10 ways to redefine your packaging
The way a product is presented influences brand perception and consumer behaviour. A change in packaging can leave a lasting impression and subsequently increase the loyalty of existing customers and attract new ones. But attractive packaging is not just about aesthetics; rather, packaging should be viewed as a strategic tool that increases brand visibility and ensures an all-round engaging consumer experience. In this article, we present ten possible ways that can lead to outstanding and irresistible packaging.
1. green rethink: recycled plastic instead of paper
If you want to make your packaging environmentally friendly, you naturally choose paper as the material. Right? In fact, this is not always the ‘greener’ solution. Our latest study shows that paper production can be very energy-intensive and therefore result in a high CO2 footprint. Sometimes it makes more sense to use recycled plastic. You can find out more about the overvaluation of paper and the surprising benefits of recycled plastic in our article ‘The 5 biggest misconceptions about packaging’.
2. reduce the noise or: less is more
You don’t always have to be loud to stand out. Minimalist packaging looks modern and professional. It dispenses with unnecessary distractions and concentrates on the essentials. Discerning consumers usually appreciate such an approach; they associate simplicity with quality and reliability. Apple, for example, stands for clean, elegant packaging. And our project for Gardena’s eCommerce packaging is a good example of a stylish, cost-effective and customer-focused solution that exudes high quality and emphasises the key features of the product in question. Read more about this project here .
3. invitation to interaction
Digital elements on packaging, such as QR codes or AR tags, give consumers the opportunity to interact with the product and/or the brand, creating exciting experiences. Coca Cola has provided several blueprints for successful AR campaigns, such as the Cinnamon campaign, which brought the magic of Christmas to life digitally. When consumers scanned the AR tag on the packaging, they enjoyed festive animations garnished with juicy special offers on their smartphones. The Marvel Universe campaign is also worth mentioning. By scanning the tag on the packaging, fans were given access to exclusive AR content featuring their favourite superheroes. These examples illustrate how augmented reality can transform packaging from a simple container into an interactive platform. Such campaigns are rewarded with higher sales figures and increased brand loyalty.
4. let technological sophistication prevail
Smart packaging is the future. As technology develops, so does the potential for innovative packaging. Even today, packaging can do far more than ‘just’ store and protect a product. Just think of the augmented reality described above. Or packaging that changes colour to indicate the freshness of food. Braskem’s colour-changing plastic can help reduce food waste by alerting consumers in real time when the quality of the food in question is deteriorating. This technology eliminates the need for conventional best before dates.
5. getting personal
Modern people want to be perceived as individuals. More and more brands are capitalising on this trend. They are becoming personalised and giving consumers the feeling of being special and important. Here, too, we can’t help but mention Coca Cola. In the Share-a-Coke campaign, the company replaced the Coca-Cola logo with various first names. Anyone who discovered a bottle with their own name or that of a family member or friend in the supermarket was naturally delighted. There are other good examples too: In Oreo’s Colorfilled campaign, consumers were able to design the packaging themselves by choosing colours and patterns and adding individual text. This made the product unique for everyone. With the Draw Ketchup campaign, Heinz invited people all over the world to draw ketchup. The manufacturer integrated the best Heinz ketchup artworks into the label design as part of a limited edition. It can be assumed that the consumers who saw their drawing on the Heinz bottle will only consume ketchup from this brand for the rest of their lives.
6. the shape makes the difference
Why not change the shape of the packaging? After all, anyone can do ordinary cartons. It’s worth stepping out of line in this respect. Toblerone, for example, has not only created a product with great recognition value through its delicious flavour, but at least as much through its triangular packaging. Innovative shapes can also optimise the functionality of packaging. This is demonstrated, for example, by the EcoCradle packaging from Ecovative Design, which is made from mushroom roots and agricultural waste. It is environmentally friendly and visually fascinating.
7. breaking the waste cycle
Designing packaging that is too beautiful and too functional to throw away will win you many friends and give you a competitive advantage. A pioneering example of this is Loop’s reusable packaging system. Consumers can return the empty containers to the manufacturer. There, the packaging is cleaned and reused – several times over. This keeps the packaging in circulation for longer, resulting in less waste. Major brands such as Nestlé and Unilever also support the closed-loop system.
8. storytelling with a difference
Storytelling as a fundamental strategy for successful marketing is nothing new. But that’s precisely why it now often seems a little old-fashioned. To stand out, it is no longer enough to simply tell a story. Instead, it has to be dynamic and appealing. Jack Daniel’s, for example, lets its customers explore the distillery with an interactive AR app. Swedish oat milk brand Oatly uses witty, cheeky texts and customised illustrations to pique consumers’ interest.
9. Luck is with the brave
In a crowded market, it’s important to stand out from the crowd. Bold, bright colours, striking typography and eye-catching graphics are eye-catching and therefore attract consumers’ attention. Of course, it is important not to make too much noise (see strategy 2), but to maintain a good style. Doughlicious, for example, has created a memorable brand image with its recently published packaging refresh. From the colours to the font to the images, all design elements are aimed at highlighting the ingredients and textures of the products. Consumers can’t help but look and experience their mouths watering at the appetising sight.
10. function + pleasure = success
Packaging that is both functional and fun increases customer satisfaction and brand loyalty. A fantastic example of this is the upside-down ketchup bottle from Heinz. The annoying wait for the ketchup to finally come out of the packaging is now a thing of the past – the flavour flows out immediately. What’s more, the easy-to-press cap means that even the last drop in the bottle doesn’t have to wait long. With this solution, Heinz shows how small changes in packaging design can significantly improve the user experience. Resealable packaging goes in a similar direction. They offer the consumer convenience and maintain the freshness of the product more reliably. Portioned packaging also demonstrates cleverness and the brand’s understanding of consumer needs. One example of this is the two-chamber separation system we developed for the sausage manufacturer Herta. Thanks to the practical Duo-Fresh packaging, the consumer can enjoy one chamber and keep the other as fresh as possible until use. This design fulfils the modern consumer’s desire for convenience and portion control. Find out more about our Herta project here .
Conclusion
Many roads lead to Rome. The ten strategies presented are excellent ways of enhancing your own packaging, making it more impressive and memorable. Which solution is the right one naturally depends on several factors, especially the brand philosophy. In any case, innovative approaches go hand in hand with indispensable advantages: they make the packaging in question stand out on the shelf, resonate well with consumers and thus promote lasting brand loyalty. We would be happy to help you redefine your product packaging. Get in touch with us!
PS: Always remember: there’s nothing about packaging that doesn’t communicate.