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AIC 2010, Color and Food From the Farm to the Table

Interim Meeting of the International Color Association Mar del Plata, Argentina October 12-15, 2010

PALETAS CROMÁTICAS COMPATIBLES PARA ENVASES DE ALIMENTOS NATURALES

Autores : Carlos PRAUSE1, Susana CARIOLA2

Facultad de Arquitectura, Diseño y Urbanismo, Universidad Nacional del Litoral.

Postal address: Centro de Estudios Morfológicos, Facultad de Arquitectura y Urbanismo,

Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Ciudad Universitaria, Paraje El Pozo, 3000 Santa Fe, Argentina

E-mails: cprause@fadu.unl.edu.ar; scariola@fadu.unl.edu.ar

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The idea of packaging is as

old as human civilization,

since the transportation and

storing of products has

always demanded putting

them in containers and

boxes, as well as the

protection of food from dust,

rain, humidity and other

deteriorating agents.

Luís Meléndez (1716-1780) Pintor Español del siglo XVIII. del bodegón.1-2.

Food store. Old packaging.

ABSTRACT

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Similarly, the influence of colour as

an identifying and communicating

element of the “attributes” of those

signs, acquire today a central role,

key in the visual communication of

the product image.

In the case of consumer goods,

particularly food, the packaging is

not only a simple wrapping for

protection, but it becomes a mean

of communication, used to reflect

the product “image” that is intended

to transmit to the consumer.

El mundo del envase. Ma.Dolores Vidales Giovannetti.

UAM Azcapotzalco. Ed. Gustavo Gil. Barcelona, España.

ABSTRACT

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Consequently, the packing size, shape,

colour, the typography for the texts and

materials used in its elaboration,

become of key importance making the

packaging its own seller and becoming

sometimes the connection with the

consumer, since it anticipates what the

consumer thinks or awaits from the

packaging, generating a sort of “meta-

communication” since it expresses what

the packaging contains or supposedly

contains.

Examples of shapes and sizes.

Container + Product + Marks

ABSTRACT

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There are many factors in our reality,

either psychological or visual, that

determine the appropriate choice of

the packaging colour, shape and

material, according to the adopted

commercialization strategies.

These factors become more important

day after day, and they vary according

to the cultural traditions and tastes of

the different societies.

Food packaging design has been one

of the disciplines that has been more

related to the graphic industry in the

last decades.

Color + form + material

ABSTRACT

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We intend to investigate this issue

and show some incompatibilities

that certain design decisions have,

regarding the colours used to

represent the natural shapes and

the resulting colours of the

production of the printing standards.

We will also offer some possible

solutions to these conflicts which

occur between one system and the

other in the colour treatment.

It is also the objective of this work

to offer some ideas to the designers

providing some conceptual and

visual tools, establishing a series of

compatible chromatic palettes

between the suggested colour and

the depicted colour.

Design decisions as product identity, such as MILK and WINES.

Color White natural-color of the pack: White, Black, Red, Yellow

Product Color: Red-erase white wine: Green / packaging Color: Red and White

and Red-Green

Non-Alcoholic Wines: Color: Red, Pink and White Color package: Black &

White & Red and Green

ABSTRACT

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In this opportunity, we do not intend to

deal with the packaging colour as an

industrialized product material, but we

want to deal with some particular

colour features in the graphic

messages and its relations with the

possibilities of reproduction, taking

into account general types of

materials for packaging or, even more

important, the covering materials

which are the visual media for the

messages.

Some design decisions on the packaging for the same

product.: From color-WHITE MILK

Color of mark on the packaging: (ALL)

ABSTRACT

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It is in this particular issue

this paper deals with, where

product identity, laws of

marketing, technology

constrains, rhetoric,

persuasion among others,

coexist –or not.

Colors of packaging for Coca Cola: Red, White, (black Gray) Other Blue and Orange.

Fruit juices. Assorted colors for the brand.

Some design decisions on the packaging for the same product: soft - chemical components (Coca Cola) and fruit juices.

ABSTRACT

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ESTHETICS OF PACKAGING

Certain categories of intervention

are established, matching the

types of packaging materials in

products of daily, periodical and

occasional use. This classification

corresponds with the variables of

“cesias” , since they determine

sensory differences in the

perception of colour in accordance

with the concerning topic. In this

opportunity, the following

classification is used:

Containers with different 'cesias "on display together

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1. Transparent

We can observe that in transparent

packaging for fruits, vegetables or

pasta, the representation of colour

comes from a natural fact, since the

same product is the one being

exhibited in its most pure

expression; consequently, the

perceived colours will be a

combination of the colours of the

product interacting with the

proposed colours for the visual

message of the container.

The harmony or incompatibility

should be seen in the combination

of these two semantic fields.

ESTHETICS OF PACKAGING

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2. Translucent

In this case, its own

composition produces a

combination of overlapping

colours due to the semi-

transparent veil covering the

product.

ESTHETICS OF PACKAGING

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3. Opaque

This kind of packaging requires a

colour treatment to access the

identity of the content, in addition to

photos or 2D or 3D illustrations to

exhibit it. In this case, the

participation of the designer and the

areas of knowledge presented in this

work are of essential importance.

ESTHETICS OF PACKAGING

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4. Reflective

Similar to the previous material

as regards the treatment of

colour, but it has interesting

possibilities in its colour display

due to the reflexion of light over

the covering material.

ESTHETICS OF PACKAGING

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5. Blended

Combinations in pairs of the

materials mentioned above.

The characteristics aforesaid

for each type also apply here.

ESTHETICS OF PACKAGING

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FOOD COLOUR AND IDENTITY

One of the basics conditions of

colour in packaging is that is has to

be “useful” and support its shape in

the identification of the product. In

now a days society the -visual-

identity already established its value

as a basic need of every entity or

item.

There are some categories that

have a direct influence in the colour

choice of the graphic proposals for

packaging, where there has to

have:

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• The brand´s identity:

the shapes that represent the

production company and/or the logo

of the product.

• The product image

the leading companies establish a

colour associated to its identity

assigning to it meanings that may

refer or not to the food they

represent.

FOOD COLOUR AND IDENTITY

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• Selling requirements

Visibility, readability and unity in its

writing, with the objective of facilitating

its localization and recognition.

• Semantic association

Basic relation between the content and

what it is displayed. Colours help attract

the buyer´s attention and provide

information related to its content.

FOOD COLOUR AND IDENTITY

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We can also include any type of

image manipulation that does not

modify the original colours.

Consequently, it is necessary to talk

about colour "naturalness" in the

packaging graphics, since it is in this

instance –the design- where

decisions which are usually

contradictory are taken.

This is why we start with a

classification of the degrees of

naturalness:

When we talk about the “natural” characteristic of

colour, we make reference to a semantic distinction

in the faithfulness of the colours of the product,

which can be verified mainly in photographs, where

it is presumed that colours do not suffer alterations.

FOOD AND MATURAL COLOURS

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Natural food colors, natural (unprocessed)

• Natural (unprocessed)

If we accompany this

classification with a palette of

colours, we can establish a

range of “natural colours”, that

is, those which are “from the

same nature of the product”…

FOOD AND NATURAL COLOURS

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Chemicals in natural food colors (industrialized)

• Processed (manufactured)

...and “processed colours” or

artificial, since it would fit a

sort of logical and semantic

response.

FOOD AND NATURAL COLOURS

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TIPO

Nº CEE

Amarillo Limón E-102 + E-110

Amarillo Huevo E-102 + E-110

Amarillo Mimosa E-102 + E-110

Anaranjado 1787 E-110 + E-124

Naranja 2000 E-110 + E-124

Colorante Marisco E-110 + E-122

Pardo Chocolate 648 E-102+E-124+E132

Marrón 4004 E-110 + E-151

Verde 519 E-102 + E-133

Verde Menta 1869 E-102+E-131

Verde BB2228 E-102+E-133

Verde Menta 20 E-102+E-132

Verde Menta 23 E-102 + E-131

Verde Menta TV66 E-102 + E-131

Verde Menta 839 E-102 + E-131

Violeta 952 E-122 + E-151

Violeta 1027/1 E-124+E-131+E-

151

Negro 952 E-102+E-110+E-124+E-131+E-

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PRODUCTO

COLORANTE

PRINCIPAL C.I

Riboflavina

Riboflavina Fosfato

Curcuma Curcumina

Annatto Norbixina

Annatto Bixina

E-160b

B-Caroteno

E-160a

Pimentón Capsantina

E-160c

Xantofilas Luteina

E-161

Caramelo

E-150

Clorofilas-Mg. Clorofila-Mg.

E-140

Clorofilas-Mg. Clorofilina-Mg

E-140

Clorofilas-Cu. Clorofila-Cu.

E-141

Clorofilas-Cu. Clorofilina-Cu

E-141

Rojo Remolacha Betanina

E-162

Cochinilla Carmín

E-120

Cochinilla Acido Carmínico

E-120

Antocianinas Enocianina

E-163

Antocianinas

Antocianina de

zanahoria

E-163

Carbón Vegetal

E-153

Blanco Titanio Oxido Titani

E-171

Amarillo Coninor

E-172 Oxido Hierro

E-172

Rojo Coninor E-

172 Oxido Hierro

E-172

Rojo Coninor R/E-

172 Oxido Hierro

E-172

Negro Coninor E-

172 Oxido Hierro

E-172

Synthetic dyes: Natural dyes

FOOD AND NATURAL COLOURS

This classification is

essential to determine the

colour fidelity as regards

its “naturalness”, because

it is a highly positive

attribute in advertising

content, since it is related

to “freshness”, “healthy”,

etc.

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We will now try to establish which are

the “natural colours” for “natural

food”, within a general category,

according to its origin:

• Mineral

(whites, browns, sepia, yellows)

FOOD AND NATURAL COLOURS

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• Vegetable

(greens, reds, violets,

blues, oranges, yellows)

FOOD AND NATURAL COLOURS

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• Animal

(reds, whites, pinks)

FOOD AND NATURAL COLOURS

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We would like to focus on the ones classified

according its dominant colours, since they present

substantial differences even if they look similar,

such as: Fruits , Vegetables, Meat, Dairy products.

FOOD AND NATURAL COLOURS

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• Fruits

(reds, yellows, oranges,

greens, blues, lilaceous)

The colors in fruits

FOOD AND NATURAL COLOURS

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Colors in the Plant

• Vegetables

(greens, yellows, oranges,

red beet, cabbage,

eggplant)

FOOD AND NATURAL COLOURS

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The colors on meats

• Meat

(beef, pork, poultry, fish)

FOOD AND NATURAL COLOURS

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The colors in dairy

• Dairy products

(milk, cheese, creams, by-products)

FOOD AND NATURAL COLOURS

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With this classification we tried to list what we are

interested in highlighting about the colours semantic

attributes regarding “naturalness” and the different

packaging graphics that sometimes are not in

harmony with the election and treatment of colour.

FOOD AND NATURAL COLOURS

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For these considerations, we find

that certain packages contain

colours according to the

“sensations” they produce, and this

generates contradictions and

opposing or wrong interpretations in

the identification of the content.

We are including some examples

considered incompatibles (or at

least inharmonious) from different

semantic fields.

FOOD AND NATURAL COLOURS

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NATURE VS. COLOUR PSYCHOLOGY

Having in mind the products general

categories mentioned before, we think that

packaging must contain colours that represent

the semantic attributes of its content;

therefore, the colour palette of its design

should match them.

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Some incompatibilities can be found.

For example, earthy colours are a good match

for items of mineral origin, but for fruits,

vegetables and dairy unprocessed products

this colour can be associated with “oxidation”.

Therefore, it can be said that not all the

assessments made about “colour psychology”

are effective, since for some food items the

colour white can indicate “purity” but for others

it is linked to its "fermentation”.

NATURE VS. COLOUR PSYCHOLOGY

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Black is a sign of “excellence” for

wines but it is hard to attribute this

meaning to other food items.

Packaging serves as a container, but it

is also a product identifier.

This last function cannot be achieved

by what it is called the colour

“personality” if it is not directly related

with the product attributes it identifies.

NATURE VS. COLOUR PSYCHOLOGY

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We would like to make it clear that this

particular approach is directed towards

graphic productions of illustrations or

backgrounds and not towards

photographic images (or transparent

packaging), since in those cases, the

photography captures and reproduces

the colour that the product reflects, which

-except in the treatment of some relative

variable- are not the result of the

designer´s “colour decision-making”.

It is also important to mention that the

colours of the graphics depend in great

extent to the percentage of the area that

takes up in the packaging as a whole.

NATURE VS. COLOUR PSYCHOLOGY

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“…colours have a meaning that makes the

objects attributes stand out. They can be

general attributes, when colours mean the

same for every individual (the sky, the

trees, the earth, the sun, blood), since

colour categories are socially constructed.”

(Goodwin, 2000).

It can be inferred that colour associations

are the result of some type of experience

with the product, and thanks to the contact

with it, the person acquire the capacity to

relate colour, form and function.

CONCLUSIONS Mislabeling: makes health claims ("Fresh, healthy and tasty") can not be made without accompanying information.

Properly: Cantos Blancos, is the only brand with proper

labeling in all samples. They are also the only ones,

along with the other three samples of the same brand,

bearing the date on each egg.

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It´s very interesting the idea that,

“…when the consumer observes

similar products, he generalizes this

learning and gives similar attributes

to products looking alike in its

appearance even if he recognizes

them as being from different brands”

(Warlop and Alba, 2004; Miaoulis & D'Amato, 1978).

There are many cases in which the

image and colour of the leading

brand are used as a generic identifier

of the product.

CONCLUSIONS

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It is very common to confuse packaging of

different categories because of the similarity

of the codes, and this strengthened the need

to use standard codes for the category.

Assertive reading is given not only by the

packaging´s shape and material but also the

image and colour consistency.

CONCLUSIONS

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To conclude, we would like to say that the goals of our

work -because of the extent and diversity of the topic-,

cannot be completed in this speech, but some solutions

are given and it is complemented with another work

displayed in poster format, named “Natural Colours for

Natural Food”, where we depict a series of compatible

colour palettes for natural food packaging.

Thanks