Coming back from a trip to China, I can't help noticing a sea change of packaging to everything, even the street vendor who were selling stick rice balls packaged his stuff in a gift package!
Heck, a few years ago, that would have been imaginable. Back then, substance was the king, how cared what it comes in, what mattered was the stuff inside.
What's happening reminds me of a ancient story, a Zheng Kingdom merchant packaged his peal in a scented wood box, decorated with all kinds of jade. One buyer purchased the jewelery, but returned the pearl later but kept the box. In Chinese, the so called Maizhuhuandu (buying the pearl but keeping the box) has since stayed in writings and speakings.
The importance of packaging to a product is not new, in Japan, people have long desired a gift bag that is from a well-known department stores in Ginza, Tokyo. Some times, people just like a gift simply because it came with a Seibu or Hankyu logo on it.
Now, China has followed up with a even fierce force. The gift-exchange trend is such that you have to carry a nicely printed package to go with everything. Street walkers during the New Year season all carried around various kinds of packages, whether they contain rice cakes or yogurt, they all come with a nicely printed bag.
Could it be a repeat of history or a new trend?
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