Revisit, Refresh, or Redo: When it's Time to Take Another Look at Your Packaging

Attractive, high-quality packaging is a critical investment. After all, 72% of consumers say that a product’s package substantially influences their purchasing decisions. In some cases, it’s a customer’s first and only impression of your company. 

Just like, from time to time, you may need to assess the overall strength of your brand, it’s also a good idea to look at your packaging to make sure it’s still effective, attractive, and in sync with your integrated marketing efforts. If you’ve started questioning the effectiveness of your packaging, then it’s time for one or more of the following: 

Revisit: Perform a careful audit, reviewing general market data, packaging trends, what your competitors are doing, and how your products look on the shelf. 

Refresh: You’ll want to keep whatever equity you’ve built but still find ways to make the packaging look fresh and up to date. 

Redo: A major overhaul or redesign of your packaging. 

We’ve got a decades-long track record of creating high-impact packaging that’s cost-effective, too. Here are a few of the most common reasons integrated marketers start to wonder about the effectiveness of their packaging and what we recommend next. 

The Situation: Retail Sales Are Flat - Next Step: Revisit

Your packaging isn’t the only factor that affects in-store sales, but it is a significant component of the consumer experience. Exciting new packaging can captivate an audience, but it’s best to start with a careful audit to make sure that’s the right solution 

The Situation: You’ve Added New SKUs - Next Step: Revisit

A common issue for manufacturers who start with just a few products then keep adding is that they may not have thought about how new variations should look. It’s at least worth examining: do all of your products look like they come from the same company? They should appear to be related but not so similar there’s no differentiation between them. 

The Situation: Your Current Packaging Designs Are At Least Five Years Old - Next Step: Refresh

Ideally, your packaging is designed with longevity in mind and adheres closely to your brand. But tastes change, and over time, your packaging can look dated. If your packaging is five or years old, it’s probably time for a refresh to make it look contemporary. 

The Situation: You’re Courting New Customers - Next Step: Refresh

Increasingly, consumers want to do business with brands that share their values. This is especially true with younger Millennials and Gen Z. Consider adding information that can help your products stand out with a conscientious audience, including:

• If they include organic ingredients
• Where they were manufactured
• If the purchase either directly or indirectly supports specific organizations 

According to global consulting firm McKinsey & Company, the environmental impact of a product or company is important to more consumers than ever. If your company has specific sustainability or recycling goals, your packaging can be a large part of that solution. Contact us to learn more. 

The Situation: You’ve Made Significant Updates to Your Brand - Next Step: Redo

One of the most powerful aspects of running an integrated marketing campaign is that each touch amplifies the other. If buyers can’t make those associations when they get to the shelf because your packaging doesn’t look like the rest of your marketing, it’s almost like a waste of those marketing dollars.

The Situation: Your Product Has Changed - Next Step: Redo

Don’t catfish your customers! The fastest way to kill the trust and credibility you’ve built with your audience is to have your product not match the picture on the packaging, especially for food or personal care items. If you’ve changed formulations or anything else that affects how the product looks, updating the packaging is a must.  The upside here is that it’s a great excuse to invest in high-quality product photography that you can use throughout your marketing. 

In many of these situations, you may not have to start from scratch. We can help you create and produce beautiful, sustainable packaging that meets your needs and your budget. Call us for more information.