Over the years I’ve written a lot about packaging.
In the main, I love it … it can be incredibly powerful, influential and valuable.
Of course, sometimes it can also be a load of ol’ bollocks but when it’s done right, it can encourage someone to buy something they never thought they would ever buy.
The reason I say this is because I recently bought a Jawbone Up – a Fuel band competitor – and was impressed how they made sure their packaging did some of the selling for them.
This ‘wearable tech’ isn’t cheap and so retailers tend to keep them locked away to minimise the dangers of theft.
While that’s all well and good, it means that it can be hard for people to choose the correct size of product because they are labelled ‘small, medium and large’ without ever defining what those terms really mean.
And that’s what impressed with Jawbone.
You see they built the size of the product right into the packaging – meaning you could try it on without actually trying it on.
What do I mean?
Well this is their packaging …
… but if you look a bit closer, you can see the bit the retailers use to hang the product off their hooks, actually doubles as the wrist size comparison …
Smart, easy, effective.
So for someone who is debating whether to buy the product but are worried they may end up buying the wrong size, this packaging feature allows them to ensure they get the perfect fit and make the purchase in confidence.
You might think this situation is unlikely, but quite often purchase decisions are made on little details … things that many in adland don’t recognise or don’t think is important.
Packaging is much more than just a delivery mechanism or a brand recognition tool, when done properly it can form part of the overall brand experience [ie: Apple or Tiffany] and help overcome inherent audience purchase obstacles … which is the sort of stuff, clients dream about.
I know some packaging designers can talk more wank than politicians and advertising folk combined, but if you spend some time finding out how they think [rather than talk, ha] you may find you not only learn something, but it can help – or inspire – you to come up with more interesting and effective solutions to your clients issues.
Of course not every problem can be solved by great packaging, just like not every problem can be solved by advertising [despite what certain people say] … however, in the last few years, I have seen more interesting and varied packaging solutions than ad ideas and for that alone, it’s worth checking things out.
And finally, before anyone says I am disrespectful to NIKE for buying an UP rather than a Fuel Band, I would like you to know I not only own a Fuel Band, but I wear it alongside the UP … making me look like Duran Duran’s Nick Rhodes during their ‘Wild Boys’ phase.
The things I do for research. Ahem.
