Why is the right product packaging essential for a consistent Brand Experience?

Our guest author says that the first impression is everything. Which is why thoughtful packaging is key to marketing a brand.

They say, never judge a book by its cover, but in the world of modern businesses, the first impression is everything. That’s where the importance of packaging design comes into the picture which has become no less significant than the product itself.

Steve Jobs once said it aptly that ‘packaging can be theatre, it can create a story’ and we can’t agree more. Competition is a common aspect of business, no matter what the industry. However, in recent times competition has become quite intense. Amidst survival of the fittest scenario, worldwide brands have begun understanding the importance of innovative marketing ideas, out-of-the-box promotional strategies and of course product packaging.

When you recall you would instantly be able to think of a moment when an attractive product packaging not just caught your attention but also influenced your purchase decision. This itself suffices to prove the functionality and impact of a head-turning product packaging.

How to embark on creating stand-out packaging?

A business owner or product packaging team needs to ask certain questions to decide about the right packaging.

• Who is the consumer this product was created for?

• What is the purpose this product is used for?

• How will this product improve the life of its users?

The list of questions does not end here. However, these are the basic questions, to begin with when it comes to deciding about the product packaging. Asking a list of questions will help you decide about the packaging material and packaging size besides gaining an insight into the mind of ideal customers. Once you have an answer related to various aspects of the product, it becomes easier for you to brief the designer about the desired aesthetics. This includes logo, font type, font colour, design colour, design image and beyond.

Once a design is ready, it is time to evaluate the product packaging on a few criteria. You need to ensure that product packaging is easy to understand and realistic. Not only that, a branding agency needs to ensure that the executed product packaging is versatile enough by leaving room to accommodate extra products when the time demands it.

Why is product packaging crucial to a businesses' success?

A clear focus on curating attractive packaging helps a brand differentiate from a similar range of products. It may sound unbelievable but is true that each colour triggers a different emotion and almost 85% of consumers claim that colour is indeed the primary reason that influences their purchase. This is where a product packaging creative team needs to use colour psychology. For instance, the green and blue colours represent nature and are hence an ideal colour option for eco-concious and organic products. For luxury skin care products, purple proves to be an ideal colour choice and so on.

Vintage-style packaging, retro-style packaging, minimalist-style packaging, and beyond, whatever type of packaging you choose needs to align with the personality of your brand to win the trust and confidence of your consumers. Ideal packaging strikes just the perfect balance between function and form. If you continue to neglect the importance of packaging, soon your existing customer base will move on to your competitors.

If you are a business owner, you need to ask yourself what kind of impression you are creating about your brand with your existing product packaging. If you feel something is missing from your product packaging or it does not stand out, it is time to develop strong product packaging.

Still not convinced about the impact of packaging in influencing your business success?

Here are the top 5 reasons to pay attention to packaging:-

Creates a strong first impression

Gone are the days when product packaging functions would be restricted to imparting protection to the product and information related to ingredients, method of use and related information. In the wake of ever-increasing competition, the role of packaging now also emphasizes capturing the attention of the consumers using a unique logo, attractive colour schemes, intricate designs and even distinctive shapes. In simple words, the first impression matters when it is about ensuring that your product stands out in an oasis of similar products.

Curate a unique brand identity

Every brand has a story and packaging being a visible product feature can help you create a distinctive brand identity. From an attractive logo to striking fonts, from stand-out colours to the trademark, the right packaging goes the extra mile to help your consumers instantly recognize your products in the crowd of products.

Lucid communication

A thoughtful packaging design not just grabs the attention of potential customers effectively but also offers essential information sought by the customers about the product. So good packaging helps consumers take well-informed decisions related to the product buy.

Influence buying decision

Do you know that people all across the globe have begun preferring eco-friendly packaging? If you did not know this then it is time to revamp your packaging strategy by switching to eco-friendly packaging to better connect with your audiences. Especially, if your target consumers are environment-friendly consumers and are health-conscious then it makes perfect sense to trigger an emotional response by switching to eco-friendly packaging.

Boost brand recognition

Branding when focused on product packaging helps you gain a competitive edge in the industry. According to a finding, attractive product packaging helps boost brand recognition by almost a whopping 80%. This clearly indicates that ideal product packaging can help not just in customer acquisition but customer retention as well. And you must be aware that “loyalty is sometimes worth 10 times as much as an initial purchase.”

The final thought

From triggering curiosity to developing interest, from informing to evoking a powerful emotional response, a lot hinges on product packaging when it comes to business success. Thus, we better remember that packaging is no more a separate element of a marketing process. It must be an absolute part of your overall marketing process.

The author Reema Dhawan is an experienced marketing professional specialising in brand marketing and digital strategies. She has also co-founded Maxim Marcom Services, a full service brand marketing agency based in Gurugram.