Even the most well-known brands can suffer from an identity crisis. Change is not always a bad thing, especially when it means upgrading outdated packaging designs to sell to a whole new generation of consumers. Let's talk about what businesses should prioritize as part of a packaging revitalisation strategy:
1. Create an independent brand equity profile
"Brand equity," though fluid in definition, essentially gauges the value of a business by its brand. According to the Marketing Research Associations, many different organizations and studies define brand equity differently and use unique models to measure it. Companies looking to reinvent their packaging should develop and solidify their own unified quantitative model for brand equity before taking action. That way, they understand what feelings or opinions consumers associate with their brand and can design packaging around encouraging or discontinuing these factors.
2. Functionality comes first
By functionality, we don't necessarily mean how consumers interact physically with packaging, but rather how they are informed by the packaging itself. Before deciding on a new colour palette or other surface features, companies should be sure the information on the packaging provides clear and concise answers to questions consumers might ask before purchasing. For example, if your products are recyclable or locally sourced, these data points might be valuable in the eyes of shoppers. Incorporate these things first, then work out a new design around them so beauty doesn't obstruct function.
3. Packaging is essential to modern online marketing
MineWhat reported 81 percent of consumers research products online before buying them. Businesses should confirm their new design or designs will appear as part of any upcoming online marketing initiatives. The new packaging should be as easily recognisable to consumers as the products within, perhaps even more so. Revamping packaging without immediately associating it with the item it contains will only confuse shoppers and push them to buy from competitors.
