Brand Marketing: Custom Packaging Telling a Story

Here are five ways custom packaging can make a real difference and become a tool for your brand marketing efforts

Do you know how important packaging is to your product and your brand? Consider this — every year, a staggering 95% of new products fail. Why? Not enough thought goes into the way the product is packaged and delivered to the customer. Packaging is hugely important to brand marketing. In fact, it provides an unmissable (and unparalleled) opportunity to convey who you are, what you do, what you care about and where you’re going. Custom packaging can also help you engage with your target audience, interacting with them in a fun, meaningful way.

If you think we’re overstating the importance of packaging, you only need to look at famous examples of companies who are doing it right. The Tiffany & Co blue box. Nike Air — Apple. These are companies who put real effort into conceptualising packaging perfectly for their brand and it has paid off. Customers get excited when they see the packaging, which develops real loyalty.

Below, we explore five ways custom packaging become an effective tool for brand marketing.

1. Custom Packaging Shows What You Do

Your customers should know, just by looking at your packaging, what your company does. Clarity is crucial. Your prospective customers don’t want to (and shouldn’t have to) spend minutes trying to figure out your product, what it’s for and whether it’s suitable for them. Use the wording and design of your packaging to make your customer’s life easier and to draw them in before they get frustrated and move onto a competitor.

For a recent example, we can look to Aldi’s plant-based range, released for Veganuary 2020. The packaging makes use of green, a colour often associated with nature and with the vegan diet. Aldi has also chosen to put the vegan logo on the packaging, along with a logo: “Plate up the plant”. This logo gives an immediate and powerful impression of what the product is — and who it is for.

Related Blog Post: How to make your product fly off the shelves

2. … And What You Care About

There are a lot of considerations when it comes to packaging, one being the material its made from. Packaging material will say a lot about your company, its values and ethics. Is your company considering the environmental impact? Has it chosen to use biodegradable, recycled, eco-packaging? You can also use your packaging to send a message and to show what you care about — for example; you can share on your packaging that for every ten products bought, you’ll plant a tree.

3. … And Who You Are

Packaging is a great opportunity for your brand marketing — use colour to stand out, show what you stand for. You can also use packaging to demonstrate certain brand values, including transparency and authenticity — for example, use transparent packaging so customers can see for themselves what the product looks like before they decide to buy. Of course, you can also show off your logo, your graphics and your straplines. You can even get creative with your packaging by using unusual shapes. This will help your product stand out against all the competition.

4. Custom Packaging Allows You to Engage with Customers

Using your packaging, you can begin a dialogue between your customers and your brand. One way to do this is through competitions. A famous example is Coca-Cola and the “Share a Coke” campaign. Coke used personalised packaging to replace its traditional bottles and cans with packaging emblazoned with popular names — and the idea was a huge success. Coke capitalised on this idea by using the hashtag #ShareaCoke, allowing consumers to connect with one of their favourite brands on a personal level. Similarly, Walkers ran their “Do us a Flavour” competition, encouraging customers to suggest a flavour for their new line, which took the internet by storm.

5. Your Packaging Speaks Volumes about Your Customer Service

Your product packaging can also show your dedication toward excellent customer service. Take the time to present your packaging in an attractive box, carefully laid out. If your product has simply been thrown together without much regard to appearance or product care during transportation, your customers will get the impression you don’t really care about your product or your customers.

Packaging isn’t something you should rush. Give it the time and effort it deserves and realise it is far more than just a container for your product. It’s an opportunity to attract customers who may otherwise pick your competitor’s product. Take this invaluable opportunity to capture their attention and thank them for it.

Need help with your packaging? Get in touch with us today for a free custom packaging quote.