Culture and packaging Essay

en object lesson is considered to be an integral part of the intersection and is the first point of run into with the defacement for a consumer reaping. So, close to of the companies that do business internationally plan their sh bes for each marketplace. The principle reason is that expectations and utilizations of consumers parti-color across elaborations. The worlds two wind industrial powers, U. S. and japan stick out almost reversal approaches to promotion. case is recognized as an expression of goal in Japan and designed to be appreciated, whereas in America cultural opinion is for the most part ignored and packaging is calculated to be accepted.Foods that precisely Japanese release create beautiful, traditionally designed wrappings that resemble handmade paper or leaves and accommodate s scum bag able grade insignia codes. Such products confront Japanese and are in die harded to do so. Products that are foreign, much(prenominal) as coffee, look foreig n even to the point of having scarce Roman lettering on the can. We speak of ball-shaped villages and international markets, however packages reveal some unthought cultural boundaries.Few vitrines of such(prenominal) cultural implication of packaging are- Canadians choose to drink milk out of flexible plastic pouches that fit into reclaimable plastic holders while Americans are believed to be so resistant to the conceit that they have not been given the opportunity to do so, Japanese consumers select packages that contain two tennis balls and view the ideal U. S. package of ternary as cheap and undesirable, Germans insist on highly detailight-emitting diode skillful specifications on packages of videotapes, while Americans dont, Swedes consider blue touch of packaging as masculine whereas Dutch consider it to be feminine and so on.(Eric, J. A. et al. , 2004, p. 298) Culture & Packaging strain Schmitt and Simpson (1997) states, Colour is virtuoso of the many trade tools that global managers use to create, maintain, and modify brand images in customers minds while Schmitt and tear apart (1994) discovers, Colour is as healthy as an eventful comp nonpareilnt of many corporate and brand-building cues, such as logos, packages, and displays. It is a commonality reflecting in the views of some(prenominal) the authors that- Colour is one of the major element which affects consumer perception regarding a brand.The research results show cross-cultural patterns of both similarity and dissimilarity in Colour preferences and Colour moment associations. Colour used in packaging is equally important in determining a products desirability. James Mandle, a Colour consultant, convertd the Colour of Ty-D-Bols t oilet bowl cleanser bottle from lessen and green to stark white letters on a olive-drab background. He believed that the original influence were too wimpy and that the new, bolder colors would evince strength and cleanliness. In an 18 month period f ollowing the change of Colour, sales of Ty-D-Bol jumped 40% (Lane 1991). (Thomas, J. M. et al. , 2000, p. 91) Packaging is not about Colour only there are various other factors involved in it. Factors desire design shape of the package, text on the package and other factors of the packaging. provided it is true that Colour is the most important attribute in monetary value of attracting the attention of the consumer. Packaging is not only made up of a single Colour but crew of act upon to create a brand image. So preferences in regard to combination of work also vary across acculturations. Few examples of such combinations are of touching Colours with green and red.The Colour best paired with green is yellow in Canada, Hong Kong, China, and Taiwan, blue in Columbia, and white in Austria. Only the Chinese and minute pair green with red as red is a brawny Colour in China. In Brazil and the US people pair red with black, whereas in Canada, and China, the preferred combination w ith red is yellow. ( Mooij and Marieke K. de, 2004) Culture & Packaging Information Packaging not only protects and contains a product but also provide the consumer with loads of education about the product such as its written report, correct use etc.For instance, packaging of foodstuffs and pharmaceuticals provides information regarding the make up of the product, manufacturer, country of origin, best before date and expiry date, ingredients and additives or composition of drug along with quantity and price. Since packaging is subject to country-specific legislation so ear of legal action has made many companies in the US and the UK includes all sorts of warnings on label instructions on consumer goods. On bar of Dial soap Directions Use like regular soap. On a Sears hairdryer Do not use while sleeping. On packaging for a Rowenta iron Do not iron clothes on body. On Nytol sleep aid Warning May cause drowsiness. On a childs Superman costume Wearing of this garment does not ena ble you to fly. On Sainsburys peanuts Warning contains nuts. On Marks & Spencer net income pudding Product leave behind be hot later heating. On Boots childs cough medicine Do not drive a car or operate machinery after taking this medication. ( Mooij and Marieke K. de, 2004, p. 265) In the present scenario various countries have included packaging waste into hazardous matter to contribute in pollution.This led the giving medication to adopt some policies to restrict the use of non recyclable products as a packaging material where it is not required. These have also posed contest among business systems to try and find out recyclable materials and present themselves as a responsible corporate citizen among the stakeholders. This is also one aspect of floriculture which leads to this kind of environmental concern approach. Culture & Packaging Images/ testifys Imagery is an important element of packaging, as it enhances the accessibility of packaging information.As said by Bo len (1984), ocular information in advertisements generally attracted more attention and was sight before communicatory publicize content. While Alesandrini (1982) declared, visual information whitethorn serve to attract consumers attention and set expectations for the contents of the verbal elements the visual information thus serving as an advance arranger for the verbal elements of packaging. (Underwood et al. , 2001) Different culture recognizes various symbols differently with different meanings altogether.Picture that is very meaningful for people in one culture as it expresses important values of that culture can be completely hollow to the people of the other culture. For instance, a box of pineapple cookies sold in Singapore has an image of a king of beasts, as in Singapore lion is considered to be a symbol of royalty. Hence, if the similar box of cookies is launched in UK it wont be given equivalent magnificence as in Singapore due to the differences lying in cultu re. Culture & Packaging intercourse Customer or prospect judges the products on the basis of its come to as well.Language used on the product package including its brand or product name creates impression among consumers. Consumer interprets the information selectively on the basis of his culture and his own personal factors. Different aspects of merchandise communication theory like corporate identity, brand name, package design, and advertising styles impacts consumer in current ways. Marketing communications styles are interrelated with personal communication styles. Chinese-speaking consumers tend to judge a brand name based on its visual appeal whereas English speakers judge brand name based on whether the name sounds appealing.In Asia, visual symbolism is a key aspect of a firms corporate identity. A comparative think of package design across seven countries found that packages differ both in three-dimensional design and in the way they communicate through graphical des ign and vary in the use of textual information use of Colour, shape, and symbolism and degree of twist and detail in the package design. All the above differences are highly influenced by culture. Even the product mob is influenced by the packaging design, for example Deodorant is communicated differently from cigarettes, and that is reflected in its design of the packaging.( Mooij and Marieke K. de, 2004, p. 213) Why it is important to understand culture & differences in cultures? It is eer very important for a marketer to understand the culture of his posterior market place. Many good products have failed in the market only due to ignorance of socio- cultural aspects. There are underlying components that influence culture such as religion, family, customs, politics, weather, etc, which must be taken into account when merchandising products on an international basis.Consequently, it is important for marketers to be aware of the 25% of cultural differences in the world market to promote their product properly. Therefore, it is of great importance to understand similarities and differences in culture which also affects the consumer purchasing behaviours across the cultures. (Weber, J. M. et al. , 2002, p. 396) Tastes and preferences of consumers vary in different part of world. In the European continent itself consumer preferences and reek varies so much that retailers Marks & Spencer had to made different advertising campaigns for each country.Initially Marks & Spencer has a single uniform advertising for the undivided of Europe in 2001. Later it recognized its weakness and immediately changed the advertising campaign according to the taste and preference of different part of European continent at the end of 2001. Toyotas model Camry was a colossal success in US which it tried to launch in UK market in 2000. It was a huge failure due to difference in the lifestyle and cultural set up of these two countries. Toyota re-launched it later with changes in t he model according to the European culture and it was a huge success.Companies have to estimate the strength of their products along with the market they are trying to detain irrespective of their own brand name and value. One of the mistakes by the snacks whale Kelloggs is Indian market was with its breakfast cereals. Within Indian culture people tend to eat heavy breakfast in the morning. In such market breakfast cereals as a healthier secondary to the heavy Indian breakfast was unattractive offer to the Indians. Later on company improved its communication strategies and compared it with traditional chapattis (Indian breads). Even in that case Kelloggs could sell to a Westernized niche market only.So it is quite a clear from the above examples that thorough understanding of the culture as well as its differences across cultures is very important to survive in forthwiths competitive environment. There are some other companies which have done very well in understanding various markets on socio-cultural dimensions like Disney, Pizza hut, dominos, Mc-Donalds and others. Success pf these brands was result of their conscious enterprise to keep the significance of culture in their minds. These companies went local irrespective of their global operations for each and every market for them. One such example is Mc-Donalds.The reasons behind success of Mc-Donalds in foreign markets apart from a hygienic brand image and consistent service a standard around the world is, its advertising which is local and its product offer has a local touch. Examples are the Kiwi burger in New Zealand the Maharaja macintosh in India the Prosperity burger in Malaysia the Teriyaki burger in Japan the McKorket in the Netherlands McLaks, a grilled salmon burger, in Norway and the Croque McDo in France that refers to the popular French Croque Monseiur, a hot ham and cheese sandwich. Advertising by McDonalds in France tied into local habits and symbols.In 2001, for example, advertising for McDonald in France tied into Asterix and Obelisk, the most famous historical cartoon of the nation. Hence, localization makes it increasingly important for marketing and advertising people to understand the influence of culture. ( Mooij and Marieke K. de, 2004, p. 18) Importance of Colours can not be ignored in the case of international markets. Colours are associated with different cultural beliefs, moods and meanings. Understanding of these aspects of Colour, culture and society helps the organization to develop appropriate strategy.As said by (Kirmani 1997 Schmitt and Pan 1994), one marketing cue that global managers can use regardless of side is Colour. The effects of culture on the meaning associated with Colours are very critical for international marketing purposes. Wagner, the creator of the Wagner Colour Research Institute, contends that Colours are associated with certain images (Lane 1991). For example, Blue is associated with wealth, trust, and security Gray is ass ociated with strength, exclusively, and success and orangeness denotes cheapness.These associations may explain why banks are more likely to Colour their logos and collateral using Blue or Gray rather than orange ( Seitel 1993). It is cultural background due to which Colour has a strong effect on choice of a customer. It is important to understand which Colours are preferred by people in different cultures. It will help to create, maintain, or modify brand images in consumers minds. The associated with Colours and combination of Colours are important to understand for any marketer. Colour combinations are considered culturally bound with certain ideologies and traditions (Geboy 1996).For example, black on red signifies joy to Chinese people and is commonly used for wedding invitations while a combination of red over white represents celebration and signifies the life strength to the Japanese ( Tektronix 1998). (Thomas, J. M. et al. , 2000) After Colour it is cultural beliefs whi ch have impact on the consumer minds. It is important to understand the beliefs related to target product category at bottom the target market place. For instance in India people feel that quaint herbal methods are good choices over the cosmetic options available today.This led various cosmetics company in India to launch their promotional programs comparing their product with traditional methods or showing the products equivalent to the traditional benefits. In these leading brands like Lux, Fair & Lovely and many others are present. Success of a fair and lovely brand due to the fact that Indians believe luridness is beautiful. Vicco turmeric option is another example which positioned itself as a cream that would be useful for would-be brides to enhance their complexions, as applying turmeric for strip down commission is a part of the Indian tradition.These types of behaviour which are associated with a specific culture or belief can also be associated with different product categories such as, for instance, the bindi worn in most parts of India. It is important that the brand name selected for such a product category should have an ethnic-sounding name whereas a Western name is prone to be counter-productive. (S Ramesh Kumar, 2003) Another product category is food where the role of mother and wondrous mother is considered important. This is the reason all spices, traditional quick meals and cooking oil etc contain some or more of the mothers chemical formula kind of concept.Not only that change in the societal socio-cultural structure can also be seen as some of the advertisement in India show modern man helping their women in their work as well like washing clothes or taking care of child. There is a strong need to understand and consider the culture which constitutes of the values, beliefs and habits of consumers which show a discrepancy across the nations. The other aspect of the changing cultural environment and upcoming trends are also importan t to understand.