low value, where to the expressiveness of context, symbolism, identification and
both the visuals and colours are deeply influenced by the American information. Influenced by the cultural and historical aspects, the
comics in targeting to children. symbols in terms of design cues used to express the aesthetic and
information strongly reflect the identities of each culture- sober,
elegant and quiet for Japan whilst childlike, colourful and extravagant
c. White Space for America. Hence, cultural and historical factors are crucial in
determining which design elements should be featured in order to
Penney (2017) defined the Japanese term Wabi-sabi as “a
resonate with the audience. By understanding how cultures create
Japanese aesthetic and philosophical tradition that centres around
meanings in colours, white space and visual cues, designers are able
the appreciation of the beauty of natural imperfection.” The concept
to decode how people interpret packaging design and encode into
of “the zen of things” in expressing the sense of quietness has been
it the values- in a way that will convey the aesthetic and functionality
attempted and developed into minimalism, in terms of the wise use of
means of communication to the audiences’ view, and what are the
white space. Japanese minimalist packaging suggests not just about
suitable elements that can be borrowed. The next section will go
tossing out design elements, blended the visual language of luxury
into detail when concluding, addressing the research question of
spirits with elements that would evoke the Japanese origins.
dissertation through analysing how the contrast of ‘foreignness’ and
Although Leonardo da Vinci once quoted “simplicity is the ‘own-ness’ of each culture can be interpreted in various ways and
ultimate sophistication”, the overuse of the cue may also lead to the importance of Japanese minimalist design to be adopted into
lose of brand identity and recognition, where it can be seen in the American food packaging to be more effective in communication.
61
4.3 How Minimalism Can Be Derived from Figure 05:
Japanese Packaging
Packaging within
the same category
displayed on shelf
Packaging design is the connection of form, structure, materials,
colour, imagery, typography, and regulatory information with
ancillary design elements to make a product suitable for marketing
(Krasovec & Klimchuk, 2013). Is a product still the same without its
packaging? Food packaging has two basic functions. The first is
practical. Packaging extends the shelf-life of the product, and makes
it easier to transport and display. Its primary objective is to create
a vehicle that serves to contain, protect, transport, dispense, store,
identify, and distinguish a product in the marketplace. (Kauffman,
n.d). Adducci & Keller (2008) also pointed out that at a basic level,
we package to protect, contain and identify products and to transport
it from point A to point B. Even a banana has a packaging- its skin
to protects the inside and still edible. There are also other reasons-
for example, some products need to be kept until consumption or
at certain temperature until it reaches the final destination, and to
be protected from theft. Second is its marketing function. Ultimately,
the goal of a packaging design is to meet marketing objectives by
distinctively communicating a product’s personality or function.
Packaging is now an essential component of the integrated
the brand stands for as much as other elements of the brand visual
marketing strategies of the food industry. It combines all the ‘Ps’
identity do, and in certain cases the packaging is to be said almost
of marketing: the package contains the product, packages convey
as important as the product itself.
messages about product attributes to consumers as part of public
relations, and often its price, while also carrying promotions. Hence, There are tens of thousands of different products lining the shelves
Krasovec and Klimchuk (2013) concluded that by combining all of the average supermarket. Department stores, mass merchandisers,
these different aspects, packaging has become an integral part of specialty stores, outlets, and the Internet are all retail marketing sites
the product. As the saying goes- aesthetic matters, without a properly where products are brought to life and attract consumers through
designed packaging in conveying the emotion and message to the their packaging design. The vastness of consumer choice brings
consumers, a product is difficult to be sold regardless of how good its about product competition that, in turn, fosters the need for market
other attributes might be. Indeed, packaging design represents what distinction and differentiation. In a consumer society, products and
63
the design of their packaging become so intertwined that they are
no longer perceived as either separate objects- or, ultimately, objects
of necessity. Successful packaging design, in fact, creates desire.
Without distinctive packaging, products would all look the same.
“A successful packaging design depends on a clearly defined
strategy- the tactical plan that delineates a product’s distinguishing
characteristics and the contrast between it and competitive products”
(Krasovec & Klimchuk, 2013). There may be a difference between
ingredients or materials- or there may not be any discernible
difference at all between similar products. Marketing is often simply
about creating the perception of a difference. Again, the packaging
design has always been emphasised as a vehicle in the competitive
challenge of communicating product differentiation. For many
brands, the packaging design establishes the look of the category.
Competitors may adopt a similar appearance or launch a packaging
design that breaks away from other products in their category. The
use of colour, typographic styles, characters, structure, and other
design elements have often become category cues for consumers.
Go back a few years, and packaging was at the other extreme.
It was “crafty,” and brand histories and philosophies were spelled
out, often in great detail, on consumer goods packaging. At the time,
the idea was to bring humanity and a hint of humor to everyday
products. It made sense for new brand launches by companies that
did not have huge advertising budgets and had to rely upon their
packaging to convey their brand values. Naturally, the pendulum
began swinging the other way after a while, and today minimalist
packaging offers consumers a sort of brand shorthand designed to
get the point across in a minimal amount of time in our action- and
information-packed lives.
In Japan, as in other countries, packaging design does not only
work only as the function of protecting the product and explaining
its attributes and benefits, but it also has the role of appealing to
consumers. Studies show that buyers generally affect the buying
decision what to buy at the point of sale. In order to successfully
help selling the product, the package needs to differentiate and
characterize the product and ultimately to become part of the product
experience. But how can the packaging help certain brand engage
and attract the consumers?
Average consumers may have noticed that many companies are
redesigning their packaging design. Is packaging becoming simpler?
Has minimalist design been taken as a solution in designing food
packaging? What are the reasons the brands are leaning towards
minimalism nowadays?
Japan is often acknowledged as one of the industry leaders
in packaging design. In less than fifty years, Japanese modern
packaging design has reached the high level which has taken the
western countries almost one hundred years (Wu & Chen, 2008).
The main reason for its success is that Japanese package design is
deeply rooted in its own national and traditional cultures that suggest
the adaptation and embracement towards minimalism, at the same
time unceasingly absorbs the beneficial elements from the foreign
cultures, especially the culture from the West. Whether that’s because
of their well-known minimalistic style or their colourful and intensely
graphic designs is up for discussion, but what’s clear in all instances
is that Japanese packaging is always able to stand out on the shelf.
In the previous subtopic, the researcher has explored how Japanese
culture is strongly influenced by different factors in compared to the
Western culture. In fact, Japanese packaging design that provides an
inspiration in terms of historical and cultural aspects continues to play
a pivotal role in the global perception of Japanese designers as well
as consumers today.
As Linda Tischler (2009), the Senior Writer for the business/
technology magazine Fast Company, stated: “It is innovation’s
biggest paradox: We demand more and more from the stuff in
65
our lives- more features, more function, more power- and yet we
also increasingly demand that it be easy to use. And, in an Escher-
like twist, the technology that’s simplest to use is also, often, the
most difficult to create.” This shows a challenge for designers as
consumers demand the best product and at the same time, the best
packaging quality, yet they also want it to be simple as possible.
Researcher’s study attempted to discover if and why consumers are
actually picking up the simpler, sustainable-looking packaging or if
they still want the extravagant packages that do little to cut down on
waste. This can be said as one of the many reasons companies and
designers are shifting towards simpler-looking packaging, such as a
design shift toward minimalism.
The new minimalist movement, which boasts of “pure art,” is
pushing companies to create different packaging in order to appeal
to the consumer. Though the old packaging is being thrown out,
the new market for creating simple packaging is asking designers
to create simpler “look-and-feels” that are visible on the shelves.
However, creating the right balance between the concept of
minimalist design is the variable part.
The contrast between American and Japanese packaging- one is
loud, another is subtle. Why is it important to incorporate Japanese
minimalist design? Ruth et al. (2014) indicated that minimalist
design is one of four cues in designing a premium packaging.
“Prior studies in the field of aesthetics have shown that symmetric
and unified designs are more aesthetically appealing” where
this greater aesthetical appeal will positively affect the product’s
perceived quality and premium perceptions. In fact, minimalism that
suggests stripping down the elements has been derived from the
luxury, not the poverty. Consequently, the data collected from the
questionnaire sets prepared by the researcher also correspond that
minimalism suggests a more luxurious and attractive look and feel
on a packaging design.
In the dissertation, researcher aims to suggest that there is a
need for a multicultural approach to packaging within the graphic
communication industry. Toprak et al. (2017) emphasises that
“cultures today are extremely interconnected and entangled with each
other. Lifestyles no longer end at the borders of national cultures”.
Moreover, German philosopher Welsch (1999) has mentioned that
“cultures today are in general characterized by hybridization” and
considers transculturality as “appropriate to most cultures today.”
Multicultural package design is the overall aesthetics of a design,
which make it functional solution in order for it to be used in multiple
countries. The idea for multicultural packaging became relevant when
products were being introduced into an international market. It is the
combination of features such as logos, colours, legal requirements,
religious beliefs and values that make up an effective way to
communicate a product to other cultures. It is a way to transcend
language barriers and increase brand recognition.
In supporting Toprak and Welsch’s sayings, one of the questions
asked in the e-mail interview was intended to receive interviewee’s
advices to offer up a window through which to view the various
possible ways that can be taken as considerations in achieving
minimalist design. Unexpectedly, the interviewee Takahashi did
not spell out the difficulties or constraints of adapting minimalism
in Western packaging design. Instead, he further expresses the
example of maintaining maximum freshness of sashimi in supporting
his point of view, which is found relevant in suggesting the possibility
of incorporating Japanese minimalist elements to Western food
packaging design. Moreover, the traditional position is the cause for
many conflicts between cultures. He suggested to quit this traditional
concept towards the concept of transculturality. In his context, the
prefix ‘trans’ can be defined in two meanings: One from ‘transverse’
in the sense of passing “through classical cultural boundaries”
and one in the meaning of ‘transcend’, to go beyond the classical
attitude. He also stated that transculturality promotes exchange and
67
“attentiveness for what might be common and connective” apart from
“the polarity of the own and the foreign”. It is an important evidence
that this way of thinking substantially concerns every part of human
life, but to come back to the topic of this exploration: products and
their use of connotation to cultures.
As a part of the material ephemera of society, packaging design
reveals and reflects the cultural values of the market. Therefore,
globalisation and localisation have become hot topics nowadays.
Designers are to decide between global or local product design,
global or local communication and also between global or local
packaging design. Which is the best option- to adapt product
design, communication and packaging design to local preferences or
to choose for a global solution? Although most research has shown
that it is more effective to adapt the execution of packaging design
to local preferences as cultural dimensions influence the way in
which people perceive and able to accept, transculturality can be
suggested in improving the packaging design.
From this perspective, it is likely that the same holds for
packaging design, as it is a communication tool as well. The results
of this subtopic on the influence of historical and cultural factors on
the communicative value of packaging design may help to make
considerations on adapting globalisation and localisation of the
design in food packaging. Hence, the issue of whether it is better to
opt for a local or a global packaging design and the suggestions in
attempting a current food packaging design focuses on chocolate
packaging will be brought up in the following section.
4.4 Case Study of Chocolate Packaging
Japanese and Western confections: How are they different?
Kurokawa (2016) has suggested that in Japan, they categorize sweet
food into two types: Japanese and Western. Uniquely Japanese
ingredients such as adzuki beans and mochi rice dough are used
for wagashi (traditional Japanese confections), while ingredients that
came originally from the West are only used for Western confections.
“Chocolate has been woven through the fabric of American
culture for centuries,” says Rodney Snyder, the director of Mars
Chocolate North America (Pierce, 2013). Moreover, Nierburg
(2015) pointed out that American consumers voted for their favourite
confectionery brands in three categories: chocolate, premium
chocolate, and candy. Hence, chocolate packaging has been
chosen as the basis to outline the dissertation to study and evaluate
the design criteria because it is one of the packaging design that
reflects the influence of American historical and cultural factors most
when it comes to the application of design elements.
Japanese packaging has been recognised for its chocolate
packaging design in embracing the effective and acceptable design
elements, at the same time, the increasing marketability. To this
end, the case study started with the analysis of current chocolate
packaging available on the market that represents American culture
the most, including chocolate bar and chocolate candies. However,
the interest of the researcher does not aim to highlight the differences
between the packaging but to show how, within the same category,
the possibility of describing the current scenario of American
chocolate packaging to be used as an assessment for designers
in approaching Japanese minimalist design. It is also important to
underline that the classification was not made on the basis of the
composition of matter or form of packaging, as this approach would
 Figures 06 & 07:
Hershey’s and M&M’s
Chocolate Packaging
Designs
69
lead to a focus on only the packaging itself. Featured in Figures
06 and 07 are two most favourite chocolate brands in America,
Hershey’s and M&M’s chocolate, the discussion in this part
of dissertation.
Both product lines celebrate chocolate’s important role in the lives
of Americans during the 18th century. Coined ‘The Great American
Chocolate Bar’, Hershey’s chocolate features the images of the
flavours of product contained, while M&M’s chocolate features its
most iconic anthropomorphic mascot characters on the packaging,
backed by a distinctive bold colour scheme (Liebig, 2015).
How colours, and the other two cues can be adopted from
Japanese minimalist design and incorporate to the American
chocolate packaging? While Japanese packaging always embraces
the nature of the product, American chocolate packaging usually
features illustrative images of contents or an accurate visual
representation, as mentioned in the previous subtopic. Warden
(2017) has suggested that when it comes to the dominant visual
used in packaging, “try to stick to one thing and make it standout
from everything else. It doesn’t necessarily have to be large, just
noticeable. Don’t feel like you have to place too many pieces of
art together, instead focus on one and make it shine.” Other than
that, colours used with a good contrast with one another will able to
create balance and unity in the packaging design, at the same time
convey a stronger emotion to the consumers. Though it is concerned
that colours represent different meanings may vary along historical
and cultural aspects, it is still possible to transcend the aesthetic
appeal and cultural barriers (Valdillez, 2012), allowing the packaging
from the West to adapt the suitable elements of Japanese minimalist
design. One of the most pivotal elements in Japanese minimalist
design is white space, that is derived by the concept of wabi-sabi.
Not to have an excessive amount of white space on the packaging,
but just “an enough room for your design to breathe and stand on its
own” (Warden, 2017).
Arguably, some hold the opinion that the concept of minimalism
is not suitable to be applied to chocolate packaging design- too
bleak and plain and not attractive to the consumers. However,
Japanese designer Takahashi (2017) stated in the interview that
“when a designer can express a design suitable for the times, people
feel that design is ‘minimal’. Because “minimal” is that there is no
unnecessary thing, because it means that there is no discomfort at the
same time. In other words, design that has no discomfort is because
it is a design that matches your personality.” This has suggested the
well-utilised of design elements in approaching Japanese minimalist
design will result in good design that is able to solve consumers’
needs and wants, even when it is to be adapted by a completely
different culture such as the American’s.
The final section will emphasize the main findings of the research
and discussion on the contexts of preceding chapters, evaluates the
degree to which the research objectives have been fulfilled, also
includes the problems encountered and possible recommendations.
PART 5 CONCLUSION 72

In an era of information overload, walking into a store and the

packages on the shelf are overflowing with a virtual explosion of
visuals, colours and advertisements. What makes one product stand
out over another? Western food packaging has always approached
crazy fun packaging that is barely readable and shows playful
personality. However, in this loud world, it is the simplified package
design that catches our attention most of the time.
The exploration of minimalism that has greatly influenced by
Bauhaus and The Swiss Style strips back to basics, identifies the
essential elements and aesthetics that is necessary to be used and
worked the best in packaging design.
Perhaps most importantly, other than shelf impact, a clean, less
complicated design can be the most effective solution in conveying
a message to consumers, making their decision-making process
much easier when it comes to packaging design as “It’s the pack’s
responsibility to show the point of difference- real or perceived,
emotional or rational- through effective, expressive design. It needs
to shout your product’s uniqueness, and convince consumers the
reasons to believe.” (B Brand Design, 2012)
All in all, as a designer, it is important to study current trend and
movement, not just by imitating blindly but to identify and utilise its
elements that will create genuine impact on design and be able to
solve consumers’ problems, needs and wants.
73
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79
APPENDICES Appendix 01: 80

E-mail Interview Request and Reply

81
83
Appendix 02: 84

Questionnaire (Set 01) Sample

85 Appendix 03: 86

Questionnaire (Set 02) Sample

87