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Chilled Milk Packaging by Kazuo Fukushima and Aya Tanaka

Chilled Milk Packaging by Kazuo Fukushima and Aya Tanaka is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2024 Bronze A' Design Award in Packaging Design Competition Category.


BronzePackaging· 2024

Chilled Milk Packaging

by Kazuo Fukushima and Aya Tanaka

Client: Meiji China Investment Co.,Ltd.

Bronze A' Design Award Winner in Packaging Category

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Verified Award Winner

Verify Award Status for #159679

Colors

The Design

About Chilled Milk Packaging

Targeting young Chinese women, a premium strawberry milk inspired by Japanese recipes has been launched to evoke nostalgia. Made with 50% raw milk, it offers a perfect balance of sweetness and acidity for those aged 20-39. The product features stylish, portable packaging that leverages Japanese brand trust. Its design, with a white background and realistic strawberry illustrations, aims to provide a serene strawberry field experience, embodying freshness and luxury.

The Recognition

About the Bronze A' Design Award

Chilled Milk Packaging is a Bronze A' Design Award winner, a highly prestigious recognition granted to outstanding designs distinguished by creativity, ingenuity, and astuteness. Bronze winners are amply skillful and strikingly creative artifacts that authenticate the vast experience, imagination, and resourcefulness of their designers. Chilled Milk Packaging is expected to be a highly regarded, admired, and cherished object that is notably professional and innovative. This Bronze A' Design Award-winning design incorporates best practices in art, science, design, and technology, and is excellent for its attention to detail. Chilled Milk Packaging splendidly satisfies needs, touches desires, charms feelings, and appeals to curiosity.

Interviews

Grand Interview

Your innovative approach to the Chilled Milk Packaging design, particularly the integration of realistic strawberry illustrations reminiscent of children's books, has garnered significant attention - could you elaborate on how this artistic direction emerged and evolved during the creative process?

The artistic direction for this chilled milk packaging emerged from a desire to create a design that felt both nostalgic and inviting, evoking warmth and familiarity. I wanted the packaging to resonate with consumers on an emotional level, sparking memories of simpler, carefree days. The idea of using realistic strawberry illustrations, reminiscent of classic children's books, aligned perfectly with this vision.During the creative process, I drew inspiration from traditional Japanese illustrations and the tactile, almost storybook-like quality of hand-drawn fruits. I aimed to capture the vibrant freshness of strawberries in a way that felt both natural and playful, connecting the design to the purity and freshness of the milk itself. I also incorporated a balance of modern elements and vintage aesthetics, using clean typography and layout to create a look that feels both classic and relevant for today's consumers.This approach allowed the packaging to stand out on shelves, offering a unique visual experience that combines traditional Japanese charm with an inviting, whimsical touch.

The Chilled Milk Packaging design uniquely targets young Chinese women while drawing inspiration from Japanese recipes and aesthetic traditions - what insights guided your decision to bridge these distinct cultural elements in the packaging design?

The decision to blend Japanese aesthetic traditions with elements that appeal to young Chinese women in this chilled milk packaging design was guided by several insights.Firstly, young Chinese women have a strong affinity for simple and sophisticated beauty, along with an appreciation for Japanese culture, especially for its reputation for quality and meticulous attention to detail. By incorporating traditional Japanese design elements, I aimed to convey a sense of reliability and approachability that would resonate with this audience.Additionally, Japanese strawberry milk is often seen as a “special and indulgent treat” by many Chinese consumers, evoking a sense of joy and a small moment of luxury in their daily lives. The realistic strawberry illustrations and the soft color palette reflect a sense of femininity and purity while aligning with trends in health and natural aesthetics.By carefully merging Japanese and Chinese cultural elements, I sought to create a design that feels familiar and desirable to the target audience, making it a product they’d feel drawn to include in their everyday routines.

How did your team approach the technical challenge of balancing the Extended Shelf Life (ESL) requirements with the aesthetic goals of the Chilled Milk Packaging design, particularly in terms of material selection and production methodology?

Our team approached the technical challenge of balancing the Extended Shelf Life (ESL) requirements with the aesthetic goals by carefully considering both the functional and visual aspects throughout the design process.For material selection, we prioritized packaging materials that provide excellent barrier properties to protect the milk’s freshness and quality, which is essential for meeting ESL requirements. We worked closely with suppliers to select materials that would maintain product integrity while allowing for high-quality print finishes, ensuring the vivid colors and intricate strawberry illustrations could be reproduced with clarity and vibrancy.

Read the Full Interview

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties
In response to young Chinese women's preference for strawberry milk, a high-quality product inspired by traditional Japanese recipes has been developed, aiming to stir nostalgia among Japanese consumers. Crafted with 50% raw milk, this fresh, refrigerated flavored milk strikes an ideal balance between sweetness and acidity, specifically targeting women aged 20-39. The project showcases a chic, portable packaging design, capitalizing on the trust placed in Japanese brands to offer a novel and delightful strawberry milk experience.
Dimensions & Packaging
Surface : matte.
bottle material: recyclabled paper
Cap material: plastic

900ml: Width 70mm x Depth 70mm x Height 232mm
400ml: Width 70mm x Depth 70mm x Height 140mm
Tags
Chilled Milk, Strawberry flavor, Packaging, Logotype, China, Japan quality, Cow, Carton
Production Technology
Under the management of quality strictly, equipment cleaning and machine sterilization has been improved in each step, completely prevented secondary pollution. The expiry date on shelf could be extended due to the ESL(Extended Shelf Life) during the manufacturing process.
Changed the method of pouring milk to the cap type. It has been improved to be fresher, cleaner and easier to pour.
Design Challenge
The design showcases a white background, suggesting fresh, rich milk and conveying cleanliness, luxury, and quality typical of Japanese brands. Illustrations of strawberries, rendered with a classic, realistic style reminiscent of children's picture books, are featured. Additionally, illustrations of strawberry flowers and leaves are included to enhance the ambiance of a strawberry field, aiming to transport the target audience to a relaxed state, as though they were enjoying the beverage amidst an actual strawberry patch.
Research
Analysis of luxury supermarkets where products are sold. Competitive analysis in internet sales. Analysis of consumer in the market. Packaging design analysis of the Japanese market.
Inspiration
Set against a white background, the design signifies fresh, luxurious milk, characteristic of Japanese quality. Realistic strawberry illustrations, akin to those in children's books, along with strawberry flowers and leaves, enhance the strawberry field theme. This aims to immerse the target audience in the tranquility of enjoying the beverage within a strawberry patch.
Project Duration
The project started in May 2023 in Shanghai and finished in August 2023, and sales started in China in November 2023.
Operation Flow
First, analyze the market and understand the current situation
Next, perform target analysis to verify what kind of design consumers want.
Third, brand analysis, analyze how it has advantages over competing products.
Fourth, develop creative ideas.
Fifth, Start the design. Make it an original design.
Sixth, sample check, color check, etc.
Finally, check the finished product.
Patents
Copyrights belong to Meiji China Investment Co.,Ltd. 2023.
Team Members
Creative Director: Kazuo Fukushima
Graphic Designer: Aya Tanaka
Account Director: Xu Xuehua
Image Credits
Photographer: Zhu Jie

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