Country

中国(China)

Official website

无

Company Introduction

“Song Y Song” (meaning “mountain beyond mountains” in Chinese) values tradition, quality and craftsmanship as its corporate culture. Backed by the technologies from the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, it strives to offer high-quality, eco-friendly food products. The production combines the “old” with the “new”: the life wisdom, food culture and processing methods of ancient Chinese thousands of years ago on the one hand, and modern technologies and new assortment of ingredients on the other. Song Y Song presents traditional Chinese food products in novel forms, as “tasty and healthy treats for festivals and special occasions”. The customers are comforted by the gifts of nature and an inner peace – the life philosophy of ancient Chinese in the Song Dynasty (960-1279 A.D.).

Images

Brand Name

Song Y Song

Designer Name

Kong Hongqiang,Liu Daxiong ,Yin Peng, Mai Jingjing,

Position of Designer

Designer

Client

NA

Target Group

Consumers, big customers

Major sales

电商 E-commerce; 大型商场 Shopping Mall; 小型商超和便利店 Supermarket & CVS; 其他销售渠道 大客户团购 Group purchase by big customers

Positioning

大货 Mass Production

Design Story

1. Social background: Since 2019, the COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc around much of the world, resulting in loss of lives, economic downturn and social estrangement. The world is in urgent need of the social ethos from the East to quell anxiety, panic and depression and lift people’s spirit. Such vital energy is neither mysterious nor faraway, but right there around us: a warm greeting or encouragement, a comforting meal, or a sweet dream. These make the day and help us stay positive. We call this vital energy “the power of the upright”. 2. Cultural background: Customs derived from traditional festivals，On the Dragon Boat Festival,our “Upright Zongzi” can exactly generate such vital energy. And the upright shall prevail!With a variety of ingredients, the “Upright Zongzi” provides a burst of flavor with multiple nutrients. Not only a real meal, but a sheer luxury for your taste buds.

Highlights

1.Innovation of concepts： “The power of the upright” is an inner strength of the Chinese culture that is urgently called for to meet people’s social and spiritual needs in the post-pandemic era. Apart from the cultural value, the concept also has social significance in that it delves into people’s purchase behavior and stimulates consumers’ social needs. 2.Innovation of visual design： It is a combination of contemporary Chinese fashion with traditional decorative patterns. By juxtaposing today’s flat icon style and the classic “Matcha green”, a trendy color in the Song Dynasty, the design is highly symbolic and catchy at the same time. Such cultural and creative design gets social media traffic, which in turn, drives consumption.

Market Performance

NA

Material

其他

Craft

The “Upright Zongzi” gift box uses new composite materials, including DuPont paper strap and eco-friendly woven bag. The outer bag is printed in four colors, with green as the primary one to symbolize the vitality of the upright. And the two-way head-to-head resin zippers well preserve the food inside. The strap, made of nylon herringbone webbing, is customized and adjustable. At the bag’s front side, the bottom features mountain pattern with tiger print to echo the brand name. The side of the outer bag is printed with the words “recycle and reuse” to highlight the environmental-awareness the design and the company. The inner box is particularly stylish and original, with a large “UPRIGHT” spelled out in gold letters in the center of the square front side.

Does the design solve the problems that are common across the product category?

Conventional packaging of zongzi lays much emphasis on visual splendor and the festive tradition, without fully interpreting their significance in the contemporary context. In contrast, the “Upright Zongzi” is inspired by people’s cultural and spiritual needs in the post-pandemic era. It finds an inner strength in the Chinese culture that is urgently called for. Apart from the cultural value, the packaging design also has social significance in that it delves into people’s purchase behavior to stimulate consumers’ social needs. In all, the “Upright Zongzi” offers an alternative way of presenting the traditional folk culture to a global audience.

What functional designs of the work have enhanced the user experience?

"1. The outer bag is reusable and can be converted into a storage bag. 2. The greeting card inside can be used as a name tag on one’s wallet or bag." 3. The font, which integrates traditional Chinese culture with popular elements, is highly distinctive. With such original designs, the brand is expected to gain global visibility and better present the charm of the Chinese culture.

Did the design help increase the sales performance of the product?

1. “Stand upright” when you carry the bag printed with the logo “UPRIGHT”. The word play and reusable packaging improve customer-product interaction. 2. Inside the recyclable gift box is a greeting card that can be used as a name tag on one’s wallet or bag. It is expected to bring one good luck and the “power of the upright”." 3、Unlike traditional zongzi gift boxes, “Upright Zongzi” well integrates cultural mission and brand globalization. It combines traditional folk culture with new social ethos, and turn Chinese fashion trends into real consumption. Condensed as “upright”, the simple yet sophisticated concept behind the product meets most consumers’ purchase demand and social needs.

Does the work consider sustainability (environmentally or commercially, or both)?

"Sustainability: 1. Eco-friendly polyethylene packaging, with other degradable materials. 2. Reusable packaging that may be converted into a chic bag or a storage bag. 3. “Less is more” as the philosophy of packaging to minimize waste and impacts on the environment."