[[alternative]]The Strategy of Packaging Design-The Exploration and Application

[[abstract]]ABSTRACT According to a report in the Marketing magazine,vol.146. “…Just the beverage market alone, an estimated 500 new flavors or packaging would enter the market every year, but perhaps only less than 1% would survive.” In order to launch a successful product, we need many factors working together, apart from the marketing four ‘P’s—Product, Price, Place, Promotion. Philip Kotler, author of “Marketing Management”, mentioned in his book, that Packaging, the fifth “P”, is one major element in product strategy. One could tell from here the importance of package design. However, with the rise of market globalization, the consumer is being confronted with a broad array of product selection. Acceleration in competition has also hastened the launch of new products, leaving little room for product segmentation. All these point to the significant role that packaging has to play. A good package design has the power to attract the consumer and stimulate the desire to purchase. Therefore, to understand the potential need of the consuming market thru design strategy; to explore the variety of creative ideas and the possible ways of expression; to establish a standard criteria of package design would then be an important subject worthy of further research. A successful package design is built upon the designer’s in-depth knowledge of the product, the marketing and the consumer, which constitute the basis and direction for creative design, with the entire process a design strategy in its own right. Using “Nata De Coco Grape Juice”, an actual product as example, this study talked about the exploration and application on the subject matter of strategy of packaging design. Referring to the product’s current marketing strategy; discovering the lifestyle of the target consumer group; analyzing the DNAs of brands in the market, the competitions and their visual expressions. With the above understanding as the basis of creative package design, forming a design strategy and generally incorporating the visual trends amongst the group, which would serve as a reference for related future study and design practices. The result of this study shows: design strategy has an enormous effect on product marketing and the design activities. The corporation benefits from design strategy thru: 1) Establishing the direction of packaging design 2) Establishing the criteria for packaging design. 3) Advancing the executive effect of packaging design. The creative design also benefits thru: 1) Advancing the ability of creative thinking. 2) Advancing the ability to express. 3) Advancing the efficiency in execution. Keyword: Design Strategy, Package Design, Marketing Strategy, Lifestyle, Visual Trends.