Suupaa Pop: Packaging in Japan
(New York, April 2007)
On April 11th, Desgrippes Gobé debuted "Suupaa Pop: Packaging in Japan" at the AIGA National Design Center in New York City. In addition to being the highest attended exhibit in their history, it has been an inspiring and eye-opening experience for the design and marketing community. Below is a brief description of the show:
There is no place that the delightful spirit and imagination of Japanese design is more apparent than in the corner supermarket - or "suupaa", as it's called locally. Here you'll find the convergence of art and commerce across a dizzying array of categories and SKUs. Their diverse aesthetic has long elicited amazement as well as perplexed shrugs from the Western world, and though the intent may sometimes appear random or even irrational to outsiders, Japanese packaging merely operates on its own unique design logic.
To compete in such a crowded marketplace, Japanese package designers are strongly encouraged to take risks and to seek the original. Sometimes this produces the brilliant alongside the silly - but the work is undeniably refreshing in any culture.
The exhibit is located at the AIGA National Design Center, 164 Fifth Avenue (between 21st and 22nd Streets) and will run through May 25th. If you're interested in arranging a private tour, please email Lisa Koenigsberg (lkoenigsberg@dga.com).
