The seminar’s speakers shared insights into current trends and offered tips for brand building through design, emphasizing that packaging must serve as a brand representative to establish strong recognition among consumers. Achieving this requires a deep understanding of customer insights, while the packaging must be commercially viable. A leading trend in packaging design today is sustainable packaging, which focuses on environmental friendliness. Packaging must be “Love at First Sight” and “Unforgettable” Piyanut Panpiemras, Co-Founder & Head of Strategies at Head100 Co., Ltd., and Subcommittee Member for Marketing Management at the Thailand Management Association (TMA), said that a brand is represented by every touchpoint that consumers encounter, forming a puzzle that creates the overall brand image. Among these, “packaging” is a crucial touchpoint. Well-designed packaging can reduce brand-building costs and advertising expenses. As a key to building a brand that stands out, packaging must be “love at first sight,” creating a positive experience for customers. This includes ease of use, material efficiency, and incorporating features such as a barcode on the packaging to tell the brand’s story. “It is like meeting someone for the first time. The first things we notice are their clothes, face, and hair. We must be impressed by the outside before getting to know the person within. Packaging serves this same role.” Another key tip is being “unforgettable.” Packaging should not only be aesthetically pleasing but it must also tell a story that resonates with customers. This can be achieved by creating a distinctive identity and unique selling points, providing benefits, and addressing customer pain points. Ultimately, the packaging should generate revenue for the brand. “For some brands, you do not even need to see the logo. Just by looking at the packaging, you immediately recognize the brand due to its unique shape and standout color scheme. Packaging serves as a theater—a platform for brand storytelling—to complete the marketing process.” Good Packaging: Appealing to Customers and Aligned with Megatrends Wanna Swuddigul, CEO of SilverActif Co., Ltd. and Subcommittee Member of MMG-TMA, shared a compelling view on global trends that are poised to impact the business landscape. In today’s fast-evolving business world, consumer demands are becoming increasingly diverse and complex, driven by factors such as the rapid advancement of technology, growing awareness of sustainability, and an aging society. These are all “megatrends” that marketers and business leaders must closely watch. “The importance of adapting and offering products that not only meet consumer needs but also align with major global trends is paramount, especially when creating personalized experiences for consumers through distinctive and unique packaging design.” In the present day, packaging is not just a wrapper for products, but a tool that can build strong relationships with consumers. Designing packaging with attention to detail and effectively telling the brand’s story is a key factor in enabling businesses to thrive in today’s highly competitive market. Sustainable Packaging: A Strong Trend Responding to Global Needs Sumeth Boonyathanapan, Manager of Inspired Studio and Packaging Solutions at SCGP, discussed four major trends in packaging production: 1. Sustainable packaging, 2. Tailored design to build brand identity, 3. Material and packaging innovation, and 4. Smart packaging. “The trend of sustainable packaging has been talked about for a long time, but what has changed is the intensity. Sustainability now means reducing resource usage, minimizing material consumption, and increasing the proportion of recycled materials. Due to the growing pressure from environmental issues, countries are becoming more aware and have introduced laws and regulations governing both the production and sale of products to minimize environmental impact. This includes the packaging used for goods, compelling brands to quickly adapt to evolving trade rules.” Sumeth also addressed the challenges of designing sustainable packaging, saying that sustainable packaging must not only be practical and aesthetically pleasing but also economically viable. Production and marketing must meet the needs of both brand owners and consumers. Packaging: A Sustainable Asset for Brands Krittavit Laohadtanaphorn, Executive Director of M. Water Co., Ltd., the producer of Sprinkle drinking water, shared that effective packaging design must convey the story and identity of the brand to connect with consumers. Packaging is an asset that contributes to the brand’s long-term sustainability. One key aspect to focus on is that “it must be truly practical,” meaning that Sprinkle bottles must genuinely reduce waste and be 100% recyclable. This approach is not merely for marketing or public relations purposes. Additionally, there should be “no compromise with limitations,” meaning efforts must be made to overcome obstacles during packaging development to achieve the set goals. “In the case of Sprinkle, we wanted to design a labelless water bottle to reduce plastic waste and ensure it is 100% recyclable. However, the real challenge was not about creating an aesthetically pleasing design, but about displaying the required information on the packaging in compliance with the regulations of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). We developed a technique to use inkjet printing directly on the bottle’s surface, ensuring that the information is clearly legible. The inkjet ink we use can be easily washed off during the recycling process and is environmentally safe, reflecting our commitment to not compromise with limitations as a manufacturer while contributing to reducing environmental impact,” Krittavit explained. All of this underscores the importance of packaging design, a driving force behind brand success. It is both a science and an art, where brand owners aim to use packaging to communicate emotions that resonate with customers, while also ensuring feasibility in production, logistics, and marketing.