Your product’s packaging should tell your customers what your brand stands for and what it means for them.
A lot of new products fail every year. The reason is simple: Most customers don’t have the time or energy to weigh the pros and cons of the products in their shopping carts, so they use a shortcut to make their decision. The packaging of your product is that short cut.
Packaging is important because it tells people what makes your product or brand unique. Apple is known for packaging that is simple and clean. If you’ve ever seen a video of someone opening a new iPhone, you know that people love how Apple packs their products.
Smart startups are also getting good at the unboxing process. Pad & Quill sells handmade iPhone and iPad cases. The company wraps its products in brown paper with friendly messages printed on the inside and a Roman seal to make them look and feel like they were wrapped by hand.
Good packaging is especially important for growing startups because it can directly affect sales and the overall appeal of a company. Take the case of Trunk Club. This company picks out clothes for men by hand and sends them in cardboard “trunks” that fit the style and convenience of the service. Nordstrom took notice of Trunk Club after it had been in business for five years, and the high-end department store bought it for $350 million.
Even as a business grows, packaging can still affect how much it sells. Last year, MillerCoors’ sales went down, but the Miller Lite retro can boosted sales by almost 5%. MillerCoors didn’t change its beer, but it did change the can it came in.
Even worse, bad packaging can make a big difference. Australia just passed a law that requires all cigarette packages to look the same. The government took away the rights to brand packaging to try to stop young people from smoking. Marlboro can’t use its logo, and it can’t use its typeface, either. The health warnings and scary pictures on the packages made people less likely to smoke, which led to the biggest drop in smoking in Australia in 20 years.
How to Make Packaging That Grabs Attention
All new businesses want to be as well-known as Apple and Tiffany & Co., and a big part of that is the way their products are packaged. How can you make sure that your packaging stands out?
Know who you’re talking to.
Not every brand can use stark white and robin’s egg blue. Think about Home Depot and Lowe’s Home Improvement. Their bold, masculine colours speak for themselves when it comes to how tough their brands are. Don’t be afraid of taking risks.
Make Inexpensive Packaging look Stylish and Unique.
The price of good packaging doesn’t have to be high. Stephanieverafter is an online store for hair accessories. It sells bows on simple cards with stylish fonts and muted colours. It’s a affordable way to make each item look and feel high-end.
Include the Box in the Experience.
The sleek, easy-to-use design of Apple products is reflected in their packaging, which is part of why it’s so fun to open a new one. Back to the Roots, a company that makes kits to get kids and parents interested in growing their own food, has done this well. Its mushroom kit comes in kid-friendly packaging that is meant to jump off the shelf and show that the brand offers a fun, hands-on experience.
Think about Going Green.
A consumer will always choose your brand over a competitor’s if the packaging can be recycled or used more than once. In fact, 52 percent of people around the world choose to buy something in part because the packaging shows how the brand helps people and the environment. Puma has come a long way with its packaging, which is good for the environment and also acts as a walking ad for the brand. There are many creative ways to help the environment and set your brand apart at the same time.
Packaging with Excel Contract Packing
Remember that the packaging of your product is meant to tell your customer what your brand stands for and what it means for them. Don’t miss this chance to make your product stand out on the shelf and in your customers’ minds. If you are a business looking to outsource your packing, get in touch.
