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Brand Packaging Is a Brand Strategy

Brand Packaging Is a Brand Strategy

Packaging is a brand strategy disguised as a container. Until you package the product, it is just an idea.

Brand packaging matters. In addition to stimulating the senses, packaging creates an overall brand impression and offers hints about what you can expect from the brand. Packaging is often the first glimpse of a brand, and it can either repel or attract the consumer.

Because it is always a brand impression, packaging must be memorable. For example:

Tiffany’s: Robin’s-egg blue with black type

Macy’s: Red star

Target: Red bulls-eye

Coke: Red, with white ribbon

Pepsi: Blue background with red, white and blue circle

SimpleHuman: bold colors with icon coding

Apple: Apple silhouette with a bite eaten

IBM: Blue (or white) I.B.M. letters dissected by lines

AT&T: White and blue striped globe

In retail especially, redesigned packaging can revive an outdated presentation for relatively little expense. A new container shape, larger brand iconography, even a clearer, easier-to-read label can push more products off the shelf. New packaging re-announces the brand and can suggest that the product is improved in some significant way.

When revamping packaging, there is one caveat: be sure to retain enough of the original look and feel so that you do not confuse customers and erode brand recognition and awareness. It will not do you any good to have a great new package if your customers do not recognize you.