Over the years many companies have tried to tell a story with their packaging, marketers today are using every possible platform they can to tell the brands story. Whether its TV ads, magazine articles or word of mouth. The most compelling form of communication is product packaging and placement within the market place. Your packaging alone can persuade the consumer to purchase your product over the competition. You may ask why the packaging process is so important. Well, the brand story is told two ways, verbal and visual.
Visual Aspect of Your Brand
Visual is the most important as it catches the eye of the consumer the quickest, you have a precious few seconds as the consumer scans the shelves looking for a product, so the visual aspect of your packaging has to stand out from the other products. Visual is the colors used, packaging structure, imagery, fonts and background. The overall aesthetics has to convey why this product is better than the others next to it, simple and to the point.
Branding Through Verbal Communication
Verbal communication can tell the brand story in a very direct way using words and descriptions. The front panels and back panels can have multiple messages on them which the consumer likes to see. It tells what the packaging contains. Every bit of free space should be used to tell the brand story. You packaging alone can influence first time buyers as well as keep you loyal customers.
Research has proven that in the retail environment consumers are more likely to buy the first item they pick up. Hence the importance of visual and verbal packaging, the brand story should deliver a simple truthful story that is memorable to the consumer. Along with that it has to convey brand trust which is very important to the consumer. Your packaging can tell that story!!
Packaging Brand Examples
The best example I can give you is the Evian brand. Their packaging and graphics are simple, clear bottle with a crisp blue label and cap and their text says “Natural Spring Water” Fresh from the Alps. You can see the clear water and the crisp blue color helps you think it is clean water so their packaging just told you a story and you trust the brand.
Crayola Crayons is another brand that uses visual and verbal packaging to attract the consumer’s attention. If you look at a Crayon box it shows the wind range of beautiful colors that are in that box which is visually appealing to the consumer. Some of the cut out displays in the Crayola section show a big smile face which promotes fun for customers and that is a very powerful selling motivator.
Nickelodeon recently launched the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle brand again, they did that with packaging. The characters are identified by their signature green and purple backdrop which I spoke about earlier. The colors are synonymous with the brand and the text is true to the spirit of the “TNMT” Heroes in a half shell battling crime with their humor and grit. All these elements are depicted on the packaging. A clam shell so you can see the product and a card with real-estate space for marketing information.
Packaging is all around us and is a very vital part of success, you spend all your money on research and development and packaging always is the last, but it is one of the most important elements in the success of your brand and product.