There is a reason why Packaging is one of the foundational Ps of marketing. Of course it protects your vegan product and ensures it is stable throughout its shelf life. But it does so much more beyond. Packaging research has shown that:
- “81% of consumers said they have tried something new because of the packaging.
- 63% of consumers decided to purchase a product again based on the aesthetics of the package.
- 52% have changed brands from a product they have purchased in the past because of new packaging.
Want proof? Just look at the evolution of Oatly’s packaging design. Would you have given the original package much thought? I doubt it. Would you have been able to overlook the current package on the shelf? Again, I doubt it 🙂
If designed right, product packaging can:
- Be the best elevator pitch for your product; impressing, convincing the TG within a few seconds (e.g. Phool incense sticks made from temple flowers)
- Front and back of packs can become your sales person at the shop floor, conveying all the relevant and salient points, even narrating the brand story/ values. (e.g. The Whole Truth)
- It can make your brand instantly recognizable, even when the brand name is not visible (e.g. Carolina Herrara’s Good Girl’s heel shaped perfume bottle)
- If done really well, it can become a collectible (Remember Indigo Airline’s tin cookie boxes?)
- If it is truly distinct or attractive, it can also reduce your ad costs because the audience would remember it even with one or two ad exposures
Pro-tip: Invest in great packaging design right from the start so that your vegan product gets much-needed awareness from the first time it hits the shopfloors or the e-commerce pages.
A quick checklist of must-haves of any good product packaging:
- Sturdy (to keep the product intact throughout the supply chain)
- Sustainable (as far as possible, generally expected from a vegan brand)
- Easy to open (without damaging/spilling the product inside and without tools preferably)
- Easy to reseal (for use later)
- Economical space use (so as to allow more units at the shopfloor and also occupy less space at the customer’s location).
- Easy to fully empty (no product wastage)
- ATTRACTIVE – either through distinct shape/ font/ graphics/ color combination/ material/entertainment value, etc.
Don’t forget:
Packaging does not only mean the exterior. It also covers the interior of the package. E.g. How the product is held in place, type of additional communication (instructions, thank you card, discount for next purchase), etc
10 brilliant product packaging parameters to inspire your vegan brand- Part 1
For packaging inspiration, I’ve scoured the internet and shortlisted 10 parameters that could lead to brilliant, unmissable product packaging. And across those 10 parameters, I have shared a total of 20 examples for you to learn from. Sharing 5 parameters in this post and 5 in the next one.
1. Use some humor
Even a single witty line can make the entire communication come alive. Like it did for this brand. I don’t remember where and how I came across this image but it had gone viral for a while on Linkedin. All because of an authentic, relatable and witty one liner.
2. Make your core product benefit shine through almost instantly, at a glance
This was a product packaging concept from designer David Hovhannisyan. The eyes convey the mood of a coffee drinker before they consume the product. As the drinker rotates the cap to open the bottle, the eyes become more and more alert and wakeful, exactly the mood you will experience after you consume the product. This is beyond brilliant. It builds anticipation every time the user slowly opens the cap and sees the eyes waking up. You can read more of this concept here.
3. Make it luxurious enough to allow you to command higher prices
Use of metallic foil printing or dark, sophisticated, sleek packaging design can instantly transform the look of a package.
But giving a luxurious feel need not be a costly affair. Play around with the inner packaging. A simple handmade, branded paper wrapped artfully around the product also works as it does in this example. Also, such designs not only allow one to charge some premium, but it also makes the product worthy of being gifted. And for gifts too, people normally don’t mind paying some premium, right?
4. Use the shape to advantage
Agreed that custom dies are more expensive and may end up being a loss if the shape does not work but if it does succeed, it could give you instant recognition and awareness. Sometimes you can also use the shape to stand out, not fit into the shelf space, like Heights did. The vegan clean supplements brand purposely made its bottle shape such that people CANNOT keep it in their medicine cabinet but have got to keep it outside. This way they won’t forget to take it. Also, doesn’t this design make it easier to remove one pill at a time?
5. Be playful and/ or whimsical
Use your packaging to have some lighthearted fun with the customer via its shape or material or even just the graphics.
You can continue onto part 2 here.
Question to think about: 💡
While designing the product packaging, should you give more weightage to the amount of space it will occupy on the shopfloor or go ahead with a unique design that is guaranteed to attract attention even if it results in fewer units out on the shelf?
Should you want to talk, you know I am just an email away, right?