Συσκευάζοντας που πωλεί

Για το τελευταίο ζεύγος των εβδομάδων έχω καλύψει την αρνητική εντύπωση που οι καταναλωτές έχουν για τη συσκευασία. Έχω προσπαθήσει να τεμαχίσω όλος ο να κομπάσω και παραληρών από τα άρνηση-sayers για τη συσκευασία που δεν λειτουργεί.

Ακριβώς την προηγούμενη εβδομάδα η εθνική ομοσπονδία της Μεγάλης Βρετανίας των ιδρυμάτων των γυναικών (NFWI) προώθησε μια εκστρατεία που δίνει έμφαση στις σπάταλες πολιτικές συσκευασίας υπεραγορών. Χορήγησε αυτό ήταν στο UK, αλλά οι παρόμοιες πρωτοβουλίες θα μπορούσαν να συμβούν εδώ. Το έλεγξα έξω εν συντομία και δεν το παίρνω. Παραπονιούνται για μια συσκευασία που κρατά τα τρόφιμα προστατευμένα και υγειονομικός. Πρέπει να προετοιμαστούμε και να γνωρίσουμε ότι υπάρχουν nonsensical λόγοι ότι η συσκευασία σας μπορεί να έρθει κάτω από την πυρκαγιά. Ακριβώς να είστε βέβαιος ότι καλύπτετε όλη βασισμένη σας και προσδοκάτε εκ των προτέρων πότε δύναμη έχετε ένα πρόβλημα.

Το κύριο πράγμα που απεικονίζει είναι ότι ο ρόλος της συσκευασίας έχει αλλάξει. Οι δυσφημιστές ακριβώς δεν καταλαβαίνουν τι η συσκευασία κάνει πραγματικά. Δεν πρόκειται αρκετά πλέον για τη συσκευασία ακριβώς να φτάσει το προϊόν στο λιανικό περιβάλλον σε έναν ικανοποιητικό όρο, τώρα πρέπει «να πωλήσει» το προϊόν επίσης. Η συσκευασία διαδραματίζει έναν ακέραιο ρόλο στην απόφαση να αγοραστεί ένα προϊόν ή όχι. Το πρόβλημα είναι ότι τι οι καταναλωτικές επιθυμίες αλλάζουν συνεχώς. Οι τάσεις αγοράς έρχονται και πηγαίνουν. Έχω αναφέρει τις θέσεις αύξησης εμφανιμένος στη βιομηχανία τροφίμων πριν. Η αντιστοιχία στην αύξηση είναι θέσεις που μειώνονται επίσης. Ακριβώς όπως δήλωσα «σε αυτό που είναι στο μπουκάλι σας.» Οι εμφιαλωμένες πωλήσεις ύδατος ξεπέρασαν πρόσφατα τις πωλήσεις σόδας. Άρχιζα να σκέφτομαι ότι η εμφιαλωμένη αγορά ύδατος τρυπήθηκε έξω επίσης. Αλλά η δημιουργικότητα δεν παύει ποτέ να με καταπλήσσει. Χαιρετίζουμε ακόμα τις νέες εμφιαλωμένες εισαγωγές προϊόντων ύδατος και υπάρχει μια αγορά για ακόμη και τον πιό εσωτερικό καταναλωτή.

Είναι σημαντικό να γίνει κατανοητή η εξέλιξη της συσκευασίας επειδή τώρα τα προϊόντα χρησιμοποιούν τη συσκευασία ως αρχικό εργαλείο πωλήσεων. Gone is the day of the sales clerk who answer your questions about the product. The role of the package is no longer passive. Its has to “speak” to the consumer both literally and figuratively. (Talking packages are the wave of the future.) Think of all the great packaging applications available if your package talked and could tell you how old the product was, what you should serve it with or that you need to buy this companion product. What a sales tool!

That’s only a fraction of what the new packaging can do. Most importantly, it is imperative that you think about your product package. Does it “connect” with the consumer? In a sea of sensory overload what is going to make your package different? It could be shape, color, size, uniqueness of design or even smell. Are you utilizing any of the new smart and intelligent applications packaging applications? Does you package fulfill a need and explain in clear concise statements the benefits of buying your product. Is it easy to read and understand?

So start your analysis by viewing your package from the eyes of the consumer. If you are buying it, what’s going to compel you to pick it up off the shelf? Is it just sitting there lost amongst rows of competitive products? Think in terms of your package calling out to you “buy me, buy me.” Does your product do this? If not, your package isn’t doing its job. It must persuade the consumer to purchase the product. Thinks about some of the latest packaging innovations and how to incorporate them into your product packaging. Consider the consumer mind set. Is your package perceived in a negative light negating the benefits of the product within?

All these questions need to be answered. Don’t simply to address them in the initial package design; it’s an ongoing process. As I mentioned at the beginning of this piece, the consumer is a moving target and your package has to move along with them in the right direction. Be sure the consumer you are trying to capture receives the right message.

Here are a few types of packaging coming under fire by consumers that could impact your success or failure:

• Products that are perceived to be over packaged
• Products that are in clamshells
• Products that are misleading as a result of the claims on the packaging
• Products that are in packaged materials deemed environmentally unfriendly
• Packaging that doesn’t work
• Packaging that doesn’t deliver as promised

So think about your product packaging right now and determine whether it is helping to sell your product, or not.

About the Author:

JoAnn Hines is the Chief Executive Officer at J.R. Hines International, a firm providing consulting services in the packaging industry. For over 30 years, Ms. Hines has been engaged in packaging trends, forecasting, ideation/brainstorming and implementing innovative new packaging technologies.

Need insights on packaging trends that can impact your business? Get the Packaging Diva on your team. Visit PackagingUniversity.com to find out about the latest packaging innovations.

Packaging The Truth

The Prevention Institute, a nonprofit health advocacy group out of California, studied 37 heavily marketed foods with pictures of fruit on the packaging. Fifty-one percent of the products contained absolutely no fruit, a few had minimal amounts!

Yikes, you have to be vigilant on all of these fruit claims!

Just take a stroll down the fruit juice isle and try to figure out which product is real 100% juice.

We all have had that experience of buying something based up its package or label and then find out what is inside is not what we expected. I know it?s wishful thinking that we can believe all those fantastic marketing claims (a lot of people do as evidenced by the product?s popularity). Think get thin quickly, eliminate wrinkles in 10 days and, the new favorites, protect your heart or lower your cholesterol. The last example is a tribute to the fact that marketers are finally talking advantage of marketing to an aging population.

Consider the recent flurry of activity regarding misleading claims on trans-fats. Companies are taking this seriously and changing their claims.

People are concerned with what we perceive to be “healthy” as listed on the package?s ingredients statements and then find out that it is misleading or false. Some claims (even though they are within the context of the law) can lead consumers astray by giving foods an undeserved “aura of health.”

Here is the definition for false advertising which includes packaged goods:

False Advertising?”Any advertising or promotion that misrepresents the nature, characteristics, qualities or geographic origin of goods, services or commercial activities” (Lanham Act, 15 U.S.C.A. ? 1125(a)).

So think about that when you are developing your product packaging. Can your claims be substantiated or are you “stretching” the truth, as in the case of fruit pictured on the outside but not actually inside?

I found lots of great information on how to read and understand a packaging label. It is confusing even to a seasoned professional. It is almost as if they are deliberately confusing the consumer into make a purchasing decision. I did a little investigation before writing this article and was shocked by the number of product manufacturers that have been sued for false advertising claims. This is a huge expense to defend the claims or pay to settle one that we consumers pay for in the product price.

From cold sore treatments to orange juice, they all have been sued for making unsubstantiated claims on their product packaging. Things as simple as this lawsuit against cereal packaging claims was aimed at food companies including Kraft Foods, General Mills and Kellogg alleging that “low sugar” breakfast cereals are leading the customer astray.

The suit claims that these cereals are misleading because they are not any healthier than cereals with regular levels of sugar. The food industry, in general, is coming under increasing pressure from food lobby groups and parents, to ?clean up its act? and offer healthier alternatives to help combat the obesity epidemic facing America. Sugary cereals are frequently cited by these groups as guilty culprits, encouraging children to eat empty calories instead of nutritional whole foods.

No product packaging is immune. Consider these “hot” buttons currently being scrutinized if you manufacture products that make claims on any of the following attributes:

• Weight loss claims to reduce or lose weight in a specified manner or period of time.
• Healthy choice claims which imply or state benefits to a consumer from consuming.
• Organic or natural food claims that indicate the product is uncontaminated or pure from chemicals and additives.
• Nutrition claims such as rich in vitamin C that can not be proven or the alleged benefits proven.

This is just a start. Look for proof of environmentally friendly packaging and materials to be in the next wave of packaging being heavily scrutinized. Is it really “green” or just “greenwash?”

You can’t stop the lawsuits and media spin; however, you can ensure you do your best to prove to the consumer that what is on the outside of the packaging is also what is inside.

About the Author:

JoAnn Hines is the Chief Executive Officer at J.R. Hines International, a firm providing consulting services in the packaging industry. For over 30 years, Ms. Hines has been engaged in packaging trends, forecasting, ideation/brainstorming and implementing innovative new packaging technologies.

Need insights on packaging trends that can impact your business? Get the Packaging Diva on your team. Visit PackagingUniversity.com to find out about the latest packaging innovations.