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 1
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 into being. Some trends become mainstream across all industries, ethnicities, 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 4 through 6!
Trend # 1-The Alpha Female
She is the primary shopper and 80% of the time, the decision-maker. Companies are finally waking up to the power of the purse. She's your primary target no matter what her age bracket. Fortunately, we have passed the "Age of Pink" where marketers believed that anything pink would sell. Now, companies are looking at what women really want and not just what advertisers think they want. There is a new generation of pink packaged products, but the color is now utilized in a way that makes sense. It is not used simply because marketers consider it feminine.
What To Look For and Do: Solve her problems. She is overworked, overstressed, time-crunched, multitasking and in a hurry. Offer her a solution. Most of all, make it easy with simple instructions and virtually a no-brainer to make the purchasing decision. Fulfill these needs and you will have a packaging winner.
Trend #2-Baby's Got Bling
The luxury market is on the rise. Whether its designer bottled water or pet care products, consumers are willing to pay a premium. Nothing is too off the wall in the luxury market. If it's packaged right, it will pique the customer's interest. Consumers are on the lookout for that one unique product that they just have to own. A good example is the recent introduction of clear vinyl handbags. This spawned off of the clear bags used to display toiletries to security at the airport. Now consumers are spending hundreds even thousands of dollars to own one. Will it last? Who knows, however, some designers are making serious bucks.
What To Look For and Do: Trade up on existing products. Move them out of mainstay categories and into the luxury market. More luxurious packaging on commodity items will make them seem special. The middle of the road packaging market is declining. People are either buying on price or paying a premium to satisfy a need.
Trend # 3-Private Label Packaging
Forget about brand loyalty. Those days are gone. Marketers have spent big bucks trying to ensure product commitment, but consumers are moving from loyalty purchases and trying new products. One thing that is driving this trend is the growth of private label packaging. PLMA President Brian Sharoff presented these findings at a recent trade show. According to the survey, 41% of shoppers say they are "frequent" buyers of store brands, up from 36% five years ago. When the product looks as good and works as well as branded products, consumers are willing to take a chance. If their needs are met, chances are they will never go back.
What To Look For and Do: Opportunities abound in private label packaging that transcends traditional categories. Look at the growth of the tea industry. Virtually every conceivable tea is on the market today and this market is growing. Consider how you can take an existing product and create something consumers will desire to try.
To be continued...
