Brand Packaging: Understanding the Essential Factors for Driving Sales Growth
Would you like to communicate your brand message through packaging design? Many companies already know that packaging is not simply used to encourage product sales. In fact, it often serves as a catalyst for creating an all-encompassing marketing effect that shapes the ‘first impression’...
Would you like to communicate your brand message through packaging design? Many companies already know that packaging is not simply used to encourage product sales.
In fact, packaging design is often a catalyst for creating an all-encompassing marketing effect that shapes the ‘first impression.’ In product brand marketing, packaging plays a very important role — but why?
Because it is the first moment consumers encounter your product.
Packaging helps communicate a product’s value to consumers more clearly and effectively, and it determines the visual image a brand will be remembered for. In this post, we will look at three main areas:
- Why brand packaging marketing is important
- How to add marketing elements
- The future of brand packaging marketing
Why effective brand packaging is an important marketing factor
Did you know that 72% of consumers say packaging design is an important factor in making purchase decisions about a brand, and something they consider before buying a product? Many consumers prefer products with brand packaging that stands out from competitors and clearly delivers the brand’s core message. That is why packaging is essential for the following reasons:
- Packaging protects products from damage during transport. From the moment a product leaves the manufacturing plant until it reaches the consumer, packaging serves as a protective shield.
- Packaging acts as a moment of truth for consumers. Whether or not it protected the product, it creates the first ‘unboxing moment’ when the consumer faces the actual item.
So at first glance, all attention naturally goes to the packaging.
If a brand’s packaging consists only of a simple clear plastic box or an unbranded box, consumers will also sense how indifferent the brand is toward its own value.
But if the packaging is distinctive and eye-catching, consumers will feel they are getting a little more brand value than the price they paid for the product. That is why all marketers should keep in mind the creation of brand packaging for both primary and secondary packaging, seize marketing opportunities, and secure them.
How to add brand marketing elements inside a packaging box
1. Boost sales with packaging boxes: guide consumers with useful information
Detailed product information may seem boring to consumers, but customers still have the right to know about a product before opening the box. According to global label manufacturer Luminer, 68% of customers immediately check adhesive labels attached to packaging, and 56% check the company logo printed on the box.
To add a bit more context about sticker labels, 90% of consumers reportedly notice detachable discount coupons attached to packaging right away. Therefore, adding brand promotion information to packaging or labels can encourage additional purchase behavior and engagement with the brand. Or, if you include information you want to leave in the consumer’s mind — such as product instructions, brand image, brand story, or social media details — you can achieve strong sales growth.
How to tell your brand story through packaging design
2. Brand marketing with product boxes: capture always-on sales opportunities
When a brand establishes touchpoints with consumers, the biggest goal to set is still, ‘Show, don’t tell.’ Even so, capturing opportunities to sell products is always an important objective for profit-driven companies. This is where always-on sales opportunities come in.
Always-on sales opportunities are usually used more often in e-commerce sites or email marketing than in traditional advertising media. But as more and more devices use ad-blocking features, capturing sales opportunities is becoming increasingly difficult. That is why it is so important to create sales promotion opportunities through packaging.
If you want to learn how to increase repeat purchases with packaging
There are many ways to deliver always-on sales opportunities to consumers. Consider different options, such as whether the brand packaging box should recommend products from a separate category beyond the one being sold, whether you want to highlight consumer services more broadly, or whether you want to use NFC smart labels to make product tracking easier — and think about what you want to include in the box.
Whatever opportunity you add to a brand packaging box, it gives consumers a better opportunity. And don’t worry — you can add these opportunities to packaging without damaging the packaging design, printing, or box quality. You can attach a QR code to the packaging or insert a leaflet or other insert inside to create opportunities for sales growth.
3. Talk to consumers through brand packaging
When speaking to consumers, it is important to communicate in the language customers actually use. Only by trying to communicate in a way they can understand can you help them better understand the product and brand, and increase the likelihood that they will buy what you offer. In today’s era, where consumers expect more convenient and intuitive buying experiences, this level of clarity has become an even more important purchase consideration.
According to a Packaging of the World survey, 52% of consumers said they would be willing to pay more for a brand’s products if they liked the brand packaging design. This means packaging design that communicates clearly through ingredient labeling, detailed labeling, readable information, and branding is essential.
In other words, it means that rather than using unrealistic or exaggerated language with consumers, you should approach them with clear and easy-to-understand wording.
The first step toward readable packaging: learn about typography
4. Unboxing marketing: creating the ideal consumer experience
In the online world, consumers expect world-class experiences when shopping online. In addition, when consumer satisfaction exceeds 90%, they are more likely to recommend the product and brand to others, so creating a perfect consumer experience has a major impact on a brand’s long-term value. Therefore, brand packaging must create a positive first impression for consumers and lay the foundation for a more positive view of the experiences that follow.
If the unboxing experience is excellent, the rest of the consumer journey will also feel excellent. That’s because the first opening moment gives a great introduction to the product and brand. If you want to enhance your packaging design even further, custom cushioning materials can also play a big role. And don’t forget to thank consumers for purchasing your brand’s product!
If the unboxing experience is instead an inconvenient box that is hard to open, or if it creates a frustrating experience due to excessive packaging, the opening experience can leave a bad impression of the brand. And 51% of consumers said they would never do business again with a brand that gives them even a single negative experience. Therefore, when creating brand packaging, it should not make it difficult for consumers to open and appreciate the product.
Learn more about unboxing marketing
5. Show off consumer satisfaction reviews by creating custom product packaging boxes
Large online commerce companies like Amazon are working to build excellent customer service systems that satisfy consumers throughout the entire process, from purchase to delivery. For example, they provide fast and accurate delivery experiences through membership programs like Amazon Prime. In Korea, it’s similar to Coupang Rocket Delivery.
If you want to learn more about e-commerce and direct-to-consumer retail
However, one of the major issues in the rapidly growing e-commerce market is the use of excessively large boxes and too much cushioning to ship very small products. This kind of excessive waste can only feel unpleasant from the consumer’s perspective.
The unboxing experience should not be a tedious process of digging through an empty box and piles of cushioning to find your product; it should be a pleasant experience that comes from safe and convenient delivery. Give consumers a satisfying unboxing experience and visually beautiful custom brand packaging so they leave positive reviews and spread them to other consumers.
6. Make eco-friendly packaging the final touchpoint in your brand marketing strategy
Finally, as we move further into the era of eco-conscious consumption, pay attention to the sustainable packaging options that everyone is now keeping in mind. Especially as e-commerce has grown and packaging-related shipping issues have increased, eco-friendly packaging options have become essential. Even Starbucks has taken a variety of steps, such as eliminating plastic straws.
So why not use products that can be separated for recycling or reused as packaging? Simply reducing plastic and Styrofoam and using biodegradable paper would already be a good option. Deliver safer, cleaner packaging to consumers and show that the company is not indifferent to the environment.
Of course, eco-friendly packaging does not have to be boring or uninteresting. Try adding colorful, eye-catching packaging design!
If you want to learn more about eco-friendly packaging:
The future of marketing through brand packaging
Packaging marketing will continue to evolve. Consumers can now easily search online for product details and pricing, so brands must persuade them in face-to-face product encounters where emotional appeal is possible.
When working on packaging design, always remember that first impressions matter. And don’t forget to use both direct appeals such as logos, slogans, and brand messages, as well as indirect appeals such as emphasizing eco-friendliness.
If you want to learn more about the future of packaging
Also be sure to make use of technology such as QR codes so the customer journey doesn’t end at purchase, but leads back to your brand channels!