With consumer segmentation accelerating, the target audiences for food and beverage brands are more diverse than ever—spanning generations, lifestyles, and value systems, with increasingly refined demands. Against this backdrop, how can packaging precisely resonate with the aesthetics and value orientations of distinct consumer segments? In the instant interplay between rational choice and emotional impulse, how can brands compel different groups to pause and engage? Grounded in consumer insight, brands can systematize color, structure, and cultural codes to build packaging strategies tailored to varied demographics and consumption contexts. 

By 2024, China's elderly population reached 310 million—22% of the total population—marking its entry into a moderately aged society. Yet, many food and beverage packages still fall short in addressing the needs of senior consumers. This session will examine the core principles of age-friendly packaging design: legibility , ease of opening, and trust-building . Beyond meeting functional requirements, we will explore how packaging can also deliver a sense of emotional care to this growing demographic.

According to the 2025 Emotional Consumption Trend Report, China's emotional consumption market is expected to surpass RMB 2 trillion by 2025. Consumers are no longer satisfied with material ownership alone—they seek self-expression, emotional resonance, and a sense of connection, and are willing to pay for experiences that bring joy and recognition. This shift is also shaping packaging design. From IP collaborations and dopamine-inspired color palettes to cultural motifs and traditional crafts, packaging now adds playfulness and emotional layers to everyday eating and drinking. 

"Get in the bowl!"—a playful ad that turned the M&M'S characters into one of the world's most recognizable brand IPs. By 2016, M&M'S had already become a billion-dollar brand under Mars, with its iconic characters serving as the emotional bridge between consumers and the product. Each character brings chocolate to life through distinct personalities: the tall and goofy Yellow, the witty Red, the confident Green, the anxious Orange, the laid-back Blue... These vibrant personas not only humanize the brand but also make it instantly memorable and shareable worldwide. From character creation to lifecycle management, building an IP matrix is a long-term system for brands. 

(Image source: Mars China)

When a brand builds clear rules for visuals, structure, messaging, and extensions, new products can be developed quickly and replicated at low cost. On shelf, all SKUs present as a cohesive "family," consistent from near to far. Saturnbird uses mini cups with a numbering system to streamline launches and reinforce brand symbols; Mizone relies on gradient colors and fluid bottle shapes for instant recognition; Guozishule applies illustrative strokes to convey handmade warmth and extend naturally across lines. Once such a system is in place, packaging evolves from a mere container into a sustainable brand asset.

Research shows that with cost unchanged, effective color design can add 10–25% in product value. Color not only influences purchase decisions and brand growth—it also acts as a "translator" of flavor.

This session explores:

- How colors trigger sensory associations: red suggests sweetness, green freshness, yellow sourness.

- Cross-cultural differences in flavor perception linked to the same color.

- How color works differently on the shelf versus online, and how to optimize for each channel.

In today's crowded shelves and visual overload, it has become increasingly difficult for brands to leave an instant impression. To overcome "visual fatigue," beverage brands like Minute Maid and other brands have introduced scented packaging with prompts such as "rub to smell." A burst of fruity or floral aroma matching the flavor delivers a moment of delight that embeds itself in consumers' sensory memory.

From scent selection to interactive cues, from shelf engagement to social sharing, this session explores how packaging transforms fragrance into a golden touchpoint that drives purchase, connection, and repeat sales.

Nestlé is harnessing digital packaging to balance speed, cost, and personalization. Through digital twin technology, it builds 3D packaging models that can be instantly adapted for markets and campaigns, cutting photo-shoot costs and accelerating product launches. By 2027, Nestlé plans to create over 10,000 such models. Meanwhile, AI-powered QR codes transform packaging into an interactive gateway, delivering personalized recipes, product recommendations, and traceability. Packaging is no longer static—it becomes a dynamic interface between brand and consumer, and a new digital touchpoint for retailers.

Paper packaging offers endless possibilities—not only in look and feel but also in forming techniques, structural design, and material combinations. This workshop will guide participants through real-life samples, unpacking innovative applications in printing finishes, structural forms, and material choices.

McDonald's TableToGo turns the inconvenience of eating on the go into a playful interaction: with a simple fold, a stable table can be set up on roadside poles for a comfortable dining experience anywhere. Packaging shifts from mere container to functional tool, enhancing the mealtime moment. The concept boosted sales during Milan Fashion Week, went viral on social media, and won a 2024 D&AD Award. Starting from TableToGo, this session explores how interactive packaging can balance function and fun while generating lasting commercial value.

(Image source: Leo Burnett)

Since its launch in 1971, Nissin Cup Noodles has sold over 50 billion units worldwide and generated $5.04 billion in revenue in 2023. Its packaging strategy combines series consistency with high recognition: a unified cup shape, logo placement, and core visual layout ensure instant shelf identification, while color coding, illustrations, and playful elements differentiate flavors and inject freshness. From localized designs reflecting cultural tastes to limited editions, Cup Noodles has evolved into a collectible icon. This session unpacks Nissin's design framework, showing how systematic yet creative packaging can deliver both global recognition and emotional engagement across diverse consumer groups.

(Image source: Nissin)

In 2013, RxBar was lost in the crowded protein bar market, with its "clean label" message failing to stand out. The breakthrough came in 2015 with a bold redesign: placing the core ingredients front and center in oversized type—3 Egg Whites, 6 Almonds, 4 Cashews, 2 Dates, No B.S.—while using solid colors for flavor coding and pushing the logo to the corner. The packaging itself became the ad, driving instant recognition and eventually leading to a $600M acquisition by Kellogg's. In 2024, the team extended this philosophy with David, a high-protein brand that sold over 1 million bars in just six weeks. Beyond listing ingredients, the success lies in typography, color, materials, and proportion—showing how design precision can turn packaging into a growth engine.

(Image source: RxBar)

Founded in 1915, XueTaiFeng earned global acclaim with its signature "Ice Oil," winning gold at the Panama–Pacific Expo. But in a fast-paced, youth-driven market, how can a heritage condiment brand stay relevant? XueTaiFeng's answer: soy sauce in single-use capsules, echoing the elegance and convenience of coffee pods. These chic, precisely portioned servings reduce waste, prevent contamination, and elevate the user experience—transforming sauce use into a small ritual. This innovative format helped the brand achieve a 41.7% repurchase rate among younger consumers. 

As Chinese brands go global, packaging becomes their first impression abroad. Chi Forest entered Amazon's U.S. top 10 sparkling water list in 2021 and landed in all Costco stores nationwide by 2023. To succeed on foreign shelves, Chi Forest retained its signature white background, soft hues, and calligraphic logo—subtly rebranding "Chi" for cross-cultural resonance. It also swapped PET bottles for aluminum cans to match U.S. market preferences and reformatted its messaging with bold, universal claims like "0 Sugar" and "0 Calories." This session explores how Chinese brands like Chi Forest balance brand identity with local aesthetics, material expectations, and communication clarity—turning packaging into a global growth engine.

(Image source: Chi Forest)

On its 40th anniversary, 7-Eleven Japan launched a bold redesign of over 1,700 private-label products—embedding design thinking into pricing, assortment, and shelf strategy. With a clear tiered system ("Daily," "Premium," "Gold"), unified shelf visuals, and packaging that looks good even off the shelf, design became a tool to simplify choices and strengthen brand equity. The result? Record-breaking sales and profits for three consecutive years. Its flagship "Seven Café" became Japan's top-selling coffee in its launch year and continues to lead the market. This session unpacks how 7-Eleven turned design into a repeatable business method—impacting packaging, shelf presence, and in-store experience.

(Image source: kashiwasato)

In membership-based retail like Walmart and Sam's Club, Retail Ready Packaging (RRP) and Products Display Quickly (PDQ) are standard. Growing twice as fast as conventional formats, they follow the "5 Easy" principles: easy to identify, open, shelf, shop, and dispose—streamlining stocking while boosting sales. This session explores why shelf-ready design is favored in global retail, what structural and informational elements matter most, and how RRP/PDQ packaging satisfies logistics, display, and marketing needs at once. 

Between 2022 and 2024, the share of innovative private-label products grew from 11% to 26%, making it the fastest-growing segment worldwide. From Sam's Club, Costco, and Aldi to Freshippo and Pangdonglai, retailers are rapidly building their own private-label portfolios. This session explores how packaging—through both materials and visual design—can help retailers establish private labels as trustworthy, recognizable, and competitive brand systems.