When you look at a package and read ?made in USA clamshells? on it, this may mean nothing to you, or it may mean everything to you. Packaging is very important as a way for businesses not only to protect their products, but also to send a signal about their values. It has always been true that people make purchases partly based on packaging. With the environmental concerns of the 21st-century, however, green packaging has made this aspect of the retail packaging market even more important. Here are three reasons businesses should be thinking hard about what their packaging is saying:
- Packaging is becoming one of the best distinguishers of brand. In the past a lot of customers made decisions based on quite limited choices. Traditional marketing schemes no longer apply, however, in the new digital world. Customers have much greater choice than they ever had in the past, and this amount of choice means customer loyalty is no longer so strong. With this in mind, the packaging design of any product has to speak to the brand. It needs to communicate not only what is in the package, but also the values and qualities of the company that produced it. Another challenge is that the average customer will only look of the items on the shelf for approximately 20 seconds. This is a very short amount of time to win over a customer’s mind and give them a good reason to choose one product over another. While design is always important, more and more, that final decision is coming down to a company?s values as much as to the quality of whatever is in the packaging.
- Packaging communicates how much you care. in the first place, the right kind of packaging communicate how much you care about the consumer or the eye-catching design of on those thermoformed clamshells. Clamshell packaging can be very difficult to open, so user friendly clamshell packaging shows that you have thought about the needs of your customers and are willing to put out a little extra effort in design and construction in order to facilitate their needs. A 2016 Westbrook Consumer Insight Study found that only 14% of surveyed consumers believe that brands are really making an effort to satisfy the consumers needs by improving packaging. And since that same study found that 26% of consumers believe that the packaging of the product is extremely important to their overall satisfaction, it’s very important to get this right.
- Packaging communicates your social values, as well. Almost more important these days than considering the needs of individual consumers is showing that your company wants to make a positive social and environmental impact. When surveyed, 52% of people around the world say they make their purchasing decisions at least partly based on packaging that shows this kind of positive impact. Consider made in USA clamshells, for example. That made in USA clamshells label, for example, can communicate that you care about jobs and society. Customers may also be concerned about lower manufacturing standards abroad, and see made in USA clamshells as a guarantee that a product was produced safely and those who made it were compensated fairly.
Environmental concerns are also important. Customizable packaging can eliminate waste in a way that helps to relieve those concerned about the amount of plastic that’s ending up in the world’s oceans: an amount that is causing damages of at least $13 billion dollars per year. Nearly 32 million metric tons of plastic waste gets improperly thrown away, which is a powerful incentive to patronize green packaging. The West Rock Consumer Insights Study mentioned above found that 45% of people say they made a purchase because of environmentally friendly packaging!
Packaging is very important and always has been. Some of our favorite brands have international recognition because of their memorable packaging, and the most successful companies communicate a look that’s true to their beliefs. Consider what your packaging is saying about your company, your product, and your brand. Is it communicating your values? Could be made better? Make sure it’s saying you want to say.
