packaging plays a critical role in the success of a product. A product’s packaging can be used to target a specific demographic, create an emotional connection with customers, and even increase brand loyalty. Through effective packaging, a business can create a lasting impression on consumers and ultimately increase its sales.
In his study Khairuddin (2003), stated that packaging plays a major role in the marketing strategy of the organization, and many products can be observed that have gained a competitive advantage as a result of changing their packaging, including soft drinks, perfumes, toothpaste, and canned goods, and some cases in which packaging can play a strategic role will be presented:
- Change of packaging and packaging:
The marketer may change the packaging as a result of the development in the packaging materials industry, or because he feels that the existing design of the packaging does not keep pace with the times, especially when compared to competitors’ designs. A food production and packaging company in the United States changed the packaging design of its products without changing any other element of the marketing mix, resulting in the company’s sales jumping by 44%.
2. Multi-purpose packaging and packaging:
What is meant by the package and the multi-use packaging is the packaging that can be reused for purposes other than the original purpose of its use, including jam and honey containers, which can be used as cups for drinking or preserving food after the contents of the package run out, which would increase the company’s sales if the consumer prefers this type of package.
3. Multi-unit packaging:
Some companies may pack two or more units of goods in one package, to increase demand for the commodity at the point of consumption (e.g. in the consumer’s home).
Basic functions of packaging:
There are four basic functions of packaging referred to by Smith and Taylor (2004):
- Product protection and containment: The packaging must protect the product during storage, transportation, and use, for example, for pharmaceutical products, packaging must be created that protects against misuse by children (in the case of children using pharmaceutical products, chemicals, etc.).
- Convenience and convenience in terms of ease of use (providing persuasion): The package must provide persuasion or suitability, especially when using, starting from opening the package, pressing it, using the product, and also when stacking, storing, and using in various places, it is necessary to use packages that are very convincing and appropriate for food products, every minute you spend improving the persuasion process can create a competitive advantage, Khairuddin added, (2003) A good packaging must be characterized by its ability to facilitate the use of the commodity because the ease of use of the commodity means the satisfaction of the consumer, which in turn leads to higher sales and increased profitability.
- Marketing communications: Before focusing on the communication aspects of the packaging, it must be noted that the previous functions of packaging are all independent. The first and second functions, protection, preservation, persuasion, and convenience when used, are both indirectly related to each other. For example, if the product becomes Damaged, distorted, or spoiled, so all that remains is a negative image despite advertising, publishing media, and promotional sales that claim the opposite. Similarly, if instructions for storage, opening, or use are not communicated to the consumer, the packaging loses its special ability to protect and persuade.
The marketing communication function of packaging can be divided into small groups of different functions:
- Attract the attention of the shopper passing by the store.
- Urging those who see the package that the content and content match the aspirations and hopes created by the advertising message, as the package itself convinces the consumer passing in front of it to buy, saying, “Buy me”
- Building the personality of the brand and establishing links and links between it and the buyer.
- Build loyalty with the consumer through packaging attributes that:
- The most beautiful on the table.
- Distinguish and easily remember a store that contains at least 9000 products.
- Easier to use inside and outside the home compared to other competitors’ packaging.
- It guides the consumer on how to use the product in order to maximize its benefits.
- It provides the consumer with the necessary information such as instructions for use, ingredients produced, country of origin … Etcetera.
- The silent salesman: The packaging must play the role of a salesman because it is the last tool, and sometimes it is the only opportunity to contact the consumer and sell the commodity to him. Other elements of the communication mix can be lost amid competition and a lot of loud commercial messages directed to attract the consumer’s attention, the packaging must scream at first and bravely to attract the consumer’s attention and then lower its voice to go back to make the product features It comes to the fore. The packaging can create a dialogue with the consumer in different ways: attracting, arousing interest, arousing unconscious aspirations, and, above all, persuasion. The package can excite the consumer or remind him of an advertisement he has seen before about the same product, through which the mental image remains in the consumer’s memory, and it is aroused through a close glimpse of the package, especially if the package includes some images from the advertisement.
Smith and Taylor (2004) also added that Heinz packaging is sometimes called trigger packs because they create dialogue and communication between them and the consumer, which is more powerful and powerful than the sounds of strong advertisements, so the biggest designer of the packages Michael Peters called them the term (visual magnet) visual magnet for the package, meaning that the packaging must urge the consumer On the purchase and thus breed has loyalty to a sign.
The study of Ashaduzzaman and Mahbub, 2016) added that packaging is the salesman of the product. The elements of verbal and visual packaging are among the tools of sales promotion, due to the change in the consumer’s lifestyle and reliance on self-service, and therefore they play a major role in the process of marketing communication with the consumer and thus affect his purchasing decision.
The above concludes that the role of packaging has changed from being just protecting and containing the product to a product promotion tool, due to the change in consumer lifestyle, self-service dependence, and intense competition between the brands of one product, which prompted companies to rely on packaging and its elements in the process of marketing communication with the consumer and then influence his purchasing decision.
Sources:
Khair El-Din, Omar Hassan (2003), “Marketing – Concepts and Strategies”, Ain Shams Library, Cairo.
Smith, P. and Taylor, J. (2004), Marketing communications An Integrated Approach 4th Edition.
Ashaduzzaman, D. and Mahbub, F., (2016), “Understanding the Role of Packaging Elements on Buying Detergent Powder in Dhaka City: A study on Bangladesh”, Asian Journal of Business Research, Vol. 6, No. 1, pp: 19-33.