PRE TEACHING NOTES
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Design a package for an imaginary Australian
product to be sold in Australia.
Students should be creative and innovative with their designs.
By making their packaging designs for an imaginary product we
ensure students avoid plagiarism and potential legal problems
should they copy any current package designs, labels and logos.
Focusing on Australia is particularly relevant to the secondary
entrants, as it relieves the need to think about packaging
strengths for overseas transport and negates the need to
consider any packaging/labelling laws from other countries.
Teachers need to spend time with their students developing an
understanding of the necessity of packaging in today’s modern
world as well as considering the environmental issues and
impact on our world.
It is also worthwhile to remember that packaging is not just
about food, consider everything from toys to personal care
products and pharmaceuticals.
Marketability
Packaging sells the product. Lifestyle changes, greater product
differentiation, competitive pressures are putting an even
greater premium on the appearance, sales appeal and quality
of retail packaging.
Convenience packaging
Consumers want conveniently packaged products that are easy
to store, open, dispense and reseal. Packaging that protects,
provides information, preserves and is essential to safety and
well-being.
Supply chain management
Packaging materials need to be lighter in weight, higher
performing and have good structural design. This provides
greater product protection at a lower cost. Products need to
stack efficiently and take up less shelf space in shops.
Electronic business processes
Deliveries within the logistics chain will become increasingly
complex, with direct store delivery, central warehousing,
distribution centres, product picking and robotic scanning. This
enables relatively seamless progress from initiation of product
requirements through to order placement, manufacturing,
delivery, invoicing and distribution to the consumer.
Packaging for changing demographics of the population
Packaging will need to have an emphasis on easy-opening
systems and tamper evident closures, readability of labels and
increased information on labels for special dietary requirements.
People living on their own need smaller portions in food
packaging to avoid product wastage.
Students should spend time visiting a range of retailers
including supermarkets, chemists, hardware stores etc.
Secondary teachers will find the PCA resource: “Marketing
and Case Studies for Schools: 2.6 Seconds to Beat Your
Competition” very useful in guiding students through the
exploration of packaging issues.
Click here for the Resource Order Forms.
It is not necessary to have access to design software or
equipment, as the rationale will assist judges to determine
the students’ level of understanding and intentions to produce
the packaging design.
Students may use currently available packaging in their
Mock-Ups. They must remove all labelling and replace
it with their own.
They must also clearly state in their rationale why they chose
both the shape and materials used in their packaging solution.
- Students need to brainstorm ideas to select a product to
package and/or issues they have with existing packaging.
- Make lists of their ideas and possibilities they want to
investigate further.
- Research existing package designs in books, magazines,
brochures, supermarket and shop shelves that are similar
to their ideas or product to avoid plagiarism.
- Produce a series of thumbnail freehand drawings to generate a range of original and creative ideas.
- Students could use paper forms to trial and refine some of
their development drawings. If students can see and hold
the package, it makes it easier for them to evaluate the
ergonomic design considerations.
- For secondary students the above should be collated into
a work brief, detailing how they will work through their
design process and address all the following areas of
consideration.
The Pack pack® - Packaging Unwrapped and extension
activities for secondary students from “Packaging Unwrapped
– An Art, Design & Technology” (Unit 3 – The Perfect Package)
is a good starting point for teachers, or you should develop
units of work to assist students in using various strategies and
sources of information to investigate and research a range of
factors relevant to the packaging design process before starting
the Challenge. The recommonded texts are available from the
PCA only.
Please utilise the fact sheets, FAQ’s and useful links on the
PCA’s website to further assist your research.
If you need information or research that is not on the website
please contact Prudence Frost as soon as possible so that
she can seek the answer for you.
Contact by email prudence@pca.org.au
- Students need to select the most appropriate shape for
their selected product packaging.
- Students need to demonstrate an understanding of
available packaging materials and be knowledgeable in
selecting the correct packaging material(s) that will be both
safe for the consumer to handle and give protection to their
selected product.
- Students need to demonstrate what design considerations
for transportation and point of sale display they have used.
- Their design must include a tamper evident feature(s) on
the closure of the package. This may be as simple
as a suitable sticker over the opening.
Resources
A video of the winners and PowerPoint presentations of
rationales from the 2008 PCA National Secondary Schools
Packaging Design Challenge is available online at
www.pca.org.au/results08/schools
- Students need to understand and indicate how their
packaging could be reused or recycled or otherwise reduces
the packages or products’ environmental impact.
- Students need to understand and demonstrate why they
have selected a particular packaging material and what
impact this might have on the environment.
- Students need to give an explanation as to why they
selected a particular material e.g. indicate how strong
yet light weight it is, space saving in order to fit as many
products of its type as possible on pallets, transportation
trucks, point of sale on shop shelves, extended product
shelf life, superior product damage avoidance etc.
Students need to document the results from a strength test
done on their selected packaging material. See page 9 for
more information on this test.
Resources
Packaging Council of Australia Inc www.pca.org.au
This website includes links to other valuable websites including:
Visy – Innovative & Sustainable packaging, paper and recycling
for a better world. www.visy.com.au
- What is the product?
Product name and manufacturer must be shown and
include a brand identification.
- What is the general purpose the manufacturer/brand
owner wants to achieve?
Students need to be creative and innovative so the package
creates graphic impact and brand identification - the
product stands out from others at the point of sale.
- Who is the audience?
Packaging must be directed to the target audience.
Students need to demonstrate they know what attracts this
particular audience - what are the needs of this audience?
- What is the specific purpose?
The manufacturer wants the packaging to attract, promote/
advertise, and sell the product.
Resources
Packaging Council of Australia Inc – Education Corner.
www.pca.org.au/education
All entries must be completed as PowerPoint presentations or
as a Word document. All pages of the written presentation must
have a white background.
Teachers should burn entries on to a CD and post CD together
with a printed copy of each presentation by the closing date to:
Prudence Frost
National Schools Packaging Design Challenge Manager
Packaging Council of Australia Inc
Level 3, 15-17 Park Street
South Melbourne Vic 3205
- No Late entries will be accepted
