The Demographics of Design

We live in a unique time. There are more humans on this planet today than at any other point in history and the prospect that the number will grow rapidly is widely accepted. However, a few questions remain: how much growth, at what rate, in which segments? As the U.S. population nears 300 million, the ability to define these people and assess their needs and desires will directly impact how products and services are developed and delivered.

Consider the demographics. There are more than 37 million Americans over the age of 65, with the fastest growing percentage being those over 100 years of age. On the other end of the spectrum, there are over 60 million children under the age of 14, and approximately four million new children are born each year. Against the backdrop of these impressive numbers and the prospect of a growth-filled future, we are pleased to bring you this edition of Package Design Magazine.

Our cover story this month features one of the country's premier pharmaceutical packaging companies, Cardinal Health, which has focused its efforts on servicing the needs of the elderly while also protecting our children. Their story is a prime example of thoughtful planning, testing, and quality production.

In this issue, we are also pleased to install our Sustainable Packaging Update column as a permanent feature. The demographics of this country, as previously mentioned, require us to ensure the environmental future for our children and to consider the other creatures sharing the planet Earth.

This month we also reflect on the competitive package design industry in Taiwan. With only 23 million people, Taiwan's dynamic capitalist economy is ranked fourth-strongest in Asia.

What is one objective all global brands have today? The answer is color consistency. Our Noel Jeffrey has crafted an article that offers assistance in finding the best tools available to attain the goal of global color consistency.

The demographic statistics quoted above are readily available at www.cia.gov, World Fact Book. It's a very cool site, check it out.

Enjoy!

Chris Lyons