Could this be quirky packaging or simply a clever new marketing ploy to get young people into the habit of carrying cigarette packets around with them, in the hope that one day they will switch from sweets to cigarettes?
Let me explain – the other day I was given a present by a Chinese person from Henan province – ‘a Henan speciality’, according to them. Henan province is located in the eastern central part of China and used to be the core area of ancient China for at least the first half of chinese history; indeed one of its biggest cities – Kaifeng – used to be one of the seven ancient capital cities of China.
So in a huge bag, weighing at least 2kg, I found two big square cardboard boxes, one gold and green and the other gold and yellow, which each contained within them 10 smaller boxes in the same colours. Upon opening the big boxes, the smaller ones initially looked like individually wrapped card games (what on earth am I to do with 20 card games though?). But after closer inspection they turned out to look exactly like cigarette boxes – you tare off the cellophane on the outside, open the top flap and reveal the content: what looks like a plethora of chewing gum sticks. By this point I was confused: brand new card games, turned cigarettes, turned chewing gum … had I finally revealed the identity of my Henan speciality present? Oh no … that would have been too easy. More packaging layers had to be removed first – not exactly sustainable, but you know!
The pseudo chewing gum finally unwrapped revealed: gelatinous fruit juice sticks … one variety with apple flavour and the other with prune flavour – a Henan speciality – yum! – … I guess they taste a little like: ‘die komischen Reformhausschnitten mit Backoplaten drum herum‘. Taste and unsustainable packaging galore aside, the biggest ‘psychological‘ and indeed marketing issue with all this: the counter intuitive packaging and product matching: fruit juice chewing gums in cigarette packs – a truly odd box. Another mini chinese marketing adventure …
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could they also be used to get one away from cigs?