Designing garbage

Someone once said that designing packaging is designing junk. This statement is absolutely true and not only that, but the more junk that design is, the more it means that it has succeeded. 

illustration: luis echánove

Designing packaging largely consists of turning the project into everyday objects that silently accompany us on a daily basis. The design of a cereal box or a milk carton, which, due to their everyday nature, become invisible on the kitchen table. And from the table, they go straight to the trash can and from there to the landfill. And that whole journey is symbolic of packaging's contribution to a brand's commercial success. 

The purchase decision usually lasts a few seconds from the act of buying in front of the shelf in the supermarket. Of course, the influence of packaging on the purchase decision is not the main factor. Price, communication, location on the shelf, etc. are other factors that also help the consumer to make a decisive purchase decision. However, packaging can lead to a definitive rejection by the consumer.

All the effort dedicated to design by marketing departments and design agencies is focused on contributing to the seduction of the consumer so that the consumer ends up designing that packaging and throwing it away when it has fulfilled its function. This is the beauty of designing packaging, the beauty of designing garbage.