Packaging is incredibly important for your business as it serves a variety of different purposes — some of which you’ve likely never considered before.
1. Packaging Tells Customers About Your Product
First of all, packaging tells customers a lot of information about your product through both pictures and text.
Think about it…you would never put your product in a plain box and expect people to buy it off the shelf. This plain box provides no information about what the product is, what it does, and why people should buy it.
All of this can be portrayed with your packaging. For starters, it could show customers what they’re getting inside by using clear pictures of the product on the packaging.
You also need to show what the product does — either through more visuals or with a description. Finally, you can include information about ingredients, components, directions, etc.
2. Packaging Tells Customers About Your Company
Packaging not only tells customers about your product, but it also tells them about your company, albeit in a more subtle way.
You can actually say a lot about your company with your packaging. For example, if you use expensive and high-end packaging, you’re communicating that you’re a high-end brand. If you use fun and unique packaging, you’re communicating that you represent those characteristics as a brand.
Another thing that you can communicate about your brand with your packaging relates to your commitment to the environment. Surveys have indicated that consumers are increasingly concerned about the environment and are looking to support brands that are doing their part.
By using environmentally-friendly packaging, you can communicate that your brand shares this value with a majority of consumers.
3. It Helps Your Product Stand Out
The plain box packaging method definitely wouldn’t help your products stand out on a crowded retail shelf. Instead, you need eye-catching packaging that stops people in their tracks and makes them want to learn more.
One way to do this is through color. While you can effectively use neutral colors like blacks, whites, and grays in packaging, they aren’t very exciting. If you want your products to stand out, you should consider using bright colors like yellow, orange, red, pink, etc.
Another way to help your packaging stand out is through shape. Most products are packaged in conventional shapes like squares and rectangles. If you want to take your packaging game to the next level, consider uncommon and fun shapes like stars, hearts, circles, triangles, diamonds, etc.
4. Your Packaging Develops Brand Recognition
When done right, packaging can also help develop brand recognition which should be a goal of every company. This is because most consumers are hesitant to buy from brands they’ve never heard of before and know nothing about.
However, if you’re able to build brand awareness through marketing and brand recognition through packaging, people will immediately recognize your brand when they see your products on the shelf.
When consumers recognize your product, they will feel more comfortable purchasing it since they know about the brand and the reputation attached to it.
5. Packaging Protects Your Product
The most basic function of packaging is to protect the product to safely transport it from the manufacturer to the retailer and finally to the customer. At the same time, some products need more protection than others.
For example, fragile, breakable, or expensive items need protective packaging. Alternatively, non-breakable items don’t require a lot of protective packaging.
Take electronics, for example. If you’re purchasing a television, the odds are that it comes enclosed in a corrugated box with inserts, foam, and a casing to keep the product safe and intact.
On the other hand, if you’re purchasing a toy, it’s likely that the packaging exposes most of the product and only secures it with twist ties or zip ties.
6. Packaging Promotes Your Brand
Finally, packaging can help you promote your brand in several different ways. For example, suppose you’re not a retail company and are instead an eCommerce company. In that case, you may think packaging doesn’t matter since customers aren’t seeing it before deciding to purchase. However, your packaging can still promote your brand to anyone that sees it along the way — including neighbors, friends, even the mailman.
On the other hand, if you are a retail company, packaging can help you reach more people than just a single customer. Say a customer is familiar with your product and places it in their cart before shopping around the rest of the store. Another customer notices the product in their cart based on the packaging and makes a mental note to check it out for themselves to learn more.
Sources:
Gardner, James. “Why Product Packaging Is Essential to Your Branding Strategy.” CEO Today, 7 Sept. 2021, https://www.ceotodaymagazine.com/2021/09/why-product-packaging-is-essential-to-your-branding-strategy/.
Written by: Richard Slade. “5 Essential Things Your Product Packaging Must Have.” BrandRefinery, 12 Nov. 2021, https://www.brandrefinery.co.uk/5-essential-things-product-packaging-must/.
“7 Advantages of Using Eco-Friendly Packaging.” Small Business Bonfire, 16 May 2020, https://www.smallbusinessbonfire.com/eco-friendly-packaging/.