Packaging was originally invented to protect the product from physical damage as well as prolonging its life. In World War One packaging became crucial as the ability to contain food in seal tight containers gave the army a strong advantage over enemies. Now packaging is still just as fundamental to the protection and storage of food but it’s also become essential economically. “Packaging is people’s perception of the brand; it’s that core. It’s your single most expensive form of advertising; and if you’re a small company it is your only advertising. When people think of your product – whatever kind of food it may be – they picture the package it comes in.” (Greene in Hargreaves, 2004, p.45) Packaging is the first contact a brand has with a potential customer. For a product that cannot be seen and therefore cannot be judged, its outer protective packaging is crucial to reflect the quality of the product and the brand. Therefore, the package design must not only be practical but also reflect what the brand stands for and set it apart from its competitors.
The beginning of the twentieth century saw the change of the weekly shop from what was once a time-consuming chore into an individual customer orientated experience. Customers waited in front of a counter whilst a shop assistant fetched and wrapped their goods. Although this method provided a social element to the weekly shop, it was labour intensive, expensive and inefficient. The change from small independent grocery shops to mass corporation supermarkets allowed the consumer to browse the different brands at their own leisure and make an independent purchasing decision rather than relying on the assistant’s judgement. The freedom that came with being able to browse products in conjunction with the rise in disposable income opened up a huge market for brand variations. Now that families had disposable income they no longer had to stick to the basics but could search out a product that they felt better suited them and their needs. The power was now in the consumers’ hands; they could easily disregard brands and take their custom elsewhere if the brand didn’t live up to expectations. The ability to pick and choose products created a competitive market for brands. In order to win customers over, the package design has to make the product stand out from the other similar products on the shelf. There are key principles and characteristics that underpin successful package design. This essay will explore a few of them.
It goes without saying that external factors have a strong impact on a consumer’s final decision. Financial restrictions may exclude the top product market range from the consumer leaving them with a basic selection. For the purpose of this essay external factors are eliminated therefore focusing purely on the products package design in context with competing brands.
“A growing body of consumer-behaviour research shows that people may rationalize buying decisions based on a set of facts, but they purchase based on feelings. Buying isn’t necessarily a rational decision; it’s often an emotional one.” (Dupuis and Silva, 2008, p.69)
The emotionally motivated decision to buy a product is effected by a persona linked to the product. "Familiar personalities such as Dr. Brown, Uncle Ben, Aunt Jemima, and Old Grand-Dad came to replace the shopkeeper, who was traditionally responsible for measuring bulk foods for customers and acting as an advocate for products... a nationwide vocabulary of brand names replaced the small local shopkeeper as the interface between consumer and product." (Klein, 2000, p.28) Brands become stronger by having a person or persons name related to the product, for example Mr. Kipling’s, Aunt Bessie’s and Uncle Ben. Using terms such as Uncle or Aunt implicitly suggests a close, friendly, reliable and trustworthy person. Although this might not necessarily be true the consumer views the persona and brand as synonymous, therefore the brand is also seen as reliable and trustworthy. This technique is used for a lot more than just packaging. Famous propaganda was created using Uncle Sam, a patriotic personification for the United States Government when more American citizens were needed to fight in World War II. The persona was used for exactly the same reasons in marketing, to gain consumer trust. It removed the corporate and harsh face of mass production and replacing it with a approachable everyday persona customers can connect on an emotional level.
Another advantage of using a persona is that the consumer subconsciously relates to them as a person rather than just an illustration on a packet. Aunt Jemima is a perfect example of this, otherwise known as Nancy Green, an African American former slave whose warmth and approachability brought the character of Aunt Jemima to life. In rapidly changing times she humanised the product for a population fearful of industrialisation. Nancy Green became a role model and inspiration to many through her roll as Aunt Jemima.
In Vance Packard’s Hidden Persuaders, he argues that there are eight hidden needs which, if fulfilled, make the product more appealing. One of these is an opportunity to be creative. Aunt Jemima’s Pancake Mix [Image 1] is a good example of this hidden need as it allows the customer to create pancakes by only adding water to the product; this simple process is made obvious on the packaging. Packard argues many jobs today lack a creative outlet; this leaves people deprived from creativity. “Marketers are finding many areas where they can improve sales by urging the prospective customer to add his creative touch. A West Coast firm selling to home builders found that although its architects and designers could map houses to the last detail it was wise to leave some places where builders could add their own personal touch.” (Packard, 1957, p.91)
Products that allow the consumer to do just one of the preparation stages are favoured because it is subconsciously seen as an opportunity to be creative. The pancake mix gives people enough work to enable a feeling of responsibility and pride towards the final product. However, the consumer is not given so many tasks that they fail or lose interest.
Although Aunt Jemima’s pancake mix was invented over a century ago, it shows successful core design principles that are still used in promoting today’s products. Ainsley Harriet’s spice sensation cous cous [Image 2] only needs the consumer to add water to create a fail-safe meal. (Stewart, 2007, p.50) argues that popular cookery shows, whose main purpose is to entertain rather than instruct and educate, creates an audience with higher expectations when it comes to their meals but with no knowledge on how to produce it. As cookery shows grow more popular it creates a market for aspiring chefs; they want to make the great meals and receive the praise for creating them but they do not have the talent, nor do they want the hassle. Products like Ainsley Harriet’s Spice Sensation Cous Cous fills this gap by allowing the time-poor, cash-rich population to create interesting and flavoursome meals without the possibility of ruining it. This allows the customer to be creative and take pride in the meals they cook, whilst also easily gaining ‘culinary credibility’ amongst those they cook for.
“Perhaps the most noticeable trend in packaging is the humanization of the product. Graphics, type, colours, and copy all are seeking to engage the consumer in dialogue rather than acting as brand billboards. Simplicity and honesty are refreshing and effective.” (Braithwaite in Hargreaves, 2004, p.22) Personification works in favour of the brand as it makes the product more approachable and humanistic. Hand rendered elements in the package design have the same desired outcome as they strip back the formality of the brand and replace it with a lively personality. According to Packaging of the World “The rise of social media, brands are now more approachable and accessible to consumers. As a response, brands are developing an online personality which is helping them to take on a more relaxed and public approach to consumer relations.” (Lin, 2015). This ‘personality’ helps to strip back the corporate and impersonal brand, just like the persona, it adds human characteristics to the product. Hand-rendered elements will never be perfect but that is the charm of them. They show human mistakes that the customer can relate to, however if the same element were to be reproduced digitally it would look amiss. There is more leeway with hand-rendered designs as any mistakes are seen as idiosyncrasies rather than inaccuracies. Using hand-written type or illustrations suggests to the customer that there is a face behind the brand. Tesco’s Smoked Salmon [Image 3] illustrates this beautifully; the chalkboard backing with hand-rendered type takes away the attention from the fact it is a multinational company. Tescos manages to replace this preconceived idea with the appearance of an old authentic seaside fish and chip shop. The choice of fonts and simple illustration injects the product with life and personality.
Now, not only does the salmon packaging have a personality but it also breaks down the wall between the consumer and the product. Using the actual product as the backing to the illustration means that the eye is naturally guided there. By having a ‘window’ into the product the customer feels that they are making an independent choice. They can view the product and make their own decision as to whether it is up to their standard rather than having to rely on the package design. This significantly lowers post-purchase cognitive dissonance because the customer isn’t buying on a whim but rather making an informed decision.
The success of package design is not just down to the subtle humanisation of the product but also is dependent on the primary fundamentals. Colour plays a huge roll in package design. Just as bright colours attract children, the correct colours attract adult consumers to products. Colours should be carefully chosen to reflect the product they being sold. For example you would be less likely to buy an organic salad if the packaging was designed in metallic, black and white. This is because in this context, they are cold and sterile colours that do not accurately reflect the product. However when these colours are used to promote an electronic good they are seen as efficient, slick and cutting edge; the colours are appropriate for the product being sold. Earthy colours are used when selling healthier products because it implies a natural, pure product rather than colours that aren’t usually found in nature like the metallic and blacks and whites as these imply a man-made and artificial product. “To ignore this wealth of colour information is to overlook the most powerful communicative tools designers have” (Drew and Meyer, 2005, p.195). Soft pastels are used in the Tesco Salmon packaging; the light pink reflects the colour of the fish and the blue, pure ocean water. This subconsciously plants the idea that the salmon was once swimming in fresh, clean blue water.
Colours are also used to strengthen the brand’s identity and make them more memorable. Would Coca-Cola be the same without the vibrant red or Cadburys without the luxurious purple? The carefully chosen colours convey to potential customers what the brand is about and works in conjunction with the package design to sell the product. Cadburys use of a rich purple implies a luxurious product, one that is a real treat for the consumer. The purple is not only used for the brand but in the package design, this helps to reinforce how exceptional the product is. Colours in package design reflect not only the product it encases but also the brand itself. “Colour is one of the most influential aspects of package design. Consumers are more likely to identify the colour of a package or product before any other visual feature. Colour distinguishes a product’s personality, draws attention to its attributes, and enables it to stand apart from competitors within a chaotic retail environment. ” (Klimchuk and Krasovec, 2006, p.107) In a tough competing market it is crucial for the package design to use a rememberable colour that is synonymous to the brand.
With so much choice in the market, customers can now afford to be pedantic with their purchasing decisions. With more than one product to choose from they begin to look for ‘extra’ factors that set the product above the rest. Brands now have to really consider the customers’ consumer experience and create an innovative package design that goes beyond the traditional packaging requirements and extends into the customers’ home life. Tresdon’s Aquilegia Wine [Image 4] packaging perfectly illustrates multifunctional design. The wine carrier is designed to not just protect and transport the wine but to transform into a wine rack. Assembly of the rack does not require any extra tools but relies on friction slots that connect the wine rack together. A range of designs means that the consumer can hold anything from one to twelve bottles. The nature of the design allows different racks to be slotted together creating a product that is continually expanding and can be customised to the consumers’ personal taste.
The multifunctional package design extends into the customers’ home life but also fulfills all the other necessary criteria for successful brand management. In the supermarket, the packaging allows for the wine labels to be clearly shown, making it easy to communicate the exact product to the customer. Even before the product has reached the supermarket the package design is plays a vital role in the protection of the wine. “The Tresdon system requires no extra protective packaging material – the edges of the rack push out at the corners and can nestle into a shipping carton while protecting its cargo. This eliminates the need for Styrofoam pellets, plastic bubble wrap or any other form of filler.”(Boylston, 2009, p.82) By removing the need for extra protection the package design has become efficient and sustainable. Tresdon have been able to rise above competitors by acknowledging the growing necessity of sustainable design. “…The best way to effect positive environmental change is to provide consumers with a better product through design, and create a mass appeal, rather than merely creating a “green” brand that speaks only to environmentalists.” (Lowry in Boylston, 2009, p.75) The Independent carried out a survey in 2007 that showed that Sainsbury’s customers opposed packaging. Out of the 1,922 customers surveyed, 77% said that they were trying to reduce food and packaging waste. Since then awareness of sustainable packaging has increased as people are growingly conscious of the environment and waste. 57% of the customers said that they aimed to buy products and packaging that was environmentally friendly and could be recycled or composted. 20% of customers stated that they had decided not to buy a product because the packaging was difficult to discard. These statistics really emphasise the importance of environmentally friendly packaging. Tresdon’s Aquilegia wine minimalises package waste by transforming it into a wine rack. The packaging has been re-purposed from a design aimed to protect and transport the product to a cleverly designed way of displaying and storing the wine. This multifunctional package design not only gives the customer a unique storage solution but also means that none of the packaging is wasted. The packaging is successful because just as much thought has been put into the design element as well as the product itself.
In an interview with Jason Ivey he argues, “A lot of future business opportunities lie in supporting green design and production methods. More and more people are aware that there are alternatives to wasteful packaging, and if companies don’t get on this train and present themselves as a proponent of change, sooner or later they will lose some of their market. Public perceptions of backward companies will also be damaged.” (Ivey in Boylston, 2009, p.83) Brands that show an active interest in saving the environment through their package design, whether it is a conscious decision to choose a biodegradable stock or just not including unnecessary plastic, are seen to be more with the times and portray a caring image to their customers.
In conclusion, the weekly shopping experience has come round in a full circle. In the past it was the shopkeeper who naturally formed a strong rapport with his customers and would be the representative of his products. Mass prepackaged products revolutionised the weekly shop and in the process, destroyed this relationship. Now in such a fierce competitive market it is the brands that desire this relationship with their customers in order to stand apart from competitors. The one-to-one personal service that used to exist can never be fully replicated, however the methods that have been observed in this essay help to get it pretty close. Design techniques that remove the corporate image and replace it with a humanistic impression (where appropriate) such as personification, hand-rendered type and artwork are favoured because consumers can subconsciously relate it to another human rather than a machine. The sheer scale of products available to choose from has created a market for multifunctional design. Package design now not only needs to stand out but also go above and beyond the requirements of the product. It needs to become wanted in its own right not just bought because of the product inside. The benefits of the package design need to extend into the consumers’ home life. With better packaging design comes a greater need for sustainability; customers see any excess and unnecessary packaging as a waste. As Jason Ivey argues companies that don’t take sustainability seriously are seen as backwards. By taking a more environmentally conscious approach companies are seen to be caring and mindful of the environment. The package design bridges the gap between the brand and its customers. It is indispensable as a form of advertisement for the product inside as well as fundamentally important for promoting the brand and its beliefs.
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