Why Focus on Packaging Design?

Don’t judge a book by its cover. We’ve all heard this expression, but still, we all do it. Literally, if a book has a beautiful cover with an eye-catching image, chances are you will pick it up and flip through it. The same is true of consumer goods, whether a box of cereal, a cleaning product, or a pair of socks. If the package is not immediately visually appealing to a customer, the product, no matter how good, can end up languishing on a store shelf.

Packaging vs. Marketing

When launching a product line or re-thinking an established brand, what your product looks like is one of the most important decisions a company can make. Package design is a foundation for the rest of the brand and is a decision that must be pondered at the onset of the business process, not just as a marketing device. Packaging has to be more than marketing, because it is truly the front line of customer interaction. Why is packaging so key? The product is the purest expression of your company’s brand. Good packaging can make the consumer feel as if the brand belongs in their home, making the point of sale purchase even easier. And, generally, there’s not much that can equal the power of a customer actually using and enjoying your product in their own home.

Continues at: Why Focus on Packaging Design? : Marketing :: American Express OPEN Forum.