Exploring the Concept of Standout in Structural Packaging- Challenges and Prospects in Ghana

Abstract
Often times, packaging is the first and only marketing tool consumers encounter before a purchase. It is therefore considered the most important communication and informative tool. The issue of packaging in Ghana at present is very pressing, owing to the fact that, as a developing country, the manufacturing industry is now taking shape and as a result, there are many locally-made products whose packages compared to their foreign counterparts need to be improved, especially with regard to their structures to enable them compete with their foreign counterparts. For this reason, there are many good quality products made in Ghana whose patronage, even on the local market is low. This study, ” Exploring the Concept of Standout in Packaging Structures - Prospects and Opportunities in Ghana” sought to offer alternative design solutions to structural packages offered on the local market. It sought to address the issue regarding the fact that Ghanaian consumers generally prefer imported products to similar locally-made brands, and patronise the former mainly because of the high quality and attractive-looking nature of their packaging and not always because they may be of a higher quality. Products such as wood carvings, food, textile products, soaps like the ‘Azumah Blow’ soap, ‘Alata Samina’, native sandals, toffees and chewing stick, among others were explored and alternative packages designed for them. This research sought to: 1. Design and create sample packaging structures of locally made products 2. Assess the impact of the packaging structures The qualitative approach was adopted for the study, using interviews and questionnaires. Data gathered from the questionnaires revealed that 55.0% of the respondents consider it unnecessary the look of the structural packaging of their products. They maintained that it is the content of the product they are concerned with and not the packaging structure. 40%, however, were of the view that the structural design of a product is very essential to the marketability of their products and therefore sought the assistance of the researcher in that regard. 5.0% of the people interviewed were indifferent on the issue. They were of the opinion that a product, be it packaged or not was not an issue to them, and that they will be attracted to good structures anyway. Finally, recommendations were made regarding the outcome of the research.
Description
A Thesis submitted to the Department of Communication Design in the Faculty of Art, College of Art and Social Sciences in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Communication Design.
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