Packaging and Merchandising Design — Packaging Design Analysis
20.04.2026 - 04.05.2026 / Week 1 — Week 3
Packaging Design Analysis
Fig 2.1 Chinese tea packaging
Fig 2.6 Competitor Packaging
Chan Zhi-Ren Zenndan / 0369069
Packaging and Merchandising Design / Bachelor of Design (Honours) in Creative Media / Taylor's UniversityPackaging Design Analysis
Table of Contents
1. Instructions
2. Process
3. Conclusion
1. Instructions
Fig 1.0 Module Information Booklet
Packaging Design Analysis
The brief:
Overview: Choose FOUR (4) products (box, bottle, can, and tube) in the market that you believe have poor packaging design. Ensure the product is readily available for purchase.
Product Analysis:
Conduct a thorough analysis of the existing packaging design. Identify the specific shortcomings and challenges in the current packaging. Consider factors such as functionality, aesthetics, sustainability, target audience, and branding when evaluating a product.
Market Research:
Investigate the target market for each product and assess how the current packaging aligns with the expectations and preferences of the target audience.
Competitor Analysis:
Research and analyze the packaging designs of competing products in the same category. Identify trends and best practices in packaging design within this product/packaging category.
I brought the items I wanted to analyze to class and consulted with Mr. Shamsul. The items are as follows:
- Box - 888 Tea & Coffee Tieguanyin Chinese Tea
- Bottle - Ghee Hup Minyak Buah Pala / Nutmeg Oil
- Can - Narcissus Brand Pickled Lettuce
- Tube - Innisfree My Perfumed Hand Cream
All 4 items are good to go for the analysis.
2. Process
Box - 888 Tea & Coffee Tieguanyin Chinese Tea
Overview
Product name: 888 Tea & Coffee Tieguanyin Chinese Tea
Category: Beverages / Tea
Fig 2.1 Chinese tea packaging
Existing Packaging Design
The box features a red background with a gold ornamental border pattern typical of traditional Chinese festive design. The front of the box displays a large photographic illustration of a mountainous waterfall landscape with white cranes in flight, imagery commonly associated with classical Chinese art and tea culture. The 888 logo is positioned at the top center. The tea name is printed in large Chinese characters, with the variant name appearing in both Chinese script and smaller English text. A red circular sticker in the middle right reads 'NEW LOOK' in English and Chinese.
Identified Shortcomings
The current packaging suffers from visual overcrowding and a lack of typographic hierarchy. Elements such as the red background, heavy gold borders, large illustration, and multiple text layers compete for attention. This prevents shoppers from quickly identifying the product type or value proposition, relying instead on generic visual codes that fail to distinguish it from other traditional Chinese products.
Furthermore, the waterfall-and-cranes motif misses the opportunity to highlight Tieguanyin’s distinct characteristics, such as its rocky Anxi origins, floral aroma, and historical heritage.
Typographical inconsistencies also impair accessibility. The disproportionately small English variant name limits the product's reach among non-Chinese-reading consumers in multilingual markets like Malaysia. Additionally, the "NEW LOOK" sticker appears makeshift, undermining the design's professional presentation.
Finally, the layout prioritizes decoration over practical information. The absence of quantity, brewing instructions, or flavor notes on the primary face of the box forces consumers to handle the packaging just to locate basic details.
Target Audience
While traditional aesthetics may resonate with older demographics, this consumer base is diminishing. Conversely, younger Malaysian Chinese consumers and health-conscious shoppers favor cleaner, contemporary design as an indicator of premium quality. The current packaging fails to engage these segments, appearing dated when compared against imported competitors that have adopted more refined, restrained visual identities.
Competitor Analysis
Competitors across the tea market use distinct visual strategies to signal quality. Premium brands like TWG Tea utilize elegant typography, while Harney & Sons rely on clean labels with botanical illustrations. Mass-market competitors such as Ahmad Tea and Dilmah prioritize legibility and ingredient transparency. Specialty Tieguanyin brands use targeted imagery, such as the Anxi region or abstract floral motifs, to communicate the tea’s specific aroma profile. In contrast, the 888 packaging omits these industry cues, resulting in a generic presentation.
Fig 2.2 Competitor Packaging
Bottle - Ghee Hup Minyak Buah Pala
Overview
Product name: Ghee Hup Minyak Buah PalaCategory: Health & Wellness / Traditional Medicated Oil
Fig 2.3 Nutmeg oil
Existing Packaging Design
The product is housed in a clear glass bottle, sealed with a red screw cap and a vertical red collar strip along the neck. A central self-adhesive label displays the brand name, multilingual product names, volume, and contact information, alongside an illustration of a nutmeg fruit. This bottle is packaged within a transparent outer box that features the brand name on the front.
Identified Shortcomings
The label is disproportionately small for the bottle, leaving large expanses of clear glass and creating a visual imbalance. This makes the label appear as an afterthought rather than an integrated design. Furthermore, the label is typographically dense and lacks visual hierarchy. Compressing the brand name, product name, usage directions, and contact details into a small area results in information overload, preventing consumers from quickly identifying key details.
Additionally, the packaging fails to communicate the heritage of a family-run Penang nutmeg factory with over seven decades of history. Highlighting this regional provenance could elevate the product's premium appeal, but the current design appears purely functional. Finally, the outer transparent plastic box creates a material inconsistency that undermines the quality suggested by the glass bottle. The disposable feel of the plastic and the poorly integrated text on the exterior detract from the overall perceived value of the product.
Target Audience
The product targets two primary audiences: local consumers seeking a traditional remedy and tourists looking for a regional souvenir. While the current functional packaging meets the needs of the local market, it fails to engage the tourist demographic. Tourist shoppers prioritize aesthetic appeal, storytelling, and gift value. Consequently, the design misses a significant opportunity to position the product as a premium specialty that leverages Penang's cultural and geographical identity.
Competitor Analysis
Competitors in the traditional remedy oil and heritage botanical sectors increasingly balance authenticity with visual refinement. Brands with strong heritage positioning, such as Minyak Cap Kapak and Tiger Balm, have updated their packaging to maintain recognizable cues while utilizing cleaner layouts and improved label proportions. Meanwhile, artisanal heritage products emphasize provenance through full-wrap labels, matte finishes, and illustrated storytelling. Locally produced Penang herb oils integrate regional iconography with contemporary design, appealing to both local consumers and tourists. In contrast, Ghee Hup's current design omits these approaches, missing the opportunity to align with modern market expectations.
Fig 2.4 Competitor Packaging
Can - Narcissus Brand Pickled Lettuce
Overview
Product name: Narcissus Brand Pickled LettuceCategory: Pickled Vegetables / Asian Pantry Staples
Fig 2.5 Pickled lettuceExisting Packaging Design
The packaging features a dual-zone label design with a white upper section and a bold red lower portion, across which the brand name Narcissus is displayed in a cursive yellow script. The upper zone contains a circular badge featuring the brand's narcissus flower illustration and Chinese text. However, the front face fails to communicate the product's contents. The product identity, which is pickled lettuce, is placed on the side of the can and remains hidden from the front-facing shelf position (see Fig 2.5).
Identified Shortcomings
The most significant shortcoming is the lack of a clear product descriptor on the front of the can, which prevents consumers from identifying the contents without handling the product. Furthermore, the color palette of lavender, red, and yellow appears jarring and fails to communicate freshness or appetite appeal, resulting in a dated aesthetic. The brand name Narcissus relies on existing customer familiarity rather than indicating the product category to new buyers. Additionally, the circular brand badge features intricate details that become illegible at typical shelf viewing distances, adding visual clutter without enhancing clarity.
Target Audience
Narcissus Pickled Lettuce primarily targets older, brand-loyal Chinese households in Singapore and Malaysia who consume the product as a condiment or with porridge. While this demographic does not require strong shelf communication, the brand's repositioning efforts acknowledge a secondary audience of younger shoppers and non-ethnic-Chinese consumers interested in Asian pantry ingredients. For this broader demographic, the current packaging acts as a barrier rather than an invitation. The front label lacks clear product identification and sensory cues, missing the opportunity to engage a wider market.
Competitor Analysis
In the canned vegetable and pickled product category, industry standards require clear product imagery on the front label. Brands such as Ayam Brand and Marina use full-color images on the primary face of their cans to communicate product identity immediately. Competing pickled vegetable products also feature prominent, bilingual front labeling. In contrast, Narcissus places its product descriptor only on the side, creating a significant disadvantage when the cans are displayed facing forward on retail shelves.
Tube - Innisfree My Perfumed Hand Cream
Overview
Product name: Innisfree My Perfumed Hand CreamCategory: Hand Moisturizer / Fragrance
Fig 2.7 Innisfree hand cream
Existing Packaging Design
The tube features an all-white body with a green cap, relying on minimal sans-serif typography for the product, variant, and brand names. It lacks illustrative elements and color variation. Crucially, there is no visual differentiation between the seven scent variants, which are only distinguished by a small printed code on the label.
Identified Shortcomings
The design sacrifices functionality for minimalism. The dense brand philosophy text printed on the tube is illegible due to its size and curvature, functioning as unnecessary clutter rather than clear communication.
Furthermore, the packaging fails to differentiate the seven scent variants visually. Shoppers must read a small label near the base to identify the scent, which hinders shelf navigation and point-of-sale visibility.
Finally, the clinical, all-white aesthetic fails to convey the sensory and aromatic qualities of the product. This approach causes the hand cream to feel more like a pharmaceutical item than an engaging lifestyle beauty product.
Target Audience
The Korean beauty market, which drives Innisfree's brand identity, is characterized by highly visual and whimsical packaging that clearly communicates product benefits and enhances the user experience. The current minimalist design falls short of these expectations. Young skincare enthusiasts are drawn to K-beauty for its aesthetic appeal and emotional engagement, which the stark packaging fails to provide. Although the hand cream is marketed as a daily mood lifter through fragrance, the packaging offers no sensory or emotional reinforcement to support this proposition.
Competitor Analysis
Competitors in the travel hand cream segment, such as L'Occitane and The Body Shop, utilize clear ingredient illustrations, distinct color backgrounds, and legible typographic hierarchies to differentiate variants. Other Amorepacific brands like Laneige apply pastel color fields and illustrative motifs. Furthermore, Innisfree's own Jeju Life Perfumed Hand Cream series uses hand-drawn botanical illustrations and warm accent colors. The My Perfumed Hand Cream line falls behind both these external competitors and the brand's own higher-tier work by omitting expressive visual cues to separate its scents.
Fig 2.8 Competitor Packaging
3. Conclusion
Across all four analyzed products, a consistent issue emerges: each packaging design fails to align its visual language with target audience expectations. The hand cream tube suffers from an extreme minimalism that strips away scent differentiation and sensory appeal. The tea box relies on generic cultural imagery that obscures its premium identity. The pickled lettuce can undermines basic shelf communication by omitting the product name from its primary face. The nutmeg oil bottle features a disproportionate label that fails to leverage its regional heritage and storytelling potential.
Despite their solid market value and trusted heritage, these products miss the opportunity to translate quality into effective visual communication. Effective packaging acts as the primary point of brand expression. In all four cases, there is substantial opportunity for redesign to enhance shelf presence and consumer engagement.
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