The Importance of Product Packaging in Marketing | A renowned chef once said that people first eat with their eyes before eating with their mouths. If the food is appealing to the eye, then the mouth will most likely find it delicious. And if it’s repulsive to the eye, the mouth won’t have a motivation to go after it. The same culinary world concept also applies in marketing, where product packaging is and should be treated with the seriousness it deserves.
According to packaging experts like Mitchel-Lincoln Packaging, a beautiful and enticing presentation affects the perception and reception of the product in a positive light. In the same light, a dull packaging will make people lose interest in the product even before they have a chance of knowing anything about the item.
Just how important is product packaging when it comes to the marketing of the same?
Colors have a direct impact on product perception
People like bright and attractive things. Attraction in colors is associated with bright and perfectly matched colors. Sometimes, shouting colors work even better. For instance, yellow inspires feelings of joy, whereas pink evokes beauty and sensitivity. Black, by itself, arouses feelings of power and strength.
Colors are so important that they will determine even how your company or business is perceived depending on the color you use for your logo. In the same light, you need to choose colors that will make the consumer fondly remember your product so that they want to buy it next time. You might do an excellent job of creating a functional and practical product only to get it wrong due to the poor choice of colors for packaging.
Package drives home the point about perceived value
Packaging may send across a wrong message if not correctly done. Before deciding how you want your product packaged, stop and think about the message, you want it to send. What feelings do you want a person seeing the product for the first time to get? Is it strength, power, sensitivity, newness?
Also, how easy is it for a first-timer to use your product? Will your prospects want a second look at your product, or will they be like, “Argh! What a boring package?” Finding answers to these questions will help you decide on the best packaging alternative for your product.
In the end, your packaging should also match with what the product is made to do. For instance, a broom that comes with its dustpan nicely tucked somewhere sends a message of easy storage. If you look at that, the overall message here is cleanliness and tidiness, which is the broom’s primary goal.
Size may as well be another factor that speaks volumes silently depending on the product at hand. For instance, the market may perceive your product to have less financial value when determining the amount of space the development takes in the packaging material.
Effective packaging is functional.
Packaging plays several crucial roles. One of those is protecting the product and preventing damage, breakage, or spillage from occurring. When it comes to foods, their packaging is also their delivery system. That means that the material must be strong enough to survive the various movements right from the time it’s taken from the production line to the time it’s reaching the final consumer.
The material you chose should look attractive to the eye and at the same time guarantees the safety of the product. Whether its aluminum, paper, plastic, or any other materials, spend as much time here as you need to make the right choice.
Differentiates your product from the competitors
Supermarket aisles are full of products that serve the same function. All of them compete for people’s attention that comes strolling along the aisles looking for the best picks. That’s why you don’t want a consumer confusing your product with any other in the same category.
Have it at the back of your mind that it’s going to end up on shelves where it’s grouped with others. Take it like you’re in a huge crowd and you wanted to stand out. What is that that would make your product be singled out?
Use a different design so that even if the size is similar to your competition, the final outlook is unique. For instance, you can opt for a design with clear plastic boxes to attract the customer from a distance.
Parting shot
Hopefully, you’ve now grasped just how important packaging is as a marketing tool for your product. Don’t estimate the power that comes with making convenient and straightforward tweaks to your packaging, as this could have a tremendous effect on your timeline. If you realize that it’s your packaging that’s preventing your great product from reaching its true potential, don’t be afraid to overhaul it, as that could make all the difference.
