Over-packaging and non-environmental protection of cigarettes

In order to pursue a gorgeous appearance, a large number of non-environmental materials are used in cigarette packaging, which has become widespread and has been a hundred years old. However, reality must have its breeding soil and environment. The wind rose from the end of Qing Ping. To search for the essence of things, we must also work on the appearance of things.

In the past decade, the Chinese tobacco industry has undergone a qualitative transformation. The typical feature is that a batch of brand-name products have emerged, breaking the pattern of cloud and smoke in the world. Such as the Red Eagle, Liqun, Nanjing, Baisha, Jinsheng, Pride and so on. The old cigarette companies that emerged in the 1980s followed a technology-led approach. Rely on the advantages of raw materials, and take advantage of reform and opening up to take the lead in technological innovation. The budding follow-up companies in the 1990s followed the trademark-led approach. Technological advancement has led to the homogenization of products. Follow up the company to implement the trademark strategy vigorously and put on the clothing for the cigarette products. This move clearly meets the fashion consumer psychology and shakes the dominance of established companies. As a result, established companies have had to follow closely. In recent years, they have frequently shot up product packaging and have been catching up.

If we say that early successful companies were successful in paying attention to internal quality, it was the first milestone for the Chinese tobacco industry to go to a market-oriented path. Then the follow-up of enterprises to implement the trademark strategy to stand out is the second awakening of the Chinese tobacco industry. Objectively speaking, the shift of cigarette products from technology-led to trademark-led is a sign of the improvement of the overall business level of the industry, and it is also a necessary stage for the brand-oriented market-oriented enterprises. However, the side-effect of this stage is the pursuit of luxury and exquisite packaging, the use of strange new materials and new technology is a short-cut shortcut, a variety of non-environmental materials into the enormous packaging market cigarette products. The result has not only increased product manufacturing costs, but also runs counter to international environmental protection requirements. So, why did this happen? Is it temporary or long-term? Is there a solution? The author has carried out many years of research and thinking, and believes that thorough analysis of the characteristics, industry status, and development of cigarette products is an all-round, multi-perspective, and deep-level analysis. Finding root sources and taking corresponding countermeasures is the solution. The ancients said that the matter was known later. So let us first analyze the characteristics and status of cigarette products.

First, the cigarette is a very single product consumption function, the use of methods is difficult to new cigarette smoking method is to support the use of units, through the oral inhalation of the burned tobacco gas, acting on the mouth, nose, throat and lungs, in order to meet the physiology The dependence on the smoke, and thus achieve psychological satisfaction. Since the invention of tobacco until modern times, there has been no substantial change in the methods of smoking and the satisfaction of physiological functions of tobacco. The method of innovation is difficult, and the motivation for this change is zero. For example, human beings traveled the earliest walks, and then there were animal vessels, wheeled vehicles, bicycles, trains, automobiles, and airplanes. Each method innovation was accompanied by tremendous industrial changes and development. Since the invention of the mechanism cigarette, the exhaustion of methods has brought about the end of the revolution in the cigarette industry. Although some experts suggest that only nicotine should be consumed, I am afraid that this is not tobacco.

II. Cigarette manufacturing is a highly technologically advanced industry Since the reform and opening up, with the help of foreign advanced technical equipment and filter tip technology, the Chinese cigarette industry has achieved a revolution in roll-up and packaging technology. People who have visited cigarette manufacturing companies are full of praise for the modern high-speed roll-up bags produced in countries around the world. It is no exaggeration to say that the level of equipment in China's cigarette manufacturing industry has approached or reached the international advanced level. This is one of the reasons for the homogenization of cigarette products.

Third, the core technology of cigarettes has long been transparent and open. What is the core technology of cigarettes? Non-formulation technology is the only one. Coca-Cola's recipe was kept secret for hundreds of years, and the world knew no more than 10 people. The Chinese tobacco industry is a quasi-planned economic system. The research results of experts need to be published to obtain recognition of personal status. The technical exchange activities in the industry are no different from the exposure of commercial secrets. In addition, tobacco is not a high-tech industry and has undergone development for hundreds of years. Formula technology is difficult to accomplish. Another core secret is the flavoring technology. Domestic cigarette companies have not yet seen the integration of flavors and fragrance companies. Core secrets are unavoidably leaked through fragrance companies. A related professional college student can only provoke a technical backbone in just one or two years. It can only show that the industry has no core secrets, and the highly homogenized products are self-evident.

Fourth, good materials produce good products, raw materials are the key to tobacco as a food industry is really very scientific. Make bricks without straw. You cook a pot of rice at home, rice of different origins, and tastes will vary depending on how you adjust the heat. In the past, tobacco production, supply, sales, and cigarette production and processing were conducted. Yuxi Cigarette Factory took the lead to establish the tobacco field as the first workshop's business philosophy, and production was picked up from tobacco leaves. Stabilizing and improving the quality of products, taking the lead in the market, has become a crucial step in the rise of China's cigarette processing industry. Afterwards, all companies adhering to this idea have tasted the sweetness and established their own tobacco leaf bases. Finally, China's cigarette production has exceeded product quality, thereby bringing about the homogenization of internal quality.

V. Management, Constraints Greater than the tobacco industry is a typical state-owned enterprise. Due to the absence of capital contributors, it is necessary to emphasize the restrictive role in personnel arrangements. Under this premise, the cooperating elements of the company's management team can only be ranked in a secondary position. Successful candidates are often the masters of the coordination relationship rather than the leader. There are also problems with the ability of officials to fail. Resettlement of redundant workers, incentives, etc. If a cigarette company wants to innovate in management, it is almost the same as it affects the whole body, and can easily cause social problems. This is also the reason for the phenomenon that often appears in the industry. It is that the number one leader is fully capable of coordinating, and just happens to have the foresight and insight on the development of the industry. Therefore, a good company will be created. Into a handful, defeat is also one. The charisma and ability of the first person become the key to the rise and fall of the company.

Well, let us summarize what kind of products can be produced with similar raw materials, similar processing technologies, and the same modern production equipment and the same level of management. Answer: The same product.

We know that under the conditions of market economy, product differentiation is one of the principles that meet the diverse needs of consumers. The consumption process of tobacco products is mainly a psychological experience. However, the feeling can not be quantified, but it can only be conveyed. Experiments have shown that 400 cigarettes are enough to enable consumers to switch from one taste to another. So what does a cigarette product rely on to maintain consumers' loyalty? There is only one answer: rely on the brand.

Does China have a successful cigarette brand? Brand is a kind of culture, which represents a kind of consumption trend and represents the development direction of consumer culture. Brands have asset characteristics and can be quantified as funds. The brand can't be imitated, but the brand's growth is not one-and-only and can be achieved in the short term. Institutional reasons make operators more inclined to rapid growth in profits and taxes, rather than the long-term huge project of operating brands; institutional reasons have not allowed cigarette companies to experience real market baptism as in the electrical and beverage industry. Observe the image of those cunning cigarette advertisements. The advertising language that yells and boasts will tell you that the cigarette company has not yet understood the language of communication with consumers. Talk about luxury brands are not ashamed? On the other hand, Chinese tobacco companies do not have a definite case to show that they have succeeded by relying on brands to invest in or integrating other companies.

Now we finally find the crux of the problem. In the words of a corporate CEO, “What is a cigarette now? What is it? In the final analysis, it is a trademark!” This is really a good idea. Throughout today's tobacco production enterprises, packaging and decoration design work is rarely seen in the hands of the leaders.

How important is the trademark in the current cigarette market competition? Because the aforementioned cigarette companies have not yet learned how to communicate effectively with consumers, cigarette advertising is currently not enough to increase the popularity of products but it is not enough to generate sales and purchase desires. Consumers go to cigarette counters, dozens of hundreds of varieties in front of the eyes, the same price of cigarette brands, beautifully packaged immediately will capture your vision, poor packaging design can not be caused by the desire to purchase, in China there is no reality of cigarette brands Under the circumstances, the trademark becomes a silent salesman. It is no wonder that corporate executives love the trademark as much!

The Chinese designer's cigarette packaging works repeatedly at the "Star of the World" packaging design competition hosted by the World Packaging Organization. Foreign counterparts were amazed. Apart from the embarrassment, I often ask myself, “Is it necessary for cigarette packaging to be such a thing? What kind of attitude does your government have for using non-environmental materials in large quantities?” The printing industry joked that printing companies that can print cigarette labels are the highest level of technology in the printing industry. . Can print the smoke sign can print the renminbi. On the contrary, if you can print renminbi, you may not be able to print the yankees.

The management of the industry has long been aware of the phenomenon of over-packaging of cigarettes. It has repeatedly released its hurricane and is willing to take compulsory measures, or set the maximum cost limit for packaging materials, or forcibly prohibit the use of non-environmental materials. If such a policy is implemented, it will be fatal to crack down on the development of cigarette products that have not broken through the status quo of trademark-led industries. Therefore, similar initiatives only smell the stairs and are not seen.

The author calculates a bill for everyone. The annual production of cigarettes in China is calculated at 30 million large boxes. The average cost of each package is 3 yuan (10 small boxes and 1 strip box). It costs only 25 billion yuan a year for only one trademark! If our trademark cost is controlled at the level of Marlboro, Seven-Star and Three-Five, each set of cost can be saved by 1 Yuan, and the whole industry can save 8 billion Yuan each year. Someone said: How easy is Marlboro and the three five-pack designs? Can Chinese designers not design? Notice that simplicity is not equal to simplicity.

The western countries that have nearly 100 years of industrial design tradition far exceed China in terms of design power. Their design power is embodied in simplicity, rich in content, and has a strong exclusivity. For example, describe a truth, someone uses a sentence, someone uses a book. A word that is clear is a great man. It is a genius. A book that can be said clearly can only be a scholar, and it can be increasingly confused. There are more than 370 designers in the tobacco industry in China, and only 10% have intermediate titles and four senior titles. In addition to their trademark design, they also have to engage in complicated daily technical work, faced with lack of information, limited horizons, and insufficient training.

Maybe some experts do not believe that 25 billion yuan is invested each year. How do you exquisitely pack out of a team like this? Here's a good way to introduce it to everyone, that is, designing materials is not enough. Upgrading materials is the easiest way to increase the competitiveness of cigarette brands as a silent salesman. The truth is so far. The reason why non-environmental materials come in handy is this: We seem to have found a solution to the problem. Since we can save 8 billion yuan each year, why not employ national and international design agencies to participate in packaging design, and the design fee paid and the saved capital ratio is Worth it.

Slowly, I'm sure that at this stage no entrepreneur dares to do so. The design of our cigarette products into Marlboro style may not be sold. Marlboro is more than eye-catching and luxurious. But its brand appeal is enough to make consumers become fans. The lack of control of our product market, the brand management environment has not yet formed, the lack of equality and goodwill to communicate with consumers; the awareness of serving consumers is not fully established.

Fortunately, our teacher is coming. Unfortunately, it is also a competitor. According to the WTO agreement, in early 2003, the Chinese market opened up retail terminals for foreign cigarette products. The multinational giants who have spent many years in the Chinese market can finally try their hand at China. By then, they will teach us how to do cigarettes, what brands do, what the market does, and what services do. It can be foreseen that excessively high packaging costs and the use of non-environmental materials have no market prospects and will eventually be eliminated. Whoever takes the lead in changing concepts, establishing brand awareness, innovating design capabilities, reducing costs, and assuming environmental protection obligations will be the one who will take the lead. As of this writing, it seems that it is getting farther and farther away from environmental protection. Modern chaos theory has an image metaphor: a butterfly on the Himalayas flutters its wings.