10 Packaging Trends That Could Make Consumers Buy In 2007!
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| JoAnn Hines, The Packaging Diva, will be speaking at INPEX® Thursday June 7, 2007 at 10 a.m in the Inventors University™ |
Part 2
By JoAnn Hines - The Packaging Diva
People are sick of conventional advertising. Let's face it, most of today's ads aren't working or, at best, aren't generating sales. So marketers need other methods of communicating the product's worth to the consumer. The package becomes an obvious and valuable means to that end. The point is if someone doesn't pick up your product they are never going to buy it. That's where the packaging as an advertisement comes into play. How can you engage the consumer at the beginning of the product relationship?
The package is your silent salesperson and it better have the right message delivered to the right audience -- no matter what product is inside. It's all about the package (or should be) and who buys it and why is it purchased. Understanding and cultivating the consumer is an ongoing task. Consumer preferences can change on a whim. When it comes to product packaging, it's important to understand the mindset behind consumer decisions. Each year new trends move into the foreground. Yet, while some are here to stay, others move on as quickly as they came in to being. Some trends become mainstream across all industries, ethnicity's, and generations. Trends have power. Use them wisely and you could reap the rewards. Below is part one of a series by JoAnn Hines, the Packaging Diva that could impact whether the consumer will purchase your products or not. Check back next month for trends 7 through 10!
Trend #4-BOOM
Who will be the biggest future purchasing demographic? The 50+ generation. The numbers are amazing and it's a continued growth market too. Earn this customer's TRUST and you will retain their purchasing power for 25 years. So why aren't we getting products packaged for this market? Many of the seniors' issues are the same as other consumers, they just need more of it: Easy to open, easy to read, easy to handle or store.
What To Look For and Do: Don't ignore ways to improve existing product packaging: larger type, ergonomic capabilities or even products that are easier to hold onto. I'm amazed by the lack of innovation in this category. When we brainstormed at the FlexPack Conference about senior friendly product concepts, the audience offered lots of great ideas about how to serve the market sector.
Trend #5-Greenwash Me
It's all about the "green" or lack of it. This time I think it is going to last. Consumers are being bombarded with messages about the environment. We all are media creatures and the media loves anything "green." You may not be aware that consumers are on their third wave of environmental awareness. The last two influences died out once the reality set in that it cost the consumer more to be "green." But retail drivers such as Wal-Mart and Tesco are holding fast to their line in the sand. The standards they established and are trying to implement will drive "green" initiatives down through the entire retail chain. Whether it's a true mandate or a political ploy, consumers are awash in a sea of "green" information. Additionally, the packaging of products with environmentally friendly materials is being scrutinized.
What To Look For and Do: Explore ways to "green" up your product packaging. Whether its eco-friendly, bio resins, bio plastics, recyclable, post consumer waste or whatever works for your business, explore these options in your product packaging. Be wary of trotting out a so-called environmentally friendly package just to capture a trend. Consumers will see through this ruse.
Tread #6-Make It Mine
Personalization or customization is hot. Consumers want products uniquely theirs. Treat them special and not just as one of the masses. Make them feel like you understand their needs. Offer them ways to expand their brand loyalty through a product with which they are already comfortable.
What To Look For and Do: Don't overlook ways to engage your consumer though personalization of their favorite products. Many major marketers have already jumped on this bandwagon. Personalized catsup, cereal and candy are a few examples. Ask how you can create a personal bond with this consumer through product packaging.
To be continued...
