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PACKAGING: 3 PRINCIPLES FOR DESIGNING A PACKAGE
1. FUNCTIONALITY
Increase functionality
of the package to make using the product
easier, more friendly and safe; with
packaging you can significantly enhance
the product
3. EMOTION IMAGE
Make packaging attractive and give it an
emotional appeal e.g., by using a beautiful or
symbolic logo; a nice package sells, especially
if all other things are equal
IN-STORE PROMO 10
Include valuable and
‘salable’ information on the package e.g, factual
information, benefits;
often a small sticker can tilt shoppers’ decisions
2. INFORMATION
Directions nutrition facts Assurance of natural
origin
Assurance of less processing
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Above are three principles to keep in mind when designing packaging. Not all three are relevant in all situations. But, definitely consider all three of them before you proceed.
Look at the center box above. Think of how many types of meat a supermarket shopper can choose from. What makes up hisher mind? How about a label and reminder that this beef
comes from cows that are grass fed? This is ‘grass fed beef’ Although for some, it is totally meaningless and for another is worth a laugh, it will surely make up many customers’ minds
who prefer to eat organic, 100 percent natural food.
One note on logos ―the packaging process often may include the need to design a logo. Most
of us cannot draw a logo, and often cannot even think of one. Here is some advice on how to create a logo when you do not have the needed artistic talent. First, come up with what the logo
should represent. Just like with the slogan in the Positioning section, your slogan should represent what your product stands for and vice versa. What do you want the logo to embody?
Second, find a friend who can draw, especially on a computer. Third, give the ‘creative friend’ guidance in terms of what the logo should represent. Maybe you can even give himher some
more specific ideas. Heshe will probably draw a few versions that you can jointly refine.
Why do you think the Nestle logo has a ‘mom-bird’ in a nest? Because Nestle tries to position itself as a caring company for caring homemakers who want to provide the best and healthiest
foods for their family.
– 2.3 PROMOTION: In-store Promotions –
Next, we will start with some packaging practicalities, i.e., off-the-shelve packaging
vendors.
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PACKAGING: RESOURCES FOR CREATIVE, INEXPENSIVE AND OFF-THE SHELF PACKAGING
IN-STORE PROMO 10
Many packaging vendors have a variety of ready-to-use and inexpensive packaging solutions suitable for natural products examples of catalogues of two vendors:
www.papermart.com www.packageplusconverting.com
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Many packaging vendors have a variety of ready-to-use and inexpensive packaging solutions suitable for natural products. These vendors are very approachable and
responsive as they constantly look for new business. Just call them up or write an email and within a few days you will have a package with free samples at your door.
If you do a search on the Internet, you will see more packaging options than you will need.
Also, if you are thinking about larger quantities, these vendors can customize the packaging to your liking. Using these resources can make packaging very
inexpensive, allowing you to move your product into another, higher-selling category without a high investment.
– 2.3 PROMOTION: In-store Promotions –
The next page gives an example of how to turn a natural product into a premium product
through the use of smart packaging.
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PACKAGING EXAMPLES: CINNAMON TEA – GOING FROM NONE TO BETTER TO FANCY PACKAGING
IN-STORE PROMO 10
None: Uses only a plastic bag for the packaging
―
cannot demand a decent price
Basic: simple, plain bag with
simple but nice label; often used
for teas
Nice: small, sealed, foil
packaging enabling sales
of smaller quantities
Fancy: premium tin
packaging for gift-giving; it
truly has premium
product potential
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The product in the illustrations above is cinnamon bark tea. While it is the same product at its core, it is perceived very differently in the eyes of customers, depending on how it is
packaged.
Initially, these bark scrapings were simply put into plastic bags in relatively large quantities and sold mainly to local people on a Micronesian island for a relatively low
price relative to the quantity and uniqueness of this product.
Putting the scrapings into fancier packaging, some of which can be ordered from one of the catalogues discussed previously, resulted in many benefits
―including being able to charge higher prices, even for smaller quantities, and being able to target different,
wealthier customer segments tourists.
– 2.3 PROMOTION: In-store Promotions –
Consider your product. How can you transform it into something more
valuable to customers through packaging? What are the options?
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PACKAGING EXAMPLES: NATURAL SEA SPONGE – GOING FROM NONE TO BETTER TO FANCY PACKAGING
IN-STORE PROMO 10
No packaging at all, just the
sponge
Thematic and emotional label newborn babies are massaged with a sponge
Ordering a simple mesh bag from a catalogue and creating a label with a
logo enables nice gift packaging Final gift
packaging using the below material
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The sponge example is similar to the tea example from the previous page. Fancy natural sea sponges can sell for over 15, but certainly not as packaged or rather unpackaged
as on the picture on the top left. You need packaging to make the product sellable to the wealthier customer segment that is willing to pay 15.
Moreover, in this case, putting sponges in nice mesh bags further elevates the product
―making it a perfect candidate for a nice personal gift.
One more important note. It is okay to have more than one variety of packaging. It will allow you to serve different customer segments remember the product line discussion in
the ‘Developing Positioning’ section. For example, the sponge in the bottom left can be targeting newborn infants and their families, while the sponge in the top right can be
targeting gift-shoppers.
– 2.3 PROMOTION: In-store Promotions –
One more ‘transformational’ example. How would you improve packaging of black pearls, if
you did not have money to turn them into fancy jewelry?
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PACKAGING EXAMPLES: BLACK PEARL – GOING FROM NONE TO BETTER TO FANCY PACKAGING
IN-STORE PROMO 10
A loose unpackaged
pearl will be bought only by a
pearl die-hard fan or someone
who knows how to set pearls
Putting a pearl in a packet
with a little ‘story’ and
background on pearls can
make even a low-grade
pearl a nice souvenir
“Mysterious’ bag and a
box with a ‘mysterious’
name and ‘mysterious’
logo from a ‘mysterious’
place makes this a nice
exotic gift
Premium expensive luxury item in a nice jewelry box
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Somewhere, even high quality pearls are sold without any packaging or setting, and are displayed next to each other. Black pearls are a luxury product and one that is very
mysterious for most customers. People just are not familiar with and do not understand pearls. Thus, these ‘pearl-uneducated’ customers are not likely to spend a relatively
large amount of money on ‘loose pearls’ that are just ‘thrown’ on shelves.
Pearls simply should not be sold unset and unpackaged. Pearls are not groceries. If you absolutely do not have any money to invest in packaging, at least do something creative,
such as in the picture on bottom left ―which shows separate pearls attached to a card
with interesting and ‘touchy-feely’ commentary on pearls. With some money available for packaging, the pearl retailer is able to provide a more premium product to the consumer
with the same pearls, as in the pictures on the right.
– 2.3 PROMOTION: In-store Promotions –
The next pages start a section on another basic, but very important, in-store
promotions ―displays.
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11. DISPLAYS BASICS Making products really stand out building involvement
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