4 Tips for Getting Your Package Messaging Right
Whether it’s wrapped in laminate packaging or anything else, a product has mere seconds to attract a shopper’s attention and convince them that it’s the right choice. While the packaging has many duties, one of the most important ones is to demonstrate the product’s benefits quickly and effectively. Here are four tips that the big guys in marketing use to make the magic happen.
1) Clear the Clutter
Because consumers race through shops at break-neck speeds, they just take a moment to look at each individual product. Marketing pros know this, so they simplify labels and retain purely the most important information. This helps to ensure that a shopper will see all the vital details at a glance. Marks & Spencer does this beautifully with their line of cleaners. The front labels of their line are very crisp and hold only the information a shopper needs right away.
2) Choose a Single Message
Again, this goes back to speed and easy identification. Whether the product is reformulated, new, or the brand endorsed by doctors, only one message is displayed. Great care and consideration go into choosing the most influential message for each product. Cadbury does this very well. As a well-known brand, their main message is almost always the company name on a familiar purple background. This makes it very easy for a person to identify and decide to purchase their product instantly, whether it’s wrapped in foil or in laminate packaging.
3) Understand Shopper’s Eye
Studies have actually been done to track eye movement as people look at products. What the experts have learned is that people don’t read labels as they would nearly all other things. Rather, their eyes are generally pulled to the most dominant thing near the center of the package. In fact, about two-thirds of shoppers will miss information if it’s near the corner of the package instead. Campbell’s is a prime example of this. Their medallion logo is always centered on the can, with their name above it and product name below it. It’s very rare to see any additional information away from the center of the item.
4) Utilize Graphics
The active consumer is too busy to stop and read. The more information that can be shared with graphics, the larger amount the consumer will take in. Experts in marketing will also keep these images simple and will generally make sure the colors contrast the package so the consumer is more likely to see it. One of Iron Brew’s latest designs is a prime example of how this is done effectively. The silver graphic on an orange background jumps out from the blue text area and tells the shopper that it’s a powerful drink.
Effective marketing directly on your laminate packaging is essential for getting the product off the shelves and into the hands of shoppers. The pros have done research and use tried-and-true methods to ensure their products are noticed. However, even the smallest manufacturer can achieve similar results, provided they take note and develop a messaging strategy that’s based on consumer habits.