Design and Market Positioning of Featured Toy Packaging (I)

[Abstract] Characteristic toys have a rapidly growing market, but they are still in the stage of exploration in the field of corresponding packaging design. Through the analysis and consideration of the market positioning of this type of product, the basic characteristics of the characteristic toy product packaging design in graphics application, color, modeling and other aspects are studied and summarized, which helps the designer to correctly grasp the product positioning and achieve characteristic toys. The perfect blend of commercial and artistic packaging.

Keywords: young people; characteristics; packaging design; culture

With the rapid development of China’s economic level, people’s requirements for entertainment and leisure beyond clothing, food, housing and transportation are getting higher and higher. Some western-oriented specialty toys for adults have begun to appear in the market and have begun to take root and grow up in China. The toy manufacturers are also actively participating in the competition in the specialty toy market. When our country begins to try and compete in the characteristic toy field, it is a new research topic to explore the characteristic toy packaging design that suits our national conditions and can effectively attract young consumers. Packaging is the most direct value-added and promotional method for products, and it is the same for toy products. There are many differences between toy design oriented to young people and children's toys. The latter's puzzle, durability, and ability to cultivate hands-on skills are not in line with the target objects of featured toys. Features and personalities, collectability, and the exquisiteness of the toys themselves are Adults buy toys that are pursued. Therefore, packaging design should also meet the young people's values ​​and aesthetics, and echo the characteristics of the toy itself in order to achieve the best market sales.

Japan's EMI company re-launched a model toy that it had produced 20 years ago and set off another sales climax. This shows the importance of packaging design in the toy market. The main purpose of packaging design is to attract consumers, so that toy products can fully attract young consumers, in addition to sales channels, advertising positioning should be independent of children's toys, but more importantly should be integrated in the design of packaging features, personality, open The gap with other similar products, especially with children's toys, highlights their sense of grade. To achieve these points, we must start from the popular culture of young people and learn from young people's favorite fashion, cartoon, music, and television culture. , so that the positioning of packaging design is correct.

1 Characteristic Toy Market Status

In a mature toy market, the market positioning of toys is mainly divided into two categories: children's toys and specialty toys for adults. In China, the toy market is still immature, especially the understanding of toys is not mature; the ingrained concept of “the toy is a child’s play” has bound the domestic toy industry; according to the statistics of the Japan Toy Association, it is the second largest toy in the world of Japan. In the market, with a market size of 900 billion yen, toys for adults account for more than 65% of the total, and at least 84% of adult Japanese over 18 have toys. In the United States, the world’s largest toy market, about US$10 billion can be generated each year, and toy-oriented adult toys account for more than 40% of them. In China, the world’s largest toy production base, the adult toy market is almost empty. Domestic manufacturers blindly put their eyes on children's toys, leading to the domestic huge and rapidly growing characteristic toy market that is almost completely occupied by foreign brands. However, due to the higher profits of the specialty toy industry for adults at this stage, domestic manufacturers have become a major trend in the market for specialty toys [1]. In the case of brand awareness and production scale lagging behind those of foreign manufacturers, China's featured toys need to pay particular attention to the important role of packaging design itself.

2 Characteristic toy market positioning analysis

Positioning design is a very important new concept in modern packaging design. According to the different psychological demands of different consumer groups on the goods, the corresponding features are emphasized in the packaging design in order to maximize the basic functions of the packaging [1].

2. Target Market Positioning of Featured Toys

Children love to play, many adults in fact have the same love of playing nature, the popularity of television computer games and cartoon film and television works in the adult group is an example. The emergence of featured toys meets the needs of adults for toys; adult consumers of different levels have different needs for adult toys. For example, grown-up women like high-end decorative toys such as dolls, plush dolls and small animals, etc. Middle-aged people will choose recreational and collectible toys such as cars and military models, while adult toys market The main force of consumption - young people, most of them like the collection of dolls with characteristics and personality.

2. 2 Design Positioning of Featured Toys

The main consumers of specialty toys are young people aged 20 to 30 years. Young people buy toys that are directed at their individuality, quality, and collectable value, rather than traditional toy products that are mainly played. Therefore, they are durable and beneficial. The design requirements for children's toys such as smart, colorful, etc., can be abandoned in the design of specialty toys, and the individual, fashion, material and styling are the unique characteristics, and the quality is the main factor.

2. 3 packaging design positioning of featured toys

The consumer groups of featured toys are mostly people with stable economic income. There are even many high-income earners. Of course, they should also have sufficient sense of quality for their toy series; the source of the sense of quality should not be high prices. It is embodied in packaging design. Adult-oriented toys are purchased as a collectible. Intuitive packaging should be separated from pure play goods. The function of protecting the product is placed on the featured toy packaging. Secondary, and the function of adding value and promotion to the product should be considered first. At the same time, the main consumers of featured toys are young people who are unconventional. The design of individuality and fashion can be widely accepted among them. The characteristics of featured toys themselves are continuous innovation, and they should also echo this in packaging design. They should not be too systematic. And the use of a too-fixed model, free innovation, and constant change are the key to making packaging design more attractive.

2.4 Positioning of Sales Channels for Featured Toys

Because of the design of the toy itself and the unique style of packaging design, the sales of specialty toys also need a corresponding environment and atmosphere, so that consumers do not confuse with children's toys. Adults buy toys not only value the toy packaging itself, but also value purchases. The atmosphere and grade of the environment, so its sales environment and display design should also have a sense of quality, maturity and characteristics. At present, many shopping malls in China have set up specialized adult toy counters. Many domestic cities have also opened specialty toy stores for adults. Although sales and display design are still elementary, they separate independent sales channels for specialty toys. It has already taken an important step. Therefore, counter display effect should be considered in the packaging design of featured toys.

(to be continued)