- October 11, 2016
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There’s More to Packaging Than Meets The Eye
Have you ever bought something just because of the packaging? How about a bottle of wine? If so, join the club.
About half of consumers admit to buying something just because of the package. As many as 66% of consumers will try something new because it catches their eye, according to a survey by Westrock. And 60% say they’d purchase a product again because the package works well.
First Impressions Last
Product packaging is one of the most important yet overlooked opportunities for integrated marketers to reinforce their brand position and message. Make sure your customers’ first impression is a positive one, rather than an exercise in frustration or confusion.
There are three primary functions of packaging:
- Prevent breaking or leaking
- Keep products safe
- Keep products fresh
Packaging Influences Perception
Beyond the practical side, packaging also carries an emotional appeal. For instance, it can create the appearance of a premium quality. Companies invest in both the functional and aesthetic aspects of packaging to connote a luxury experience. In fact, when it comes to overall satisfaction with a product, “consumers rank packaging almost equal to the brand.”
Wine and Apple
For those who enjoy wine, most people have their familiar favorites that they turn to first. But when choosing a new wine, how do you decide without a taste test? If you’re like most people, it comes down to the label. As David Schuemann of CF Napa Brand Design says, “a carefully crafted label can make us think the bottle is way more expensive than it is, and it can boost our enjoyment of the wine itself.”
That’s right: a well-designed label can actually make wine taste better!
Finally, one of the best-known examples of exceptional package design is Apple. The unboxing of a new Apple product is an event in itself. Apple packaging can convey the brand personality without any words or even a logo. The company takes great pains to create packaging as stylish and appealing as the actual product it contains.
Personalics has distilled a few design lessons from Apple that integrated marketers can apply:
- Design from outside – Make package design a priority and practice unpacking your product just as much as packing.
- Think different – Study other product packages in your category, then list the opposite colors and characteristics and find a combination that will set you apart.
- Do with less – Think about what should go on the box, then start taking things off.
Need another illustration? Check out the tongue-in-cheek video that Microsoft’s own package designers created, showing how Microsoft would design the iPod.