The Power of Packaging
For the past week, I’ve been into Great Value brand chicken nuggets. They come out of the air fryer great, and mix well with Mac and Cheese (yes, I have the palate of a child).
Yesterday, while I was frying a batch, I decided to read the package. I then saw a strategically placed message:
No Added Hormones.
This was exciting. I didn’t know that other brands put hormones in their chickens, and I was thrilled to see that Walmart wasn’t.
Then, I kept reading, and soon regretted giving Walmart any credit at all.
They can’t have added hormones due to federal regulations.
This is inherently disingenuous and predatory. It’s also a high-value ad, placed moments before the POS.
“But Trevor! That’s not an ad, it’s just a package!”
Yes, that’s true. But in brick-and-mortar stores, packages are the last chance brands have to earn a conversion.
In this instance, Walmart took a (likely) inferior product and gave it a “perk.” They then bet on lazy consumers missing the much smaller disclaimer, opting to take their hormone-free chicken without wasting more time. Shoppers won’t question the benefits of hormone-free chicken. They’ll just grab the product and move on.
In brick-and-mortar stores, a good package can influence a purchase moments before the POS. If a customer makes it to the “chicken nugget” aisle, they’ve already decided that they want nuggets. Well-designed packaging can use this to its advantage.
(Quick aside: there are academic papers on this subject that are pretty interesting! JSTOR is a beautiful place)
Here’s another framing method: 265 million customers pass through a Walmart each week. If they all see your product, that’s 265 million impressions. Why waste that?
There are ways to make a package: a graphic approach or a solid material. Graphics are powerful, and when coupled with strong copy, can convey a plethora of emotions. They also allow you to deliver one last message to a consumer with text, just like Great Value does with their nuggets. That said, these packages don’t quite exude luxury. For more sophisticated brands, it may be better to use a solid material with minimal fluff. Generation Bee takes a sleek and simple approach, with glass bottles and gold lids to justify a premium price tag.
Good packaging should match your brand voice. It should feel in line with your other marketing materials, and it should convey the same emotions as your product.
For instance, Great Value’s hated rival and chicken nugget tycoon, Tyson, makes iconic Dino Nuggets. Each nugget radiates joy and whimsy, just like the cartoon dinos on the package. Oftentimes, I’ll see the package, make eye contact with one of the dinos, and ultimately spend the extra few bucks. Packaging took a product that could have fallen by the wayside, illustrated its emotional appeal, and made dino nuggets a staple in my 21-year-old diet.
One of the tragedies of online shopping is the lack of packaging. On Amazon, the closest thing you get to a traditional package is the product title. That title is written for SEO, not flair or flavor. This deprives brands of chances to tell their story. I can’t criticize brands that prioritize SEO, but I can acknowledge that it makes Amazon less of a playground of consumerism and more of a capitalist machine.
Packaging is a playground for creatives, and should be baked into your advertising strategy. It’s the last thing consumers see before making a purchase, making it a perfect opportunity to give your audience a final message. Whether that’s with words, aura, or both, one look at your package can make the difference in any purchase.
