When it comes to the most effective marketing strategies, sometimes you not only have to tear up the rulebook, but write your own.
Just ask Jim George, director of education at the Institute of Packaging Professionals. At a recent IOPP Leadership Conference, he cited innovations to the structure of a package as "the leading driver of perceived product innovation." In short, the more experimental the packaging, the more consumers will hold the brand in high regard as a forward thinker.
So, what companies are already shaking things up with their creative packaging solutions this year?
Live digitally with Coca-Cola's newest packaging design
Capitalizing on the groundswell for virtual and augmented reality, Coca-Cola recently released a few possible packaging pitches for the first ever VR headset made from its own recyclable cardboard packaging. According to a video released by the company itself, Coca-Cola is toying with three versions:
- "Origami" – Converting the standard 12-can box into a usable headset
- "Custom" – Creating all new packaging that easily changes shape
- "Insert" – Utilizing the potential of a "standalone kit"
Though it may be a while before we see at least one of these packaging designs at local retailers, Coca-Cola has shown the world sustainable packaging solutions can be just as fun as they are environmentally friendly.
"Mycelium packaging could dramatically reduce the size of U.S. landfills."
Ikea goes fungal to save the planet from packaging waste
Speaking of sustainability, furniture giant Ikea introduced plans to replace all its polystyrene packaging filler with biodegradable mycelium. Derived from mushrooms, mycelium packaging alternatives breaks down in a matter of weeks, whereas polystyrene – known the world over as Styrofoam – can take millennia to properly decompose, according to the National Post.
Mycelium packaging could dramatically reduce the size of U.S. landfills as LiveStrong.com estimates polystyrene makes up between 25 and 30 percent of these masses of pollution. So, the next time you're enjoying a mushroom pizza or an old-fashioned stroganoff, remember those gray-brown morsels offer more than just flavor – they can be the next step in sustainable packaging!
