Simple is best
Retailers understand that offering a selection of unique, premium own-brand products is a good way to drive shopper loyalty. But such products might not sell well if they get lost amid a sea of national brand items. Therefore, packaging is possibly the most critical marketing vehicle for these products.
“You’ve only got three seconds” to get shoppers’ attention, says Michael Duffy, managing partner and executive creative director with global design firm Equator. “There are some things that are very important for the shopper to see straight away from the shelf.”
Duffy believes that a cleaner, “less-busy” package better communicates a premium message.
“However, that just means that if you’re showing less, then what you do show needs to be absolutely beautiful,” he states.
To start, the base color should be “deep” — such as black, which British retailer Tesco began using on its premium packaging about 15 years ago, Duffy says. Metallic colors such as gold and silver also help make a premium package more compelling.
“But above all, the most compelling and biggest, most important attribute is the photography,” he states. “The photography has to really elevate and raise the bar — and show the food to be … decadent, indulgent [and] beautiful.”
Additionally, a stamp or seal could help draw attention to what makes the product special, says Lee Gobbi, creative director with Galileo Global Branding, a division of Stamford, Conn.-based Daymon Worldwide.
But graphics should be used sparingly on packaging to make sure “the luxurious feel is not lost,” says Jessica Cahalen, director of marketing with Dallas-based Fusion Packaging, which develops packaging for the global luxury beauty industry. In fact, when it comes to packaging for premium beauty care items, she believes a brand logo is enough.
Be careful with callouts
The number of callout typefaces also should be limited, Cahalen adds.
“As a rule of thumb, brands should use no more than three different typefaces,” she states.
And retailers need to be very careful when choosing fonts, as the wrong font could send the wrong message. According to Gobbi, the right fonts for premium packaging typically include a clean sans serif and an elegant cursive/script.
The number of callouts also should be chosen with care, Gobbi says, as too many can make packaging too busy.
“If you have six or eight callouts on a pack, they’re usually going to start cancelling each other out,” he states.
Deborah Ginsburg, founder and CEO of Oakton, Va.-headquartered Strategia Design, goes even further, stating that retailers need no more than one or two callouts communicating the “true benefits” of a product.
“The quality in product, package and price value will support that position,” she states.
As for wording, quality matters more than quantity.
“The less copy there is — and the more to-the-point communication [is] about the product itself — the better,” Gobbi explains.
And the claims should not overpromise, Ginsburg says. Be honest without stating the obvious.
“Callouts should speak to the results, experience, feeling that one will have or get when the product is consumed or used,” she points out.
Also worth communicating are unique and distinctive product attributes, Gobbi explains.
“For example, including sourcing information is an important component, as it engages the consumer with the story,” he explains. “If you’re offering the highest-quality peach preserves, perhaps share information about where [the peaches were] grown, how the peach grove is harvested, and who the local or regional farmer or company that makes the preserves” is.
But communicate origin stories only if the product’s point of origin is an enticing destination.
“So if it’s a chocolate cake and it has chocolate from Belgium, you’ve got to talk about that,” Gobbi says. “If it’s a pizza that’s made by a family business … in Southern Italy, then you talk about that too.”
As for what not to communicate, phrases such as “no trans fat” don’t belong on premium packaging, Duffy explains, as such attributes are expected from high-quality products.
The word “premium” also should be avoided, Ginsburg says.
“It doesn’t mean anything anymore, and it immediately demotes the ‘premium-ness’ of the product,” she explains. “Also, avoid being ‘kitschy.’ I think understated, honest and authentic work best.”
Materials matter
As for the structure of a premium package, materials matter — especially in the beauty care category. Here, Cahalen notes that even the resin used in a package is important in delivering a premium message.
“There are certain resins that appear to be more [prestigious] — such as certain acrylics — and using a more premium resin can give the product an instant distinction,” she states.
Cahalen adds that, for the most part, package design enhancement shouldn’t require driving up costs.
“For instance, [we] recently packaged the Urban Decay Naked Skin Ultra Definition Loose Finishing Powder in a glass-like PMMA jar,” she states. “This resin makes the jar look very luxe, but the absence of glass makes it more conducive for travel, ideal for makeup artists’ kits, and a lovely experience with vanity appeal for the end consumer.”
And whether it’s for a beauty care product or a food item, an unusually shaped package can be a great way to show how unique a premium product is — and help it pop on shelf, Gobbi states.
A work of art — and of science
Beautiful photography, illustrations and typefaces all help packaging tell the story of the premium product inside. But overall simplicity can help packaging cut through the noise and stand out on shelves, says Ben Greengrass, creative director with global design agency Elmwood.
His company employs the theory of “biomotive triggers” — visual cues that stimulate consumers’ primal responses — which can be used “thoughtfully to instill feelings of luxury and desire.”
Simon Preece, Elmwood’s director of effectiveness, says biomotive triggers are sensory cues that affect the subconscious part of consumers’ brains, generating emotion and action before the conscious part has a chance to react. These triggers activate specific brain pathways that create immediate physiological and emotional responses.
“These help determine how we feel — everything from the level of interest we show, whether we approach or avoid a brand, [and] if we like or dislike it to how much we are willing to pay for it,” Preece says.
For example, a cusp shape signals fear and caution, he notes.
“You don’t need to be told that a thorn is sharp or a shark fin means, ‘Get out of the water!’” he states.
On the other hand, curves suggest softness, comfort and safety, Preece says.
“There’s nothing threatening about a peach,” he explains.
Eyes also trigger strong reactions, Preece notes.
“When someone looks at you, you look back at them to understand why,” he points out. “In nature, animals look at each other for one of four reasons: They want to fight, they want to feed, they fear or they fancy mating.”
According to Preece, biomotive triggers matter at retail because brands and businesses are logical and analytical — driven by rationale, numbers and targets — but consumers are instinctive, emotional and driven by their senses. More than ever before — especially given competitive and message clutter — brands need to make meaningful connections where consumers “feel something.”