What do you mean by "simplicity"?

I'm confused by the term "style" in this context. If Latin packages appear more simple because of budget constraints, then simplicity can hardly be called a stylistic choice, as it does for such reductionists like Philip Johnson or Mies van der Rohe. Is there something "more" to simplicity in Latin packaging than meets the eye?

I came to the U.S. in 1990. I recall being completely overwhelmed by this country. Not only in meal portions but what stuck out in my mind were the millions of options for one single product type. I mention this because we did not back then have many options. We only had a couple of big brands and I believe we are a tough market in that sense. We are (were?) very brand loyal. Therefore, we never needed complex packaging. Just logo recognition. I would also like to add (and this could be a very minor point) that a lot of people that go shopping back home may not necessarily know how to read. I recall having to say "you want the yellow and green bag with this "picture" (meaning logo) on it".

I agree with your comment Mez, about how people used to identify products by color and specific picture. (I believe there's still people calling products like that back in our home towns).

We all live in an increasingly complex environment and lifestyle. For people with origins and values rooted in a simpler everyday life - the transition to U.S. daily living can be quite unsettling. Consumer products with simple promises and similarly minimalist graphic design can appeal strongly to all.

Simplicity may also have a meaningful relationship to honesty and trust. Complex images to support complex promises may be suspect.

Because of the complex environment we live in, I guess in general consumers are trying to avoid complex looking products. Since everybody is in a rush, nobody have time, makes a lot of sense that many consumers want to simplify their life, be more authentic, more natural and they also look for that look or feeling in the products they buy everyday.

I think simplicity in design can be such a good element, if designed on purpose and with good visual criteria.
But even the simplest design requires a visual proffesional to get it done propperly.
Sometimes in our latino market, the problem is not "simplicity" but lack of good design and lack of good quality control in the production processes.
The problem is that, culturally, most of the latino companies are the result of an "emotion", and are not subjected to planification. And they grow and grow that way without spending a dime in good design, because their consumers are loyal no matter the design.
But this is an issue that we graphics designers can help solve gradually by educating our clients.
I think that the latino consumer would accept gratefully well designed products.
It is a matter of educating the companies to include design and marketing in their budgets so we can help. And therefore build long lasting business relationships with them at the same time.

I don't know about you, but when I see Television in Spanish over here in Los Angeles, I very rarely ever see simplicity. This is not because Hispanics like busy or complicated, but because of the people producing commercials or print pieces.

Here's what's happened to me in the past. I go to a client and offer him creative services... The client see our work and he likes it. But then hee see's how much we charge and he says, I can get a guy to do this for 30% of what you charge. (Keep in mind that we are charging modest prices)....

The guy who then does this for the client is his son or nephew who just bought a computer and got a copy of photoshop. He has never had a day of education in Design, and maybe taken a couple of art classes in highschool. His son or nephew now considers himself a Graphic Designer. So he proceeds to use all of the effects that Photoshop or that other similar program have to offer.

And this is the crap that we see on TV or on Ads.

Now this phenemenon has grown and continues to expand because more people have computers and people can now easily get programs by sharing. (Before I get any comments on this, I am not saying that people shouldn't have computers).

So then, what happens is that when the general market sees these design, they think that this is what we Hispanics like.

Some how we have to educate clients, and let them know that this is not the right way of doing things. We've managed to get this across to a few, but there are still a lot more that need to learn this.