Alan Gilbody

You always need to ask why. Why do I need that?

If the packaging design doesn’t successfully communicate, what specific need of the consumer the product is meeting, the chances are you’re not going to convince the consumer to put it in their shopping basket.

Take this example from Dole. There is probably nothing more convenient than a piece of fruit. You can tell when it’s fresh, you can tell what it’s gone off, it’s got its own handy wrapper provided by nature and you know it’s healthy.

Plonk the same item in a plastic pot and you have a bit of challenge on your hand unless you convince the consumer what benefit you’ve added by doing that.

Consumers don’t buy products they buy solutions. Always make sure yours is obvious.

#Marketing, #Design, #Branding, #Packaging

If your product commands a premium price point then the onus is on the brand to explain to the consumer why that price is deserved.

Take a brand such as that in the image below. The grapes seem hurriedly cut out and lack those subtle touches of depth of field, texture and lighting which evoke better ingredients and elevated taste.

The trouble is that it’s competing with many own brand offerings which are positioned at a much lower price point.

This requires the big brand name to set out exactly why the consumer should part with their hard earned cash and why this product in particular is a much better proposition.

It could be about having the freshest grapes or grapes that are picked at just the right time. That said, if the image doesn’t match the story that the brand wants to portray the consumer will never be able to extract that key and emotive piece of storytelling.

If you’re going to charge a premium and use images, make sure they tell the correct story and pull you apart from the cheaper alternatives or you will always be competing on price.

#Branding, #Design, #Marketing, #Packaging

If you’re working with a celebrity endorsement on a brand, how far should the celebrity endorsement go and ultimately which is more important the brand personality or the celebrity personality?

You could argue that a brand should pick a celebrity that matches its key values and. That would make the most sense as you are then adorning your brand with attributes that support what you want to say an how you want to say it.

Have a look at this example from Gordon,‘s partnership with Maya Jama. It’s probably fair to say that all Gordon’s assets have been diluted in favour of the celebrity endorsing the product. Whilst this may only be a limited edition, this departure does tend to work against the brand that it’s meant to be supporting.

Whilst Gordons may not be steep in high end quality there is a certain pedigree and heritage that should still be respected and I feel in this instance it’s moved it too far over to an alco-pop from the early 90s. Probably not the intention.

So if you’re picking a celebrity to endorse your brand, make sure you don’t dilute your assets in favour of theirs. Also, make sure both share the same personality so that the elements work in harmony rather than contradict.

#Marketing, #Design, #Branding, #Packaging

Here I s a fantastic example that shows the benefit of creating a robust pack architecture and hierarchy of information.

In fact, it’s so good you don’t actually need to understand the originating language to see it in action.

In the example shown there is a wealth of information presented to the consumer. It fills every available square inch of space on the front of the pack.

In theory cramming the pack with so much information, all squished up next to another, should be a challenge for the consumer, but what this example does brilliantly is create a hierarchy through colour and size.

There is a misconception that we read from top to bottom when we are accessing information on pack, the truth is that you actually read the most accessible piece of information first, in this instance the white text on the black background.

When you have lots to say like here, always ensure the other of the voices on pack know their importance in the orchestra and sing in harmony.

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There are lots of brands that consumers associate with a recognisable delivery mechanic.

The Coca-Cola bottle or the Tic Tac box for example. All of these formats are great visual shortcuts to the brand and help differentiate them from the competition.

If you’re the owner one of these unique little assets it’s always advisable to use it as part of your communication.

Take Yakult for example, they were pretty much the first little bottle of gut friendly bacteria and that’s something to be proud of. Consumers instantly recognise the angular, signature one shot bottle.

That said, on their outer pack, they seem to disguise the shot bottle by using the same colour as the background, which from a distance, tends to diminish its impact somewhat.

These unique little assets are hard-fought for many brands, if your brand is associated with one them, you’re in one of the lucky few and should showcase in all its glory!

#Packaging, #Marketing, #Design, #Branding

Negative space on pack is powerful if used well, but don’t let its usage be detrimental to your communication

A little moment of calm on packaging can be a great way to own the shelf. It gives somewhere for the eye to rest and can aid in shelf blocking.

However, this should never compromise the rest of the communication on pack. Have a look at this example from Hartleys. All the communication has been squished into a small area on the front of the packaging making it impossible to read at a distance.

The net result is that the whole pack becomes unbalanced and the information inaccessible with the sugar-free communication taking more of a lead than the brand communication part.

Brands should always adapt their communication to fit whatever canvas it’s going on. What may work on a pot doesn’t necessarily work on an outer carton.

Negative space can be an incredibly useful tool but never leave the communication fighting over the remaining space.

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Capturing tradition and authenticity can be a superpower when done well. Particularly if your brand has a particular pedigree or provenance.

The downside however, is that sometimes this can cause brands to look a little dusty and old-fashioned to f not handled correctly.

It’s a very fine balancing line.

Have a look at this brand for a great case in point. While it is arguably steeped in heritage and provenance, because it has been executed with both feet in the past, it looks like it’s from the 70s or 80s.

Use tradition if it’s relevant to your brand but always make sure it’s balanced in a contemporary. A dated brand will never capture the demanding and evolved tastebuds of today.

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Woah woah! Slow down! One thing at a time

Some packs bombard you with messaging and it can be too muck to take in.

Packs become arduous and challenging to decode with important information getting lost.

Have a look at this from the tinned powerhouse, Princes. It is quite literally information overload.

So much so that the brand gets lost and multiple claims and benefits jostle for the consumers attention.

What should be an easy to decode canvas turns into a pound shop window!

Consumers only have about 5-7 seconds to scan the shelf and make a decision. Overload them with information and they’ll look elsewhere.

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A question for you. What is it that first stands out on this SRP?

Is it the brand logo? Is it plant based? Is it the colour or possibly the product descriptor?

Possibly none of the above, in fact it’s safe to say that it’s incredibly confusing as to what lies within!

The pack design and the SRP should work in synergy. They should work as a coherent design system that allows immediate recognition and instant decoding by the consumer.

Cover over the brand logo on the pack and the system is clearly not optimised.

Care should always be taken to ensure that a robust design system is created that allows all of these components to work together. That’s what builds recognition and stronger brand recall.

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One thing that functional snacks often forget is taste appeal.

Taste is often compromised in favour of dialling up the functional benefit and when the competition in this sector in increasing exponentially, taste credentials can be your best friend and key differentiator.

Take a look at this example from Grenade. From memory, Grenade was one of the first functional protein snack launches, but whilst the competition have moved in favour of increased health benefits, Grenade has been firmly stuck in its energy laden past.

It simply doesn’t scream yummy. The product shot is far too small to make out any of the textured detail and looks incredibly flat and ‘manufactured’

This has always tended to make it feel like the most artificial option when in fact it’s actually a high-quality product.

But it’s not just the taste appeal that it lacks. If the main benefit is high protein and lower sugar, it’s incredibly important to convey to the consumer exactly how much protein you’re giving them in a clear and succinct way.

#Design, #Marketing, #Packaging, #Branding