PACKVERTISING: CHANGING THE FACE OF ADVERTISING

Packaging isn't just the covering with which a product is presented to the public; rather, it's a powerful advertising and marketing tool that determines customers' choices. In fact, packaging is usually the first and last point of contact with customers. It's, therefore, an important component of the marketing mix.

Combining packaging and advertising results in a hybrid advertising technique called packvertising. This is a clever way of using packaging for advertising to improve your advertising efforts and lower your advertising budget.

In this post, we'll walk you through everything you need to know about packvertising and how it can foster relationships with customers.

WHAT IS PACKVERTISING?

Packvertising is an advertising technique that uses a box to communicate a product's features while giving customers an incentive to make a repeat purchase. It focuses on the first impression made on the customer in the store—this helps build relationships with customers faster.

Packvertising is an excellent way of getting in front of prospective customers before your competitors capture them with paid advertising. It does this through a creative packaging design that sparks imagination and helps build relationships with customers on the spot.

THE POWER OF PACKVERTISING TO FOSTER CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIPS

Customers typically want to interact directly with the companies whose products they use. Additionally, they want to have a positive experience when purchasing and consuming the product. Packvertising can help you achieve both.

Through fresh and creative design, customers get a unique, positive experience that fosters trust and builds a rapport. When customers are satisfied with your product, they will talk about it amongst their relatives and friends, thereby leaving a good first impression on them and also increasing the perceived value of your product. More customers will not only want to see the product, but also experience it.

In short, through packvertising, customers cannot only see an advert like they are used to, but they will also be able to feel the advertising. This makes customers value the advertisement even more.

TIPS FOR MAXIMIZING PACKAGING DESIGN

Here are some of the tips you should consider to maximize your brand's packaging design:

TIP №. 1

BREATHE LIFE TO YOUR BRAND

Suppose you are trying to cut through an already established category; your packaging needs to capture your unique selling point as fast as possible. On the other hand, suppose you are an established brand; you should aim at short-circuiting the selection process. This means using your status in the market to create a packaging design that makes your products stand out, such that consumers can easily identify them.

TIP №. 2

VALUE YOUR BRAND PACKAGING ASSETS

What makes your packaging stand out? Do people remember it because of the unique shape and size of the bottle you use, the colour of your packaging, or the unboxing experience of your PR package design? Is your packaging design impressive enough that it stands in any market? Your brand packaging assets play a significant role in ensuring that your brand is noticeable. They effectively trigger recognition, meaning they can help ensure your product remains relevant, even if it's in a highly competitive category.

TIP №. 3

MAKE YOUR PRODUCT SPEAKS FOR ITSELF

Consumers prefer products they can interact with and easily use — sometimes, the practicality of your product wins the day. While visual appeal is often a vital factor when packaging a product, there are times that consumers prefer using products that speak for themselves. Narrating your product and brand's story through your packaging design will bolster your customers' relationship with it.

Your product packaging design should allow your product features to come to life to aid how customers navigate it. What's more, the form and user experience should be unique and memorable and align with your brand's value and proposition.

TIP №. 4

MAKE A STATEMENT ONLINE OR ON-SHELF

Ensure that your packaging allows your product to cut through online markets and the saturated on-shelf markets by adding a sense of lux to it. You can do this by using unique colours or shapes in your packaging. You can also do this by creating unique customer experiences that make consumers want to stick with your brand.

TIP №. 5

INCLUDE PACKAGING WITHIN YOUR BRAND EXPERIENCE STRATEGY

There are several ways of making your custom packaging part of your brand experience. These include providing a great unboxing experience, integrating technology into your experience, and using packaging as part of game-play. You can also make your packaging design part of your brand experience by using augmented reality (AR) to bring your product to life.

TIP №. 6

EMBRACE SUSTAINABILITY

Given how more conscious consumers are becoming of environmental sustainability, it is important that you embrace sustainability in your packaging.

The most common strategies for sustainable packaging that you should consider include using easily recyclable materials, opting for smaller packaging, using biodegradable materials, trying edible packaging, and partnering with sustainable practices.

TIP №. 7

BALANCE CONSISTENCY WITH FRESHNESS

Packaging freshness and consistency means maintaining what makes your packaging stand out while also injecting some new aspects to it. 

It is vital that you be consistent in the use of colours, messages, typography, and patterns so that your marketing speaks the same language and communicates the same message. Similarly, it is important to incorporate new ideas to make your packaging more appealing to customers. 

WRAPPING UP

Packvertising is a cost-effective and powerful way of marketing products. It engages customers and makes them want to use a product. Going forward, more and more brands will continue to adopt packvertising to improve how customers engage with their products and to improve the effectiveness of their advertising efforts. Whether it's a bold statement from a company or using advertising slogans, we will continue to see more packaging that conveys messages that resonate with consumers. 

Are you looking to create distinctive packaging for your product? Arc & Co. can help. We strategize physical brand experiences, create innovative structural packaging, and conceptualize physical brand experiences that amplify your brand messaging. Contact us and let us make your packaging stand out.

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ABOUT ARC & CO. DESIGN COLLECTIVE

Arc & Co. Design Collective transforms your brand messages into engaging physical brand experiences that increase your brand's perceived value and loyalty with your customers. By utilizing our proprietary FOUR Dimensions Framework™, we strategize, conceptualize, innovate and design experiential packaging and brand activation spaces that will complement your business and keep you ahead of the competition.

Get in touch with us to discover how we can assist in integrating a physical brand experience into your marketing strategy.