Packaging is what makes a brand stand out on the shelf, drives consumers to make impulse purchases, and engages the customer far beyond the initial transaction. It also needs to be fit for purpose, having a logistical function in transporting and protecting your product. Therefore making sure your packaging ticks all the boxes, whilst remaining within budget, is of paramount importance to businesses wanting to gain increased market share.
Packaging Innovations London returns to the Business Design Centre in two weeks. The show has grown at a phenomenal rate, and sees big names such as Estée Lauder, Burberry, Harrods, Sainsbury’s and Stella McCartney, and many more visiting the show.
Now in its fourth year, it is bigger than ever, with over 170 exhibitors, four packaging areas, a packed learnShops programme and plenty of show floor ‘theatre’ in the form of The BIG Packaging Debate, one-to-one advice and the Lions’ Lair.
To understand why Packaging Innovations London is an important part of these brands’ calendar, we spoke to Paul Day, Packaging Technologist at Neal’s Yard Remedies, who will be speaking at the show on ‘Innovating Normal to Premium - the Neal’s Yard Remedies Way’ to find out why he thinks packaging is so important when selling a product.
Paul Day comments: “As human beings we are attracted by shape and colour. The first contact with any product is the outline shape combined with brand colour; it can be odd or streamline, as long as it attracts our interest we will spend time investigating. Then the questions begin: Does it fit with my expectation of this product? Does it fit my personality and style? Does it match my needs and wants? Does it match my budget or is it so desirable, I’ll buy it on credit, no matter what the cost?
“Packaging has the power to evoke many emotions in us; do we spend the time evaluating these when developing graphics and packaging? Successful brands do,” concludes Day.
This year’s show will also feature its first ever Beauty Symposium, run in association with The Red Tree Consultancy. Stirling Murray, CEO & Founder of The Red Tree, a leading international beauty brand consultancy, adds his point of view on the role of packaging in selling the product:
“It’s vital to understand the chaotic context in which beauty brands must stake a claim, fight to grab attention and finally delight with ease in use and application. That’s no small order. This is exactly where primary and secondary packaging has to work at its very best – the penultimate hurdle (the formulation is the final hurdle) between success and failure.
“If outer packaging looks like so many other competing brands and is lifeless and dull its impact and the potential for purchase is minimal. If the primary packaging disappoints in use and makes a great formulation difficult to apply then the potential opportunity for repurchase disappears. Beauty brands are about symbolic value creation, and packaging is one of the most important tools for getting this right.”
Pat Starke, Creative Director at Design Activity, also explains why he thinks packaging is so important when it comes to selling a product:
“Packaging design and branding are essential to selling a product. Whether online or on-shelf, packaging can turn a product into a life-affirming brand. The packaging presents the product and reinforces the consumer’s reason to believe in the brand. As brands fight to be top of mind in the consumer's awareness, it is the physical packaging and graphics that are the most important weapons available to them in their campaign. More robust and longer lived than advertising, innovative packaging and graphics are a constant reminder to the consumer of a brand’s core values.”
Design Activity is just one of the many top design agencies showcasing their latest work within the Brand & Design Village at Packaging Innovations London on 1 & 2 October 2013, at the Business Design Centre.
Packaging Innovations London is co-located with Luxury Packaging and the Brand & Design Village, featuring all the latest packaging designs, solutions, trends and developments. The Contract Pack area of the show also provides the perfect place to meet professional outsourcing partners.
To visit for free register via the show website
