A nostalgic look at yesterday's cigarette labels<\/p>\n
Cigarette packs on display inspire nostalgia<\/p>\n
Text and photos by Blontank Poer<\/p>\n
SEMARANG (JP): Cigarettes have been both loved and hated for a
\nlong time now. Active smokers will still purchase them regardless
\nof the deadly consequences of cancer, heart failure or other
\ndiseases.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, non-smokers are trying to lobby local authorities
\nto ban smoking in public places including malls, theaters and on
\npublic transportation, which is still a huge task.<\/p>\n
Few would be are aware that cigarette labels from the old days
\ncould make a very attractive display, however, an exhibition held
\nbetween July 23 to Aug. 1 at Galeri Semarang on Jl. Dr. Cipto,
\nSemarang, featured 60 designs of cigarette labels produced
\nbetween 1930 and 1960.<\/p>\n
The labels were characterized by their pure simplicity: simple
\nchoice of colors, usually using three basic colors, and also
\nsimple in their typography and layout.<\/p>\n
The choice of brands then was far from today's and was mostly
\nbased on calculated branding strategies to create brand awareness
\nin consumers' minds.<\/p>\n
For example Katjang Persatoean (United Beans, produced in
\nKudus in the 1950s), depicts a bunch of beans over a rice cake
\nwith green and red as the background color combination, while
\nBengawan Solo (produced in Semarang in the 1960s) had a sketch of
\nthe Bengawan Solo river with mountains in the background.<\/p>\n
One thing that is interesting to note is that the use of
\nimages close to the common people also contribute to historical
\ndocumentation of that period.<\/p>\n
Brands like Meluku (plowing) and Mikoel Padi (carrying rice),
\nfor instance, detail the relationship between the buffalo, the
\nplow and the farmer in the era before the arrival of tractors and
\ntrucks, which altered previous roles.<\/p>\n
Other brands that presented images close to the villagers'
\nlives then were: Merijem (Cannon), which served as a reminder of
\nthe weapon used during the days of colonization, and Prijaji
\n(Aristocrat), which referred to the Javanese feudalistic
\ntradition. However, several brands referenced symbols of modern
\nsociety, such as Mobil (Car) and Picnic, which pictured an
\nairplane.<\/p>\n
What is clear is that the images used on the labels during
\nthat period were selected from the cultural treasures of common
\npeople. It was probably due to the market at the time being
\nlimited to each administrative province, with the brands seldom
\nreaching consumers outside their hometowns, let alone other
\nislands.<\/p>\n
Not surprisingly, almost each town had its own cigarette
\nmanufacturing factory, such as in: Kudus, Semarang, Magelang,
\nTemanggung, Solo, Madiun, Surabaya, Malang, Kediri and many
\nothers.<\/p>\n
Of course the choice of simple images and designs couldn't be
\ncompared with the post-1970s products, when modern machinery and
\ncomputerized graphics came into use.<\/p>\n
While the previous labels were designed using pens and Chinese
\nink or screen-printing, the packaging of modern times is created
\nwith high-tech machinery.<\/p>\n
Today's packaging uses better material and modern designs are
\nproduced with computer-controlled offset printing technology. One
\naspect still remains unchanged though: the anonymity of the
\ndesigner.<\/p>\n
A brand and design are carefully calculated so that the
\nproduct is a success in the market nowadays. Marketing
\nconsultants only believe that conspicuous designs are able to
\nmake it. To create market awareness, cigarette producers then
\nneed to implement a variety of advertising strategies.<\/p>\n
The former days of design simplicity is a reflection of
\npragmatism in business. The conviction of the business people of
\nthat period in the use of the lower class symbols created
\nempathy, a sense of belonging and finally the success in sales.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/a-nostalgic-look-at-yesterdays-cigarette-labels-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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