Shanliang Rice: A Packaging Design Rooted in Tradition

Dongdao Creative Branding Group's Award-Winning Design Reflects Northeastern China's Culture and Agriculture

The inspiration behind the Shanliang Rice packaging design came from the traditions and customs of Northeastern China. The Dongdao Design Team aimed to interpret the product's idiosyncrasies, reflecting the homeland affection and forthright trait of the Northeastern people. The team established the core brand concept of "good soil, good people, and good rice". The package cover adopted a local doggerel known as the 'eight odds of Northeast', illustrated with vivid pictures and subtly demonstrated on the package.

What sets this design apart is its focus on incorporating visual elements reflecting the regional culture. In 2014, Guoao Group initiated agricultural investment according to China’s urbanization strategy. Their aim was to brand a variety of local agricultural goods, thus promoting the regional economy. In the package design of Shanliang Rice, the creation focuses on these visual elements.

The realization of this design was achieved through hand-drawing techniques that revitalized unique scenes of harvest, winnow, and paper cutting, all strongly indicating a connection with the Northeast culture. This conveyed an ideology of having ample food and clothing. The text theme of the gift box is a unique but well-known Northeast dialect, “our place rice”, which makes the product friendlier. The material utilized grainy paper, symbolizing nature and organic ingredients.

The design also incorporates environmentally friendly practices. The implementation of pulp modeled material in packaging is praised as “green package”. It is also an effective method of boosting waste paper utilization. Therefore, by using this green package methodology, the design contributes to alleviating environmental pollution.

The project started in January 2014 in Beijing and finished in March 2014 in Beijing. The design process involved extensive research and analysis, including molding the pulp into a bowl shape. The appearance and size of the bowl duplicates the large bowl commonly used in the 1980s, a memory symbol of an entire generation and a reflection of the time when Chinese people craved for foods and clothes.

The design faced challenges in demonstrating the scene and culture of Northeast region of China in the packaging design. Through extensive research and analysis, the team adopted a local doggerel known as the 'eight odds of Northeast' for the package cover, and then illustrated these eight odds with vivid pictures and demonstrated them subtly on the package. The result is a design that not only showcases the culture of Northeast China but also won the Silver A' Packaging Design Award in 2017, a testament to its creativity and professionalism.