What Is Your Product Saying to Consumers?

Second, and equally important, the package is really the only vehicle that you have 100% control over in-store. While your product can end up in the wrong location or shelved in the wrong direction, the package remains a constant, and once it has a consumer's attention, it starts conveying your message. Displays may not make it out to the floor, or may not be assembled correctly, or can be overlooked by the shopper; indeed, shelf vehicles may be missed altogether. Thus, it is vital to get the communications right on the package. The first step is to decide what message you want packaging to convey to consumers. Many marketers assume that the role of the package might be to "stop the consumer" or to "close the sale." But if we explore further and ask "who is the consumer?" and "how do we intend to close the sale?" we reveal a variety of roles for the package. Let's take a look at just three. A package can attract new users rather than just retain current users, often a truly artful balancing act. A package can also be updated to communicate a new positioning for the brand. And third, packaging can close a sale with the consumer in store. Attracting new consumers vs. retaining current ones First, it's important to understand whom the consumer is that we are trying to engage. Is it current consumers? New users? Are we trying to transition the brand from one user group to another? These directions give way to different design strategies and considerations. In contrast, recall the much talked about Tropicana redesign that was hastily withdrawn from market earlier last year. The design was so disruptive that it was not easily recognizable to current users, who were likely to just "grab and go" in the juice refrigerators. As a result, alienated shoppers did just "go," and the brand lost significant volume overnight. Ultimately, brands must strike a careful balance in keeping the brand recognizable to current users while also making it disruptive to new users. As it appears, Tropicana weighed communicating to new users over driving recognition, and missed achieving that critical balance. According to the company, successful test-market sales led to a nationwide rollout and the company also witnessed improved perceptions of the brand in equity measurements. Closing the sale In order to close a sale, it is important to understand how the consumer will respond to simple claims vs. the need for extended education at shelf. Is your packaging achieving the goals you have for your product? If not, it might be time to revisit what your products are communicating from store shelves.

What Is Your Product Saying to Consumers?

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