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Are We Too Focused on Cutting Costs in Package Design?

November 7, 2011 at 12:35 pm by Ted Mininni

It’s inevitable. In a recessionary economy, cost cutting becomes the first consideration. But I’ve been wondering: are brand managers losing sight of the customer by putting cost cutting first when it comes to packaging?

Instead, why not look at packaging as it exists now? Why not step back from the “foregone conclusion” of cost cutting, so that the entire package design system can be assessed and overhauled to deliver more value first?

• Does existing packaging work well for the customer?
• What works? What doesn’t? How can it be improved?
• How are older consumers interacting with packaging? Is it challenging for them to read its brand communication and open it to access the product?

Why should marketers be concerned about consumers aged 50 and older? First, they own 80% of the financial assets in the United States. Secondly, they account for half of all discretionary spending. So shouldn’t brand managers pay attention to this important demographic group?

Shouldn’t marketers and package designers be paying attention when a recent survey, A.T. Kearney's “Global Maturing Consumer Study”, conducted in 23 countries around the globe, pointed to older consumers’ concerns about packaging? Over 50% of consumers between the ages of 60-70, almost 60% of those between 70-80 years old and a whopping 66% of those over 80 report difficulties with current packaging for a variety of reasons.

What does all of this say about creating that vaunted positive customer experience marketers profess to focus on for their brands?

The core question should be: how can we manage costs while delivering a better package design system? When developing design briefs, addressing customers’ problems with packaging as the center of focus will in the long run do more to build value for the brand, lead to repeat sales and profits as well as customer retention. Let’s reorient our thinking about package design so that customer experience comes first.

The point: seniors purchase products for themselves, their children and their grandchildren. Products they purchase range from food and beverage to toys, games and electronics.

• How can package structure modifications make the product easier to hold and open in a less challenging manner?
• Can costs be cut by making package structure a bit smaller or lighter or deliver more value by being less difficult to unwrap? Especially in the case of toys?
• Can seniors be tapped for their input on package brand communications? Can fewer, more targeted communications be used? Can font/point size be punched up just a bit? All of these changes make packaging much easier to read.

In short: what can be done to make packaging a more positive experience for seniors, the most loyal of audiences to brands that deliver?

Are there packaging examples of brands that make it easier for mature customers to interact with them from a structural and graphic design perspective? Let’s name names and give kudos to those that do.

Brand managers and package designers: we'd love to hear from you on this one.

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