What’s Packaging Got to do With It?
So it may sound a bit discriminating to judge by appearances only but if that’s all the information you have, you don’t have much of a choice. We all judge and form opinions on a daily basis when we are faced with the outer shell of a product. For all we know, the box or bottle containing a product can be an empty shell but at least we have the tangible presence of the product through its outer skin, the packaging. We hold and examine the packaging intensively, searching for confirmation of making the best decision possible in the few minutes we have out of our congested lives. Sometimes we may only have a few seconds to form a decision. What occurs in those few seconds have a tremendous impact on companies vying for consumers’ attention, “Pick me! Notice me! I’m different! I’m better!”
Well, so what if that product has better packaging? Isn’t what’s inside the dispensable packaging much more important than what’s on the outside? For the sake of first impressions, the packaging is definitely the last tip that can work for or against a product. If companies only relied on good faith that the quality of their products will win consumers’ loyalty, they’re wrong. It would be like finding someone attractive for only their personality; as if the initial physical attraction had nothing to do with it!
To put the consumer mindset to the test, the perfect experimental ground was the Natural Products Expo West in Anaheim, which had a record attendance of 52,000 attendees during March 14-16, 2008. There were 4,000 exhibits on display and even the Health and Beauty section alone was another world. There were just too many that not even a full day would be enough time to visit every single exhibit. The only way to single them out was through great packaging, which was the magnetic pull and by far, the quickest way to narrow down the choices.
As I passed by numerous booths, my neck suddenly craned out to check out a tall, lean and slightly curved bottle, coupled with a shorter cylindrical container that also curved in the same manner, maintaining the uniformity of the design. The material of the bottles and containers had a translucent quality that gave the products an airy and elegant look-and-feel.
Ok, so I was hooked onto the packaging. The product overcame its first hurdle of outshining the thousands of other organic body care lines. The first impression was a positive one. The next question is what went into creating this bottle? After I have the product in my hands, I want to know if sustainable measures were taken and whether this organic company holds true to its “natural” and “organic” philosophy. The end product is just not enough anymore. In our growing population of conscientious consumers, the means to the end do matter.
According to IRI’s (Information Resources, Inc.) study on consumer behavior, about 50 percent consider at least one sustainability factor when purchasing a product. There are four key factors consumers consider when making brand selections: organic, eco-friendly products, eco-friendly packaging and fair treatment of employees and suppliers. About 30 percent of consumers look for brands that are eco-friendly products and packaging.
This surge in responsible consumerism is not just a fluke or a fleeting trend but it is a new mainstream attitude that is here to stay. As more and more conscientious consumers demand sustainable products, companies have to cover all their bases from start to finish. And for organic companies, there is the added responsibility of maintaining their credibility as environmental stewards.
So did that tall, lean and elegant bottle live up to its reputation? The company’s web site described its packaging as being “packaged in the most original bottles,” which seems to be a mystery to me. Another organic skin care company that I didn’t have the chance to visit but was told that it was the most “organic skin care out there,” didn’t have an eye-catching packaging design but it certainly fulfills consumers’ expectations in terms of sustainable practices. All containers and packaging are made from recycled plastics and paper, respectively, and soy ink is used for printing. Luckily the product has substance to back itself up; now it just needs a new makeover to make first impressions count.
>Written by d/visible contributor Ruth Hwang.
