This analysis is based on a printed advertisement on a cupboard. And it’s about Prestige fruit mix salad. The unconscious assumption that you can draw from the package design is that this product is superior because gold color is used for the product name “Prestige.” And the picture on the chunks of the fruit salad looks almost real. The taste is good and not different from other similar but cheaper products. However, today it is hard to distinguish goods based on quality anymore (because all goods are now of relatively equal quality); rather we choose a product because of a perceived value, which has been ingrained through advertising. This idea of style creates an illusionary effect surpassing class and status. It is the package design that creates the material manifestation of image, status, and style.

The package design breaks the texts into a list form thus making the nutritional information concise and easy to read format. And it’s properly spaced, hence, it simplifies the reading and provides a professional look. In addition, the black background is fairly distributed in the layout design. It makes the letters and graphics standout clearly. Thus making the letters easy to read. But I rarely read the nutrition information; they’re written in tinny letters and all I want is to taste the product. If it’s good then I’m good with it. I only pay attention to nutritional facts when I’m buying things like milk, mayonnaise, and cooking oil. I have it embedded in my mind that fruits are “vitamin c” 100% and what else could be there? But taking a closer look, vitamin c is only 15%, less than 2% of iron and calcium, and 10 % of vitamin A, etc. Nutrition information is hard to grasp: on this occasion, it indicates zero grams of protein yet per daily serving, calories per gram are four (4). Now consumerism emerges because I feel duped into having desires of eating better quality fruit salad that normally I would not have purchased. Most of my purchasing decisions are based on quality and fair prices.

The careful use of color on the picture of the chunk fruit salad mix is visually appealing and the use of shades makes the picture standout from the background. This enhances the readability of the document, calls attention to important information, and distinguishes the importance of the information.  Packaging goods in order to make them attractive, and showing the customer all the positive aspects of goods, are normal and acceptable business practices. Advertising products with colorful packaging is a necessary process to both increase sales and product awareness. I think it also represents the products reputation of excellence and dedication of the company to serve its costumers. Ads will not explicitly promise satisfaction but the visuals imply it.

Further more, the cupboard uses different font sizes and styles. The size of the letter is intended to I think address the different age and reading level of customers. I think sometimes a slightly larger than average font size is used to make it easy for people with limited English or reading ability to understand the text. However, since larger fonts are not distinctively used for headings, mixing font sizes distracts the consumers from considering the texts as part of the content. Ads on such packaging can create, then feed an addictive mentality that begins in youth and continues into adulthood. Ads don’t cause all our problems, but they create an environment in which bad choices are constantly reinforced.

Generally, product marketing, packaging, promotion, distribution, display and advertising are all integrally related. The literature on packaging and consumerism is heavily shaped with both advertising theory and social history theory. Packaging design and advertising reflect social change. They reveal societal beliefs. Half of a company’s sale is accomplished by the packaging alone. Products may be purchased based on package design and price alone. Packaging is of particular importance due to the rise of the self-serve industry. The individualized sales service previously given to customers has been eliminated due both to economic practicality and an increase in product number.

Reference:
Boatright, John R. (2003). Ethics and The Conduct of Business. Upper Saddle River:
                  Prentice Hall