Symbol Meaning in Product Packaging Design

Abstract: The symbol is the image element of information transmission. The symbol image is a direct display of product features, functions, and values. The use of symbol elements constitutes the relationship between the vehicle (package) and the ontology (product), making them interact and penetrate each other. Integrate into a complete image. The use of packaging symbols is a formal process that considers logically from the perspective of the taste of the product in an intuitive sense. It mainly solves the meaning of the figure; the color perception; the image of the word changes; the structure is reasonable;

Keywords: commodity packaging; design symbols; meaning

In the accumulation of historical culture, people form a number of specific combinations of figures, texts, colors, etc., which are the symbol elements that people often contact and use repeatedly. Using them in packaging, they have visual symbols that represent products, reflect products, and convey product information. When the symbol is presented, people can associate the product with a symbolic image to guide the behavioral process LlJ. The phenomenon of the same thing, potentially with multiple interpretation possibilities, is different from the phenomenon of different things in different perspectives. Its nature and meaning are different. The interpretation of an item’s characteristics from a certain point of view may hinder sales; explaining it from another point of view may be an advantage in favor of sales. In a sense, the key lies in what you have to say. Packaging design graphics, text, color and other symbols. It is designed to convey the concept of goods or product information. Symbols not only indicate and represent the meaning of things, but also have certain emotional implications, aesthetic meanings and imperative intentions. This requires that the designer should have a keen eye for visual inspection. The symbols used should have a visual effect, a sense of language, and a sense of color. The meanings and meanings of different measures of graphs, texts, colors, and shapes and structures are more comprehensive. Understand and grasp.

l The meaning of symbolic images

Symbols are some form of giving meaning to them. The people gave the stone firmness and stubbornness; the red was warmed; the white was pure or sad; the round was full, the curve was gentle, and so on. When a person associates a symbol with another thing and a symbol represents another thing, the thing represented is a symbol element, and it is represented by the symbol's referent. In other words, when a certain symbol is associated with a certain meaning, it constitutes the symbol relationship between the two. Language is a symbol element, text is a symbol element, graphic is a symbol element, shape is a symbol element, abstract lines, colors, shapes, rhythms, etc. are called symbolic elements. such as. The symbolism of the straight line is decisive, strong, and has a sense of male; the "curves and arcs" are soft, flexible, beautiful, elegant, delicate, and feminine; the spirals have a sense of ascension, transcendental, and refined; the equilateral triangles are stable and firm. Eternal; Roman; solemn and elegant; cursive, delicate 1 - composite material, high-end, modern sense; calm green, quiet; silver, rich, pure, etc. Symbol is the intermediary of expression and acceptance, but also exchange activities In people's communication activities, they use symbols to express their intentions and thoughts and feelings, and accept the other party’s intentions and emotions through the perception and understanding of symbols. Use symbolic elements to explain, explain, express products, and express the imagery activities that companies promise to benefit consumers.

2 The symbolic meaning of symbols in commodity packaging

Packaging symbol imagery is used to represent the basic image of a product or characterization product. Its shape and structure, as well as text, graphics, and color (symbols), reflect the nature of the product. Symbolic imagery is a direct display of product features, functions, and values. It uses symbolic elements to form the relationship between the body (package) and the ontology (product), so that they can influence and infiltrate each other and integrate into a complete image. Bottles and pots like wines have the advantages of quality preservation; the transparent plastic bags of watercolor pens are for the convenience of color identification; the high-grade decorative boxes of gold and silver jewelry can increase the value of goods. Similarly, toothpaste should be different from shoe polish; orange juice should have a sweet and sour taste; handbags look like bags; glue bottles have easy-to-use features; children's bricks must have images with guides. These images, functions, appearances, tastes, and values ​​that are expressed are the product packaging images that the symbols give.

The meaning of a symbol is included in the interpreter's interpretation or explanation of the object of the intervention, and any symbol plays a role in a symbol system. One is infectivity; it is to represent the product by simulating or realizing the object, that is, the image-related relationship between the medium and the pan-object. Such as many canned packaging, photo-realistic photography can add some flavor and realism to the product. The second is indicative; there is a causal or direct connection between the media and the referent, such as Kang Shifu's instant noodle packaging, which makes the corporate logo, standard typeface, color and symbolic figure constitute the product packaging image, making consumption. While understanding the packaging, the company deepened its understanding of the company. The third is symbolic; there is no similarity or causal link between the medium and the pan-object, but the result of the common practice L4j. Such as the wave-shaped change into a wave, a symbol of the washing agent packaging image. The symbolic performance is at the same time relativity. From different angles, the same symbol can be included in different types of packaging performance. Ripples can be incorporated into beverages, soaps, medicines, and other packaging, and they are primarily designed to capture the changing designs of merchandise tastes and symbol images.

How to give an appropriate image to a specific content requires both the linkage of various factors and the separation of each factor. Just as round or oval symbols can give people a feeling of perfection, acceptance and tolerance, it is the basic form of many packaging, but for the sake of the picture, they must be combined with other symbol elements. Concentric circles like Tidc's packaging are covered in thick. The Tide character has a prominent branding and blending picture. Because symbolic performance has a certain psychological effect, in creative design, it is not only necessary to stare at the referential meaning of the symbol, but also take into account its emotional impact on people. Only by inputting strong emotions into specific symbols can arouse the needs of the audience at all levels, form a sublimation of the packaged image (symbol), and inspire a person's potential imagery association with the product.

The use of symbols in product packaging design should be well understood:

1) There is no cognitive impairment in graphs, texts, and shapes, and it is easy for consumers to memorize and identify.
2) Make it vivid and lead to certain associations. Turn the image into emotional symbols to form a sense of order.
3) Using closedness, similarity, texture, photography, and windowing effects to form a gestalt with a unique shape.
4) Considering the ease of use from the structure, the personality characteristics of the package are reflected in the modeling.
5) The choice of symbols should be suitable for printing and production process technical requirements.

3 Performance Technology and Design Methods

The most important aspect of packaging design is how to characterize the characteristics of a product. In the thinking of performance, it is the concept of handling the relationship between symbol elements and commodities. For those who have not seen Tremella, ask him to understand the form of Tremella and only use words to describe it. It is not easy for him to truly understand Tremella and it is easy to understand if he can use the map. With regard to philosophical or ideological issues and human emotion movements, they can be expressed only in language. However, if you can use drawings or graphic symbols, it must be more helpful to understand. Because the graphic symbols can show specific images, they are instructive to people's vision and occupy a dominant position in the performance of packaging. Of course, Wenfu and the color symbol are modern expressions that represent the image of the enterprise's products. However, in the actual operation, the packaging performance of certain enterprise products can only be reproduced when the three figures reproduce the commodity. Get strong appeals.

The use of packaging symbols is a formal process that considers logically from the perspective of the taste of the product in an intuitive sense. It mainly solves the meaning of the figure, the color perception, the image change of the word, the structure is reasonable, the shape is novel and beautiful. This can be considered from the following aspects:

Authenticity - a performance based on photos or illustrations.
Readability - The performance of a text-based image.
Visibility - in terms of product color or contrast; complementary colors, gold, silver create a sense of form and visual sense.
Unity: With logos, standard words, and colors as design elements, a sense of corporate product image is formed.
Physicality - Establishing an image with outstanding personalities (styling structures).
Sensibility—In the form of abstract geometric shapes, in the expression of product features, a reconstructed provocative image is formed to cater to the consumption view of the new era.

Products are for people. Packaging has a dual function of both product and consumption. In the modern market competition, the purpose of its design is to center on people's needs as the center of the behavioral activities. This is due to the satisfaction of the original needs, changes in social psychology, changes in the social and cultural atmosphere, and changes in economic conditions. Therefore, it is necessary to carry out investigations in a timely manner and find that new designs need to be considered. Each symbol element in the packaging design should help people think about the expression. The packaging symbol is the link that expresses products and connects producers and consumers. It plays an important role in promoting production, accelerating circulation, and cultivating people's sentiments.

Gu Yu
(Hubei University of Economics

Source: Packaging Project