Attractive, high-quality packaging is a critical investment, as 72% of consumers say that a product’s package substantially influences their purchasing decisions. In some cases, it’s a customer’s first and only impression of your company.
From time to time, we recommend assessing the overall strength of your brand. During this assessment, it’s a good idea to look at your packaging to make sure it’s still: effective, attractive, and in sync with your marketing efforts. If you question the effectiveness of your packaging, it’s time for one — or more — of the following:
- Revisit: Perform a careful audit and review general market data, packaging trends, what your competitors are doing, and how your products look on the shelf.
- Refresh: It’s important to keep the equity you’ve built, but still find ways to make the packaging look fresh and up to date.
- Redo: A major overhaul or redesign of your packaging.
At PIP Metro Indy, we have a decades-long track record of creating high-impact packaging that’s cost-effective, too. Here are a few of the most common reasons marketers wonder about the effectiveness of their packaging, as well as what we recommend next.
SITUATION: Retail sales are flat
NEXT STEP: REVISIT
Your packaging isn’t the only factor that affects in-store sales, but it’s a significant component of the consumer experience. Exciting new packaging can captivate an audience, but it’s best to start with a careful audit to make sure that’s the right solution for your brand.
SITUATION: You’ve added new SKUs
NEXT STEP: REVISIT
A common issue for manufacturers who start with just a few products — then keep adding more — is they may not have thought about how new variations should look. It’s at least worth examining: do all of your products look like they come from the same company? They should appear to be related, but not so similar there’s no differentiation between them.
SITUATION: Your current packaging designs are at least five years old
NEXT STEP: REFRESH
Ideally, your packaging is built with longevity in mind and adheres closely to your brand. But tastes change, and over time your packaging can look dated. If your packaging is five or years old, it’s probably time for a contemporary refresh.
SITUATION: You’re reaching new customers
NEXT STEP: REFRESH
Increasingly, consumers want to do business with brands that share their values. This is especially true with younger Millennials and Gen Z. Adding information can help your products stand out with a conscientious audience, including:
- If they include organic ingredients
- Where they were manufactured
- If the purchase directly or indirectly supports specific organizations
According to global consulting firm McKinsey & Company, the environmental impact of a product or company is important to more consumers than ever. If your company has specific sustainability or recycling goals, your packaging can be a large part of that solution.
SITUATION: You’ve made significant updates to your brand
NEXT STEP: REDO
One of the most powerful aspects of running a marketing campaign is that each touch amplifies the other. If buyers can’t make those associations when they get to the shelf because your packaging doesn’t look like the rest of your marketing, it’s a waste of those marketing dollars.
SITUATION: Your product has changed
NEXT STEP: REDO
Don’t catfish your customers! The fastest way to kill the trust and credibility with your audience is for your product to not match the picture on the packaging. This is especially true for food or personal care items. If you’ve changed formulations or anything that affects how the product looks, updating the packaging is a must. The upside? It’s a great excuse to invest in high-quality product photography that you can use throughout your marketing.
In many of these situations, you may not have to start from scratch. We can help you create and produce beautiful, sustainable packaging that meets your needs and your budget. Contact us today to see how we can help.
