Packaging Consumption Assignment

Objective:

The intent of the assignment is to make you more aware of the many roles packaging plays in the marketing process.

Directions:

This assignment requires you to collect packaging materials from all of the products and services you use over a four-day period. You are to observe and record/list all of the packaging materials you use/handle over four consecutive days. (Note: You should be able to list at least 40 "packages" during this period. If you do not handle/use 40 packages during the four days, you should extend your collection time period until your list reaches 40.) Of the four days, two of the days should be week-end days. You are to list all the packaging you handle each day, whether or not you dispose of the package. Packages might include a cereal box, a can of green beans, cellophane from a new notebook, wrappers from Big Macs, etc. If you make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, you might handle a peanut butter jar, a jelly jar, and a bread wrapper--three different packages. Report the packages consumed for each day separately.

Also, be alert to an other miscellaneous, non-traditional types of packaging. For example, groceries come "packaged" in either "paper or plastic," new CDs come in plastic containers and are wrapped in cellophane, and shampoo comes in a bottle. You be the judge as to whether something should be considered "packaging" or not. Attached to the syllabus is a form to help you organize your list for this assignment. However, please use a word-processor when reporting your list. Your list should include packages used for each of the four days and should be organized similar to the attached form using the four designated time periods for each day. Put a star (asterisk) next to any package you throw away/dispose of.

Requirements:

Once you have completed your collection, you are to go through your list and determine which six packages fall into these categories:

You are to bring eight packages to class on the project due date. (These eight packages should represent each of the eight categories listed above. You will be limited to one category per package.) In addition to your list, you are also to describe, in a short paper (3-4 pages, double-spaced), which packages you placed in each of these categories and why (approximately 1-2 paragraphs for each category). Be sure to include the criteria you used for choosing the "winner" in each category. For those packages that fall into a "worst" or "least" category, suggest what the company could do to improve packaging.  Finally, to conclude your paper, you are also to discuss what you learned from the assignment.

Due Date:

Be sure to clean any packages that might develop an odor (or worse) before bringing them to class. You are to bring your list, your paper, and your eight packages to class for an in-class analysis on <see course schedule>.