Cultural Symbols at Risk: Misinterpretation and Design Strategies in Packaging
Abstract
In packaging design, the application of traditional cultural symbols is widespread, yet misreading and misuse of these symbols are increasingly prevalent, leading to cultural distortion and stereotypes. Existing research lacks interdisciplinary integration and fails to fully address the negative impacts of symbol misapplication. This study aims to analyze the limitations of current research, propose an interdisciplinary framework, and develop strategies to balance cultural authenticity with design innovation in symbol application. An in-depth analysis of 14 core studies from the Web of Science database was conducted, examining research methods, objects, theoretical applications, and conclusions. Three key limitations were identified: (1) overreliance on a single research method, (2) excessive focus on symbol application while neglecting the relationship between misreading phenomena and cultural contexts, and (3) lack of cohesive theoretical integration. This study proposes a three-dimensional "application-misreading-optimization" framework, combining semiotics, cultural capital theory, and brand narrative theory. The research contributes by advancing packaging design from a functional carrier to a cultural medium, enriching design semiotics theory, and offering practical strategies to mitigate symbol misreading. This supports traditional culture's innovative transformation and global dissemination in contemporary design.
Downloads
References
Akbari, M., Gholizadeh, M. H., & Zomorrodi, M. (2018). Islamic symbols in food packaging and purchase intention of Muslim consumers. Journal of Islamic Marketing, 9(1), 117–131. https://doi.org/10.1108/JIMA-11-2014-0076
Ampa-Korsah, H., Adu-Gyamfi, V., & Koranteng, M. (2024). Consequences of Symbolic Names and Meanings of Ghanaian Fabric on Consumer Purchase Intention. Art and Design Review, 12(02), 149–164. https://doi.org/10.4236/adr.2024.122011
Arboleda Arango, A. M. (2008). Perceptions of color and shape in packaging: A learning experience. Estudios Gerenciales, 24(106), 31–45. http://www.scielo.org.co/scielo.php?pid=S0123-59232008000100002&script=sci_abstract&tlng=en
Arsel, Z., & Thompson, C. J. (2011). Demythologizing consumption practices: How consumers protect their field-dependent identity investments from devaluing Marketplace myths. Journal of Consumer Research, 37(5), 791–806. https://doi.org/10.1086/656389
Barthes, R. (1967). Elements of Semiology (A. Lavers & C. Smith, Trans.). Hill and Wang. (Original work published 1964)
Barthes, R. (1972). Mythologies (A. Lavers, Trans.). Noonday Press/Farrar, Straus and Giroux. (Original work published 1957)
Celhay, F., & Remaud, H. (2018). What does your wine label mean to consumers? A semiotic investigation of Bordeaux wine visual codes. Food Quality and Preference, 65, 129–145. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodqual.2017.10.020
Cho, U. H. (2010). A Study of Semiotic of Ramen Package Design of Three Food Companies - Focused on actor model of A. J. Greimas -. The Korea Society Illustration Research, 11(23), 47–54. https://www.kci.go.kr/kciportal/ci/sereArticleSearch/ciSereArtiView.kci?sereArticleSearchBean.artiId=ART001457024
Diniarta Nur, F., Adriati, R., & Ferdinand, I. (2024). A Semiotic Analysis on Inaco Product Packaging. Journal of English Language and Literature, 9(1), 219–230. https://doi.org/10.37110/jell.v9i1.221
Du, Q., & Park, J. (2022). A Semiotic Study of Naturalistic Cosmetic Package Design. A Treatise on The Plastic Media, 25(4), 188–197. https://doi.org/10.35280/KOTPM.2022.25.4.20
Elizabeth, C., Susana, F., Liisa, L., & Paula, V. (2014). Consumers’ perception of symbols and health claims as health-related label messages. A cross-cultural study. Food Research International, 62, 653–661. https://doi.org/doi.org/10.1016/j.foodres.2014.04.028
Feng, W., & Hu, H. (2019). Research on the Influence of Culture Capital on Compensatory Consumption Based on Relative Deprivation Theory. Open Journal of Business and Management, 07(03), 1346–1357. https://doi.org/10.4236/ojbm.2019.73093
Fritz, K., Schoenmueller, V., & Bruhn, M. (2017). Authenticity in Branding – Exploring Antecedents and Consequences of Brand Authenticity. European Journal of Marketing, 51(2), 324–348. https://doi.org/10.1108/EJM-10-2014-0633
Gao, M., Xie, X., & Zhang, Z. (2023). The Reacher on the Functions of Chinese Ink Elements in Movie Posters of The Golden Era. Communications in Humanities Research, 9(1), 231–237. https://doi.org/10.54254/2753-7064/9/20231189
Grisaffe, D. B., & Nguyen, H. P. (2011). Antecedents of Emotional Attachment to Brands. Journal of Business Research, 64(10), 1052–1059. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2010.11.002
Greimas, A.-J. (1984). Structural semantics: An attempt at a method (D. McDowell, R. Schleifer, & A. Velie, Trans.). University of Nebraska Press. (Original work published 1966).
Hae, P. S. (2024). Semiotic Analysis of Transmedia Storytelling Spaces using －Focusing on the ‘TEMPLE OF UNGNYEO’Cafe－. Korean Literary Theory and Criticism, 28(1), 245–268. https://doi.org/0.20461/KLTC.2024.02.102.245
Han, J. M., & Kang, H. (2014). Analysis on the Myth of Milk Package Design Using Roland Barthes’s Semiotics. Journal of Korea Design Forum, 44(44), 91–100. https://doi.org/10.21326/ksdt.2014..44.008
Hirschman, E. C. (2010). Evolutionary Branding. Psychology and Marketing, 27(6), 568–583. https://doi.org/10.1002/mar.20345
Jian, Y., Zhou, Z., & Zhou, N. (2019). Brand Cultural Symbolism, Brand Authenticity, and Consumer Well-being: The Moderating Role of Cultural Involvement. Journal of Product and Brand Management, 28(4), 529–539. https://doi.org/10.1108/JPBM-08-2018-1981
Kong, H. (2015). A Study on the Package Design through Semiotics. A Treatise on The Plastic Media, 17, 9–18. https://www.kci.go.kr/kciportal/ci/sereArticleSearch/ciSereArtiView.kci?sereArticleSearchBean.artiId=ART001879753
Kwak, D. H., & Kang, J. H. (2009). Symbolic Purchase in Sport: The Roles of Self-image Congruence and Perceived Quality. Management Decision, 47(1), 85–99. https://doi.org/10.1108/00251740910929713
Lee Mi-jin, & Jeon, hyeong-Y. (2018). A Study of Prestige Fashion Brands’ Visual Identities on Visual Semiotic Analysis of Cosmetic Products’ Packaging- Focused on Yves Saint Laurent and Giorgio Armani. Journal of Communication Design, 64, 63–74. https://doi.org/10.25111/jcd.2018.64.05
Lim, H., & Childs, M. (2020). Visual storytelling on Instagram: branded photo narrative and the role of telepresence. Journal of Research in Interactive Marketing, 14(1), 33–50. https://doi.org/10.1108/JRIM-09-2018-0115
Liu, J., & Nah, K. (2021). Analysis on the Symbolic Features of Traditional Water Patterns in Packaging Design -Focus on the Cases of Packaging Design in Korea and China-. Journal of the Korean Society of Design Culture, 27(3), 353–365. https://doi.org/10.18208/ksdc.2021.27.3.353
Liu, L., & Zhao, H. (2024). Research on consumers’ purchase intention of cultural and creative products-Metaphor design based on traditional cultural symbols. PLoS ONE, 19(5 May). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0301678
Luo, W. (2012). Packaged Glamour: Constructing the Modern Bride in China’s Bridal Media. Asian Women, 28(4), 83–115. http://opus.ipfw.edu/comm_facpubshttp://opus.ipfw.edu/comm_facpubs/63
Malar, L., Krohmer, H., Hoyer, W. D., & Nyffenegger, B. (2011). Emotional Brand Attachment and Brand Personality: The Relative Importance of the Actual and the Ideal Self. Journal of Marketing, 75(4), 35–52. https://doi.org/10.1509/jmkg.75.4.35
Min, H. N., & Lee, K. (2014). A Study for Meaning of Characters Used in Package Design - Focusing on Eco-friendly Cosmetics Brands -. The Korean Society of Illustration Forum, 15(41), 69–78. https://www.kci.go.kr/kciportal/ci/sereArticleSearch/ciSereArtiView.kci?sereArticleSearchBean.artiId=ART001939096
Moon, E. Y., & Um, G. J. (2018). A Semiotic Study on Package Design of Women Target Liqueur Brand. Design Research, 3(1), 10–22. https://www.kci.go.kr/kciportal/ci/sereArticleSearch/ciSereArtiView.kci?sereArticleSearchBean.artiId=ART002397369
Paharia, N., Keinan, A., Avert, J., & Schor, J. B. (2010). The Underdog Effect: The Marketing of Disadvantage and Determination through Brand Biography. Journal of Consumer Research, 37(5), 775–790. https://doi.org/10.1086/656219
Peirce, C. S. (1994). The collected papers of Charles Sanders Peirce (Vols. 1-8). Edited by Charles Hartshorne, Paul Weiss, & Arthur W. Burks. Thoemmes Continuum.
Sari, N. L. D. I. D., Sarjani, N. K. P., & Narulita, E. T. (2023). The Culture of Packaging Traditional Balinese Snacks with Banana Leaves. Proceedings of the 4th Borobudur International Symposium on Humanities and Social Science 2022 (BIS-HSS 2022), 1538–1547. https://doi.org/10.2991/978-2-38476-118-0_174
Stawarska, B. (2020). Saussure’s Linguistics, Structuralism, and Phenomenology. Springer International Publishing.
Su, C., & Naeim, F. (2024). Research on the Application of Chinese Traditional Cultural Visual Elements in the Packaging Design of “Three Squirrels” Mooncakes. Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Culture, Design and Social Development (CDSD 2023), 384–389. https://doi.org/10.2991/978-2-38476-222-4_47
Taghavi, M. S., & Seyedsalehi, A. (2015). The Effect of Packaging and Brand on Children’s and Parents’ Purchasing Decisions and the Moderating Role of Pester Power. British Food Journal, 117(8), 2017–2038. https://doi.org/10.1108/BFJ-07-2014-0260
Tangsupwattana, W., & Liu, X. (2018). Effect of Emotional Experience on Symbolic Consumption in Generation Y Consumers. Marketing Intelligence and Planning, 36(5), 514–527. https://doi.org/10.1108/MIP-11-2017-0316
Xu, J. (2023). Case application data research of traditional ink art elements in packaging design. Applied Mathematics and Nonlinear Sciences, 8, 469–478. https://doi.org/10.2478/amns.2021.2.00216
Yan, T., Wu, J., & Meng, H. (2024). The Effect of Digital Fashion Visual Symbol Perception on Consumer Repurchase Intention: A Moderated Chain Mediation Model. Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management, 28(4), 858–874. https://doi.org/10.1108/JFMM-08-2023-0202
Yang, M., & Dong, Y. (2009). On Symbol Propagated Semantics in Packaging Design. Packaging Engineering, 30(10), 154–158. https://qikan.cqvip.com/Qikan/Article/Detail?id=31690889&from=Qikan_Search_Index
Yijing, C., & Sharudin, S. A. (2023). The Integration of Traditional Symbols and Modern Product Design: Cultural Inheritance and Innovation. Global Journal of Emerging Science, Engineering & Technology, 1(1), 19–25. https://doi.org/10.56225/gjeset.v1i1.17
Yu, Z. Z., & Ghazali, M. M. M. (2023). The Value of Artistic Symbols of Chinese Calligraphy Art in Packaging Design of Creative Products. International Journal of Global Optimization and Its Application, 2(1), 39–48. https://doi.org/10.56225/ijgoia.v2i1.163
Yuan, X. (2023). Research on the Application of Traditional Patterns in Modern Packaging Design in Western China: Take the Mandala Pattern as an Example. Frontiers in Art Research, 5(17). https://doi.org/10.25236/far.2023.051717
Zong, Z., Liu, X., & Gao, H. (2023). Exploring the mechanism of consumer purchase intention in a traditional culture based on the theory of planned behavior. Frontiers in Psychology, 14. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1110191
