Most companies instinctively know that good design makes good business sense. However, companies are at a loss on how to quantify its effectiveness. Without measurable data, package design will always be seen as an expense rather than an investment.
It is so important to understand the impact packaging can have on a product in order to justify it. To understand the impact we need to know what role packaging design is going to play in a particular instance.
The primary role of packaging design of course is a brand identifier. For new brands, packaging is a link to other symbolic associations, playing more of an educational role. By accepting design as a link to brand meaning rather than the brand meaning itself, it becomes easier to specify the quantifiable measures that packaging and design can be evaluated on.
Effective packaging will have a direct impact on the growth of a brand. This can be measured in volume or value of sales. Consumers are driven by emotions and purchase instinctively. Packaging can be a heavily persuasive influence on a consumer if it stands out and link’s to a consumer’s positive perception. With established brands, if packaging changes, you have sales figures to measure against that help identify the impact that design can have on growth.
Margin is another measurable factor that package design has on a product. A brand’s margin is affected by the prices it sells and the costs related to producing the product. Packaging design will directly influence the retail price of a brand. If a product is packaged effectively it will send strong triggers of its brand’s world, reinforcing consumer links to the product. At that point, the purchase will be made no matter the price. Elements in package design that initiate those triggers give their brands opportunities to generate higher margins.
So while packaging design is an expense for a company, it should also be looked at as an investment. Seeking influential package design should be based on what type of role that the packaging will play. If done effectively, packaging certainly contributes meaningfully to a company’s bottom line.
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Brand Packaging