Cigarrette packet designs

So Rudd has announced that cigarrette packet designs will now be plain, to stop so called advertising to the younger generation. Although altrusic in intent, I believe the design is unlikely to significantly stop kids smoking, rather it will shift kids to certain brands of cigarettes which are the popular ones of the time.



An interesting social analogy can now be drawn. When people in society are largely similar (say in a cold war communist society), what are are the slight differences which give people an advantage. In many cultures, some believe a slight difference in looks, height and physical appearance is enough to give them advantage, and no doubt cigarrette companies will play the differentiator game.




Package design can be improved. We can design packaging so it is incovenient to carry in the pocket, uncomfortable even. Oversized or odd sized packaging will act as a better deterrent to smoking in several ways.

1. Makes packets harder to conceal.
2. Makes packets inconvenient to carry in pockets, leading to smokers "accidently" leaving them at home or misplacing them.

Packets can also be "enhanced" to make smokers go through more steps to get to the cigarette in a packet. Fliptop packets should be modified, increasing the delay and hopefully giving smokers a chance to think more about their habit.