Whatever it is that you sell, the way you package up your product is an important part of your brand.
What does digital marketing have to do with my product packaging?
There’s always been a crossover between digital marketing and product packaging. A digital marketing strategy works hard to give customers an appetite to buy. It also tells the customer what it is that they’re looking for, figuratively, and literally. Imagine how confusing it is if they’re unable to identify your product because the packaging isn’t consistent with the marketing campaign. How hard will they work to try and hunt you down?
For online shoppers, there’s an even stronger relationship. The product’s packaging is often the first real, hands-on interaction an online customer has with a brand. If a digital marketing strategy targets environmentally aware shoppers, delivering their new purchase in non-biodegradable packaging can be very damaging!
The appetite for unboxing videos, where people film themselves opening up product packaging and post it online, doesn’t seem to be fading either. It’s a nice way of showing your audience what they can expect if they buy online, or what they should be looking for on the shelves.
How does product packaging help sell products?
Product packaging is designed to entice and engage attention. Like most advertising, it’s aspirational – showing the customer how the product solves their problem or gives them some sort of advantage.
It’s also a useful source of information, telling the consumer about the contents of the box, both literally with the written information, and emotively through the use of branding. We’ve reached a point where certain colours infer particular expectations for customers – Cadbury’s purple packets for instance!
Packaging and brand identity
Packaging gives a product a visual identity which should be replicated across digital marketing channels, reinforcing the cult of belonging.
The product you choose for your packaging should reflect your brand’s ethos, such as sustainable recycled packaging, or glossy high end finishes. The same thought process is used when developing a digital marketing campaign, taking steps to communicate what your brand is in order to attract the audience that will be interested in your product.
Your packaging fortifies the story you are telling through your digital marketing strategy, so take steps to make sure they are aligned!
