The Psychology behind Packaging
As one of the most overlooked aspects in marketing, packaging is also one of the most influential parts. When packaging is attractive to customers, you have a higher chance to pull them in. The first impression you give consumers is absolute and sets the image of your brand in their minds. To make them see your company in good light, there are a few things to do when it comes to the psychological aspect of packaging for your products:
- Picking Correct Colors
- Be Eco-Friendly
- Be Brand Aware
- Know Your Audience
Picking Correct Colors
Colors and their meanings differ from customer to customer, so there is no real right answer to which color gives off which emotion. Tide could make their packages orange to convey confidence, or a cheerful feeling when doing laundry. In the same sense, Apple packaging is sleek white to give off the appeal of futuristic, bold technology.
When it comes to picking a color, make sure it’s appropriate for the brand. The idea is to have it align with the personality you want your customer to perceive with your brand. Think of the Mircosoft logo, the 4 squares in different colors. Those colors represent the diversity of Microsoft Office, such as blue for Microsoft Word and red for Powerpoint.
Be Eco-Friendly
When it comes to packaging materials for your product, think of how it’s going to be handled. Will it be turned around, up-side-down, or maybe even shaken? The texture needs to not only align with the company’s perception they want to have but also be good quality and feel good to the customer when handling it. Additionally, what makes packaging effective is if it’s more than a 1-time-use. Designer Daily cites that roughly 90% of consumers reuse packaging from items they purchased. Things such as bags or high-end boxes can be repurposed in multiple ways on the consumer’s side. Even so, recyclable packaging can improve your company in the eyes in the sense of Social Corporate Responsibility.
One more thing to take into consideration with the materials you use is the presentation and complexity of the package and on opening the package. Depending on the luxurious status of your product, the presentation needs to match. Don’t make it too complex for consumers to open, but secure enough then in shipping or on store shelves.
Be Brand Aware
Imagine if Coca-cola’s packaging has a different font. What do you think when you imagine that? Pretty weird, right? Branding plays hand in hand with packaging to reinforce your company. McDonald’s golden arches at each location and Apple’s logo on the back of every device helps them solidify their brand in multiple ways. Packaging should conform to the brand. Let who the company is speak to the customer through the packaging via brand representation.Â
Know your audience
As with everything else in marketing, who you’re targeting will greatly affect what your packaging is. Market studies and competitive research can help you understand what your audience wants, and what competitors are doing in the industry. Being able to understand your audience is key throughout the entire process when designing packaging that will be appealing to them.
James Ross has over 30 years in the marketing space, and we’ve dipped our toes into every industry imaginable. Let us help you with your packaging, and contact us here or email us at hello@jamesrossadvertising.com to get started today!
