When it comes to buying a product, packaging has the biggest impact on a customer’s decision.
When somebody mentions Tiffany’s, how many of us would instantly think about the robin’s egg blue box they are synonymous with? Their packaging is distinct and timeless. So much so that robin’s egg blue is now colloquially referred to as Tiffany blue! This should give you an idea about how important a product’s packaging is, especially when it comes to building brand identity.
In a retail store, your product has approximately seven seconds to impress a customer. If it has to displace an incumbent of the space it already occupies, it needs to be special. To draw shoppers to your product and make their buying choices quicker and easier, having the right packaging is important. Most customers don’t have the time nor the patience to weigh the pros and cons of all the products in their shopping cart. So, their decision to buy is often, based on the product’s packaging.
For any business, packaging is the single most important brand touch point. It is a known fact that having a memorable presentation affects perception. For example, Apple’s clean, minimalist packaging ingrains the company’s brand identity into its users. In the liquor industry, some bottles are more treasured than the booze itself! There’s a reason why Coca-Cola’s brand packaging has hardly changed at all over the years. When packaging is done strategically, it becomes a gateway to your entire brand.
If you think that you can just put your logo and product name on the package and call it done, my my, aren’t you wrong! This can work for big brands that have the budget to put millions into advertising. However, for emerging brands and small businesses that are struggling to create a brand value, the product name should be more prominent because at the end of the day, the product is what is going to get the customer’s interest piqued, not the brand name.
Your product packaging should tell a story visually through graphics, text and images. Irrespective of the color scheme and overall artwork, the design should captivate the shopper to buy. At this point, control your urge to contact that graphic designer friend of your friend’s because there is an entire niche set of designers out there who specialize in designing packaging that converts shoppers into loyal patrons. So, loosen your purse strings and hire a professional consumer packaging designer. Here are the reasons to justify that extra spending:
Good packaging differentiates your brand: In today’s world, every area of the retail market is rife with competition. All brands are trying to grab the same consumer’s attention. The only way you can set your product (and in the process your brand as well) apart is by ensuring that it has a unique and striking packaging.
It influences customer purchase habits: Did you know that consumers often make assumptions about a product’s desirability based on its packaging? If your packaging is elegant, it will make your product seem upscale. The more upscale your product looks, the more desirable it appears and the higher its perceived value. This also allows you to price your products higher than your competitors, bringing in more profit.
If you are selling more than just one product, choose a color scheme for packaging. Since our brain reacts to different colors in different ways, you should do some research before choosing a color for your product’s packaging and it should ideally mimic your brand. This will help unify your brand’s different products.
It creates brand recognition: If a customer identifies your product by looking at its external physical attributes alone, instead of reading the product’s name, you have attained brand recognition. True that it is a long way to go for up-and-coming brands, but good packaging is the best way to ensure that you reach there sooner than your competitors.
It is also important to remember that your product packaging and brand packaging should go hand in hand. That doesn’t mean that all your products should sport the exact same packaging because that would make them appear like cookie-cutter copies. There should be consistency in terms of logo and color scheme, but not so much that your products seem to lack originality.
It is a marketing tool: We live in a time when people share almost everything on social media platforms. People are more likely to snap a picture of your product and post it on a social media platform if they find your packaging eye-catching enough. Additionally, there are people known as social media influencers, who have established credibility in a particular field, so much so that they can influence the decision-making powers of their large and growing audience. Your brand gets endorsed for free by anyone who shares a picture of your product. If you want such pictures popping up all over social media, good packaging is the way to go!
Also, shoppers tend to repurpose the bags and cartons that new products come in. Good packaging will ensure that somebody will see your brand’s name every time a box or bag is being reused. As more people see it, your brand’s exposure increases. It can make a direct impact on product sales and on the company’s brand value.
So, go ahead and include some stunning packaging designs for your emerging brand and take advantage of this opportunity to leave a lasting impression in the minds of your customers.
