Advertising is Dead. Long Live Packaging
Ted Mininni is a packaging and branding expert I usually read over at the MP Daily Fix blog. Today, he’s written a phenomenal piece on the importance of packaging design for consumer products. Ted’s rationale is that with the decreasing effectiveness of advertising in gaining consumer mindshare, how your product’s packaging stands out among the various items on shelves is increasingly vital for attracting customers. I’ll add that another important reason it’s important is that the percentage of private-label goods in stores is increasing year after year, and with their gradually improving packaging design, we’re experiencing a perceived commoditization across all categories, meaning that brand names alone aren’t as powerful a tool as they once were.
What made Method products stand out? It wasn’t their commitment to eco-friendly ingredients – that was an added differentiator that green conscious people picked up on (and spread the word on). For the rest of the shoppers it was their bottle designs, clean graphic design, and color schemes that made the items pop off the shelf.
What made POM stand out? Sure, pomegranate/mixed juices are a unique item in and of themselves. But the vertical bocci-ball bottle design, and rounded sans with a heart in the branding, is what made the difference and enticed people to pick up and try out the item – despite the relatively high price point per fluid ounce.
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What do YOU think?