Kazuo Fukushima and Haruka Takeuchi · CLIENT: Lion Daily Necessities Chemicals (Qingdao) Co., Ltd.
Spotlight is a toothpaste packaging design that transforms whitening efficacy into a visual experience. Instead of relying on conventional white imagery, the design uses light as a metaphor to communicate enzymatic activation and focused whitening performance. A radiant circular graphic and holographic surface effects create depth and precision, allowing functional benefits to be perceived at first glance. The system balances scientific credibility with shelf visibility, while maintaining consistency across product variations through a unified visual structure and controlled color accents.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- Spotlight is a toothpaste packaging design developed for the Chinese market, translating whitening efficacy into a visual experience. A radiant circular graphic symbolizes enzymatic activation and light focused whitening, transforming functional benefits into an intuitive visual language. The design balances Japanese clinical credibility with localized high tech aesthetics, creating strong shelf impact while maintaining brand consistency across multiple SKUs.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- Paperboard box: approx. 185 mm (H) × 45 mm (W) × 35 mm (D).
Toothpaste tube: approx. 160 mm (H) × 50 mm (W).
Materials include coated paperboard, aluminum laminated plastic tube, holographic foil layer. Metric ISO standards applied throughout production. - Tags
- Packaging design, Oral care, Whitening, Enzyme technology, Chinese market, Japanese brand, Holographic effect, Visual communication
- Production Technology
- The packaging utilizes offset printing combined with holographic foil stamping to create dynamic light reflection effects. Multilayer gradients and radial patterns were precisely calibrated to maintain legibility under various lighting conditions. Matte and glossy finishes are selectively applied to enhance contrast, while standard recyclable paperboard and laminated tubes ensure compatibility with mass production.
- Design Challenge
- The main challenge was visualizing an invisible functional benefit enzymatic whitening without overusing exaggerated claims or generic white imagery. Balancing Japanese clinical restraint with Chinese preferences for visual impact required extensive iteration, material testing, and cross cultural alignment to ensure credibility, manufacturability, and strong retail presence simultaneously.
- Project Duration
- The project started in November 2024 in Shanghai and was completed in March 2025. It was developed for Lion Corporation China in collaboration with local production partners and launched nationwide in the Chinese retail market in 2025.
- Operation Flow
- Consumers interact with the design visually before use: shifting light reflections guide the eye toward the central enzyme symbol, intuitively suggesting activation and efficacy. Color coded accents enable quick scent recognition without disrupting brand unity. The packaging communicates product value instantly on shelf, reducing decision time and enhancing perceived performance before first use.
- Research
- Type of Research: Applied design research.
Objectives: Visualize whitening efficacy beyond conventional cues.
Methodology: Market analysis, visual testing, material experiments.
Tools: Competitive audits, prototyping, lighting simulations.
Participants: Design team and brand stakeholders.
Results: Enhanced shelf visibility and clearer efficacy perception.
Impact: Improved brand differentiation and consumer trust in a crowded market. - Inspiration
- The project was inspired by the challenge of differentiating whitening products in China’s highly saturated oral care market. Rather than emphasizing white as a color, the design explores light as a metaphor for efficacy, clarity, and trust. Scientific principles of enzymatic whitening and optical perception were studied to create a visual system that communicates performance through illumination rather than decoration.
- Image Credits
- SHANGHAI NO PROBLEM BRAND DESIGN CO.LTD
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