世界顶尖包装设计平台及设计大赛 Pentawards 每年都会发布包装设计未来趋势报告，甲古文创意创始人&首席创意官刘文先生作为 Pentawards 国际评委，时刻关注着全球包装行业的发展趋势和创新方向，这些趋势将会成为指导包装设计领域现在和未来发展方向的重要指南。

我们认为设计不仅仅是视觉表达，而是从商业逻辑出发，要引领消费趋势才更有价值。设计必须回归原点直面消费者，为丰富消费者观感、触感、情感等多方位体验，超大胆的视觉效果、涂鸦手绘、触感细节等设计创意正在流行；设计作为一种“沟通方式”，智能互联性质的包装给消费者带来新鲜感，以全新的方式与消费者沟通交流；包装作为一个平台，体现人文关怀的无障碍设计趋势现在正赢得更多的关注；随着可持续与环保理念的推进，包装的环保价值愈发受到重视……

在全球环境充满不确定性的当下，在被疫情阴霾笼罩的世界里，包装形式和设计理念都有所转变及升级，伴随新时代的到来，设计会更紧密地改变着我们的生活并推动社会的进步。

01

密封罐装包装

01

RISE OF THE CAN

As predicted in last year’s report, we’ve seen a continuation of new takes on traditional packaging. In this case: canned packaging. Perhaps its down to the drive towards using more sustainable materials, logistical reasons of being easier to pack, or simply to stand out from the crowd with something fresh.

This trend has been brewing for a couple of years in the drinks industry, and indeed this year’s Beverages – Platinum winner was the perfect example of the trend: Williams cocktails, developed to help a Rotterdam bar keep business going during lockdown. After perfecting the ingredients inside, they wanted to finesse the outside by standing out with something different. The result is six different types of cocktails, with 6 different labels and branding, held in a can made of thin rolled steel which is 100% recyclable.

We’re also seeing the rise of the can in sectors beyond the drinks market. In a market saturated with jars and pouches, Potts’ wanted to give its cooking sauces a unique look for standout on the shelf. With considerations also on the environment, they opted for recyclable aluminium cans, more commonly associated with soft drinks. With no window to see the product, the graphics and design had to work twice as hard to express the flavour within each pack. Other examples where we spotted this trend was for coloured contact lens packaging CoFANCY, and as part of the collection for Aokka coffee.

WHAT NEXT:

We expect to see canned packaging become an increasingly popular choice for categories across the food and drinks sector because it provides a strong sustainability story whilst offering novelty and differentiation. As the Potts’ example shows, we expect the trend to reach beyond the familiar area of canned alchoholic beverages. We also expect to see premium products and brands use cans adorned with sophisticated graphic designs, re-positioning the can as a premium packaging option.

02

包装即产品

02

PACKAGING 

AS THE PRODUCT

As we all know, sustainability is no longer a trend, it’s a fundamental part of any packaging design process. In light of saving on waste and space, we are seeing more and more products where packaging forms a key part of the product itself. A great example of this is this year’s Diamond – Best of Show winner, the Neck Pillow by Urban Forest. A functional and re-usable element, the pouch that contains the travel pillow is also the pump to infate it, eliminating any packaging waste.

Continuing the environmental impact theme is the design of the F Solid Pod. Made from recycled materials, it helps maximise 100% of the gel or shampoo bars that it holds, is easy to transport, and has been developed for all types of users.

Meanwhile, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Chanel N°5 fragrance, Chanel created its frst ever advent calendar in a supersized version of its iconic shape, using moulded pulp packaging that becomes a collectable item in itself.

WHAT NEXT:

This trend is an inevitable result of the push towards more sustainable packaging solutions and a circular economy. However, in terms of how the trend will develop, we expect to see an increasing fusion of aesthetics vs. function to create packaging that is both aesthetically pleasing to encourage consumers to keep and reuse it, and also environmentally conscious in terms of transportation costs and waste.

03

以消费者为主导

可持续发展

With the personal care and beauty industry producing more than 120 billion units of packaging every year globally, it’s no secret that brands and agencies have been looking for ways to reduce their impact. While this in itself is not new, what we have been seeing is more brands communicating to consumers about what they can do themselves to help complete the more environmentally-friendly circle.

Educating consumers on how they can dispose of the various elements of the packaging helps put some of the responsibility on the consumer too. This can be seen as a progression from a trend we saw last year of brands telling their sustainability story through their packs.

Colgate’s ‘Recycle Me’ toothpaste tube, which is the frst of its kind, wants to raise awareness and promote behaviour change in consumers with its obvious recycling push. Carte D’Or’s Affogati line of ice cream has switched to 100% compostable and recyclable paper, with instructions on what elements to recycle or compost.

Dove’s reusable body wash bottles and concentrate reflls are similar in their messaging, providing eco-conscious consumers with a simple solution to cut down on waste. Clear instructions are dotted across the pack about how to use the reflls and the positive impact of this approach.

WHAT NEXT:

There is a real opportunity here for brands to increasingly involve consumers in the sustainability and recyclability story of their product and packaging, which in turn could well foster greater loyalty between consumers and brands as they feel a shared responsibility for the planet. We expect brands to jump on this opportunity to build closer connections and rapport with consumers about the critical topic of climate change.

04

超大胆的视觉效果

04

HYPER BOLD VISUALS

The need for the‘wow’factor stands strong in a world still recovering from the pandemic. Even though shops are open again, many people are still buying online so brands must stand out both in physical and digital stores – as well as on social media. To do this, we are seeing brands focus on key bold colours, fonts and graphics to stand out from the crowd.

Skincare range BYOMA uses modern typography and iconography alongside bold colours to display the brand’s pioneering science, ingredients, and innovation. Made from fully recyclable, 100% monomaterial plastic, the brand’s square bottle shapes enable easy and effective shipment to reduce its carbon footprint.  

In partnership with the Andy Warhol foundation, SK-II’s packaging also stands out by taking inspiration from Warhol’s iconic television test pattern. A limited edition of gift packs were created with MTV-era inspired VHS tape boxes and analogue TVs.

WHAT NEXT:

While the use of bold colour is not a wholly original trend in itself, the necessity of having to stand out amongst increasing competition on social media and against strong, purpose-built DTC brands defnitely is. The trend of strong and extreme use of colour, pattern, and typography which is simple and bold, rather than intricate, is therefore here to stay because this is what stands out best in a digital environment. However, we expect this will eventually reach a saturation point, which is when we might see braver brands opting for monochrome or more muted palettes. Watch this (digital) space.

05

优质玻璃包装

As brands think more sustainably, we are seeing more and more glass packaging on shelves and online. Though to add a more premium fair to these products, we are also seeing many bottled soft drinks turn to bespoke, intricate glass bottles with hyper premium detailing and fnishings.  

MATCH’s tonic water labels look and feel unique, as they have a microperforated look and a rubbery soft touch, reminiscent of the luxurious feeling of a new bicycle or tennis racket handle, whilst Pursue’s Hard Seltzer created a custom bottle to offer a more nostalgic look and stronger premium cues.

We also saw Maybe Sammy’s bottled premium cocktails with packaging designed to refect elements of its popular Australian bar venue as well as the refnement and sophistication of the team’s perfectly crafted cocktails.

The green and gold colours have become synonymous with the brand, and this palette was extended across the packaging details, from the gold foil fnishes to the custom outer box design.

WHAT NEXT:

We are expecting brands to increase the sustainability of their glass packaging by using recycled glass, leaning into a circular economy. A premium feel will maintain importance as brands have to work as hard as ever to build customer loyalty, and as conscious consumers become more selective with their purchases.

06

无障碍和

包容性设计

06

ACCESSIBLE AND

INCLUSIVE DESIGN

Packaging that caters to a wider variety of consumers is truly cementing itself. This trend is now proudly standing out and gaining more attention, becoming a must-have for many brands.

Created in partnership with people with disabilities, the packaging for Microsoft’s Surface Adaptive Kit was designed to be accessible, reusable, and sustainable. Containing labels to help those with visual impairments or disabilities use their Surface laptops, the packaging also caters to this audience, with features including integrated loops for easy removal, as well as a braille QR code.

And taking a more creative approach, Doritos’ Solid Black limited-edition packs were designed as part of a multi-platform initiative to bolster the voices of black innovators and creators. Not only does the packaging help introduce the world to a new class of “Black Changemakers”, Doritos will also donate $5 million to non-profts chosen by them as part of the campaign – linking packaging design to real-world change.

WHAT NEXT:

This trend is bound to develop further as brands’ understanding of the diversity of their audiences, and their needs, evolves. At the Pentawards Festival this year, Jeremy Lindley, Global Design Director at Diageo, emphasised the danger of unconscious bias in design and the fact that real empathy in design is still often lacking. Lindley also spoke about playfulness as one of the most important tools for creating truly inclusive design, and we expect to see many more playful solutions to packaging design for diverse audiences in the next few years.

07

触感细节

Meanwhile, Almatura uses handcrafted recycled labels whose tactile fbres evoke the ‘natural’ quality of the product inside, with embossed lettering adding further texture.

WHAT NEXT:

We look forward to seeing further unique and creative approaches to the physical experience of packaging as the value of tangibility within an increasingly digital world continues to draw in consumers. The idea of making packaging more sensorially diverse is bound to work in tandem with the ongoing rise of accessible and inclusive packaging design.

08

升级的智能包装

08

NEXT LEVEL

SMART PACKAGING

Brands are continually fnding new ways to communicate and engage with consumers, which has meant a sharp rise in smart and connected packaging in recent years. This has allowed consumers to engage with more information on the product, its ingredients, and the brand. As a relatively new trend, we have seen this continue to evolve in new and exciting ways.

For The Fetichist’s packaging design, a radical graphic universe was created to refect the intricasies of the ready-to-drink cocktails developed by mixologist Ugo Jobin. The bold, digital neon design carries over to its video game-like website, where consumers can discover more and purchase cocktails online.

FaceGym is an environmentally-friendly, sports-inspired beauty brand complete with unique personal trainer-like application techniques only accessible via QR code. They created a tactile pull-off tab to open the product in a unique and memorable way, capturing the consumer’s attention and piquing interest. Cleverly hidden codes were then revealed, which the user could scan to improve their results.

WHAT NEXT:

With technology and social media becoming increasingly sophisticated, we look forward to seeing new and innovative ways of brands connecting with consumers beyond what’s displayed on the box. We also expect a lot of this content to engage consumers with topical issues as well as the sustainable story behind each product, as these become increasingly important to global audiences.

09

SIZE MATTERS –

PACKAGING ON A DIET

As environmental concerns stand strong, it’s not just the recyclability and sustainability of the materials that is under consideration, but also how packaging can be reduced and minimised to save on waste and transportation.

As part of their reduction in the use of plastic, SONY developed a new packaging material made of bamboo, sugarcane fbre and recycled paper, reducing the packaging size for their WF-1000XM4 earphones by 34%.

Meanwhile, the geometry of the bottle shape for VETA’s spirits was designed to refect the shape of a fask but the key feature is its sustainable moulded pulp pack which protects the product in an attractive way while minimising packaging.

WHAT NEXT:

As a relatively simple approach to sustainability which is also cost-effective for brands, and as excessive packaging and waste becomes less desirable for the ever more conscious consumer, we expect this trend to last for the long term. Look out for the smart-packaging concept combining with this trend, as brands use QR codes to link to information digitally as opposed to using space and excess material – for product details on the packaging itself.

10

涂鸦手绘

A new beer brand targeted at young adults, Lovibond’s packaging features illustrations on the label in luminous ink depicting two different scenes: a peaceful quiet illustration for the daytime, and a more hip-hop vibe for the evening (pictured).

Meanwhile, the packaging for Compound’s fruit juice features a fun drawing of a‘fruit monster’amongst energetic doodles of symbols and patterns, a creative approach that helps it to stand out against competitors.

WHAT NEXT:

As the digital world gains ground, we think hand-drawn motifs will continue to play a part in packaging as a balance to increasingly analogue designs. The characterful and free form of doodling, in particular, brings to mind a childlike creativity that will continue to appeal to all generations, bringing an especially human feel to the visual design of packaging.