Are You Packaging Confusion?

September 6, 2011 at 4:05 pm by Ted Mininni

Not naming any offenders here, but you know who you are.

If you’re a brand manager of a consumer product brand and your packaging has that “category look”, that is, the same shape, similar color and visual communication every other brand has in the category; you’re an offender. Even worse, if you’ve allowed your design team to knock off the leader in the category; you’re the worst kind of offender.

And what has it done for your brand?

Taking this tack only leads to confusion. Not to mention consternation, right where it does the brand the most harm: among consumers. Think of it: customers who intend to purchase your brand may pick up your competitor’s in their shopping haste. And vice versa. How do you think that makes them feel? Not pleased; I assure you.

And how does that build the uniqueness of your own brand? Especially if customers are buying it by mistake?

So please: take a good look at your brand and its assets. Do your research. Find out what your customers associate with your brand most and leverage that. Have the courage to break the mold and develop unique packaging for your brand. A strong brand identity, signature brand colors (irrespective of category), proprietary package structure, visuals and brand communication will leave no consumer in doubt about the product they’re looking at and purchasing.

In fact, daring to get out of the pack just might make you leader of the pack.

Have you ever inadvertently purchased the wrong product because the packaging looked too similar to the brand you usually buy?
How did that make you feel?
Are you sometimes confounded by the number of brands that look alike at the shelf and wondered why they would?

I’d love to get comments from designers, design students, marketers and consumers on this one. Let’s hear your thoughts.

Categories:

Branding, Package Design, Structure Design, Consumer Products, Marketing Thought Leadership

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