Exploring the concept of standout in structural packaging- challenges and prospects in Ghana
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Date
2015-03-03
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Abstract
This study 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 based on the views of the population for the study and alternative packages designed for them.
Both the qualitative and quantitative approaches were adopted for the study, using the concept of triangulation; interviews, questionnaires and observation. Data gathered from the questionnaires revealed that while 90% of the youthful population for the study consider it very necessary the structural design of a package, 55.0%, most of them unschooled market women 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.
It is recommended that the Institute of Packaging, Ghana (IOPG), The Federation of Ghanaian Exporters (FAGE), The Ghana Exports Promotions Authority (GEPA), The Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) and The Ministry of Trade and Industry as well as all stakeholders in the packaging industry should collaboratively formulate a comprehensive policy for the packaging value chain, especially with regard to structural packaging to enhance the current regulatory framework to ensure compliance within the packaging industry.
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 Communication Design.