How Brand Stories in Package Design Affect Purchase Decisions

Thanks to the growth of the internet, consumers now have a new option for shopping: buying from online stores instead of visiting traditional offline stores. And with the rapid rise of social media, consumers share their every move on SNS, while friends and subscribers can track their purchasing behavior online at every moment using smartphones.

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The fictional character William Whistle searches the world for the best tea, turns it into a product, and expresses that story through illustrations and short narratives. Source: Horse

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Prosumer Expectations and Consumer Satisfaction

How do today’s consumers perceive the flood of information from countless labels and certification logos? Experienced prosumers view overdesigned packaging as a kind of visual noise. Through repeated buying experiences, they are no longer swayed by exaggerated and lengthy product descriptions; instead, they have developed the ability to check a product’s key ingredients themselves and recognize its distinguishing features.

Storytelling marketing, which briefly delivers the minimum “important” information to consumers while conveying brand value, is now gaining attention as a new tool for influencing decision-making and encouraging purchases.

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Source: Dog eco-friendly poop bag package design. poopbags / Source: Dog eco-friendly poop bag PuPuBag

How to Incorporate Brand Stories into Package Design

Packaging that contains a short brand story has a more positive effect on consumer response and purchase intent than packaging with no brand story at all. In particular, a short brand story of fewer than 100 words gives consumers enough room to let their imagination unfold. Also, when a short brand message is woven into the package, it is more likely to create viral marketing effects, be shared online, and spread by word of mouth.

Unlike before, consumers’ patience has been steadily declining, so they pay more attention to content that is short and impactful, like snack culture. You do not need to write a long, novel-like explanation on the package; a short slogan or phrase can still leave a positive impression on consumers. That impression can later be recalled when they are deciding what to buy, helping guide positive purchase decisions.

If you're working on package design, see also: How to Deliver Brand Messages Through Package Design

Package Design Case Study: Brand Storytelling

Source: Wingbling

Wingbling, a Korean jewelry brand, regularly creates products that support endangered animals. Because jewelry packaging is typically small, the brand includes a paper print to tell the story behind its support for endangered animals, and every series has received strong consumer praise.

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Source: Kyungnam Pharm

Lemona, one of the best-known vitamin products in Korea, comes from Kyungnam Pharm. Printed on its heart-shaped box are phrases such as “I love you,” “I’m sorry,” and “I miss you,” encouraging consumers to express their feelings to people close to them and creating a story that makes it easy to share emotions with one another.

Etude House, a domestic roadshop beauty brand, also introduced products and packaging that carry the story of endangered animals through its Save Moist Cushion. The packaging, which contains a short message and a cute story, moved consumers and sparked a viral response.

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