When it comes to marketing, chances are good you think of things like social media ads, email marketing, PPC campaigns and the like. Those are all part of the process, and can be valuable tools. However, you could be missing out on one of the most effective options at your disposal – your product packaging. What role does product packaging play in your marketing success, or lack thereof? How can you leverage it to drive profitability and growth?

How Does Packaging Tie into Marketing?

First, let’s discuss how your product packaging ties into your marketing efforts. It doesn’t work like email marketing or direct mail flyers. It doesn’t work like social media ads, or PPC ads for that matter. This can make it difficult to gauge the value of your packaging, but make no mistake – it matters a great deal.

Your product packaging is one of the most important elements in establishing your brand within the minds of your customers. The right packaging will tie into your company’s quality, ethos, personality and more. The wrong packaging will give your customers the wrong impression completely, and tarnish the image of your brand.

Here’s an example – think of Apple’s packaging. It ties in directly with the company’s brand, as well as the rest of their marketing efforts. It’s classy, sleek, and polished. It’s also high-quality and solid, a reflection of what the company’s products evoke within the minds of customers.

Now, what do you think would happen if Apple suddenly did away with their sturdy boxes and thoughtful design and opted to go with plastic clamshell packaging? The brand’s image would take a hit. It would come off as cheap, or even shoddy.

The same concept applies to your own product packaging. However, it goes deeper. You cannot mask a subpar product in high-end packaging and expect to succeed.

What Your Packaging Must Do

Your product packaging must do several things. It must appeal to your customers. It must tell them what the product is, who your company is, and why the product is relevant to their life. Of course, the product within that packaging must deliver on the promises made, or you will disappoint your customers, which will lead to them defecting to your competitors.

Your packaging needs to stand out and catch the attention of your customer, but it needs to do so in the right way, in a way that is relevant to both your product and your customer. For instance, gaudy, bright primary colors on the packaging might work well if you’re selling a children’s product, or your brand is about being bold, vibrant or joyful. However, it likely will not work if you’re trying to evoke a sense of calm and tranquility.

Your packaging should also feature a relatively simply design. One that is too busy will really just detract from the message you’re trying to convey, and can muddy the waters, leading to consumer confusion and a lack of sales.

Finally, your packaging needs to trigger some sort of emotional response and engagement on the part of your customers. Once again, look at Apple’s packaging. It triggers an idea of quality, refinement, and prestige. You need to trigger the same emotional response in your customers, but one that is relevant to both your brand and your product.

With the right product packaging design, you can build brand recognition and sales, boost profitability and help ensure growth. However, the wrong packaging design can have dramatic negative repercussions for your success, and can lead to a drop in sales or even damage your brand.