Successful packaging can lead to increased sales, monetary savings and a more positive public image. The following are some examples of packaging successes and their outcomes. Now would be a good time to take notes.

Wal-Mart – a company that is known for attracting negative publicity but has been working toward sustainability – received positive attention recently for choosing Winterborne as their packaging provider. Winterborne was awarded a Converting 2007 Innovator Award for its EnviroShell package. EnviroShell is a 90 percent recyclable and recycled clamshell and the use of this packaging product reflected positively on Wal-Mart in the news media. The take-away? Sustainable packaging has benefits for the environment and for your business image.

Vaseline recently redesigned its brand through a packaging change. Prior to the change, the brand’s identity had been lost as it expanded. Different products in the Vaseline line had different logos and package designs and there was a lack of consistency. Blue Marlin stepped in and created a consistent, attractive, brand-cohesive logo that would stand for all Vaseline products. Blue Marlin made sure that each Vaseline product included classic blue plastic lids and they put a great deal of effort into matching the color of the logo to the blue plastic lids. Vaseline is now the fastest-growing personal care brand for its parent company, Unilever. What’s the take-away here? A strong, consistent brand combined with refreshing packaging can lead to an increase in sales for your business.

Mrs. Fields revamped its retail packaging to reflect a design similar to the redesigned Mrs. Fields stores nationwide and to play on the nostalgia associated with the brand. Tempting shots of cookies adorn the new packaging, which is now more consistent with the Mrs. Fields brand. This new packaging has earned positive reactions from media sources, especially within the packaging industry, appearing in such magazines as Packaging World. The take-away? Refreshing your packaging can strengthen your brand image and generate recognition for your company!

Get to know the message behind your brand and whether your packaging reflects that. Not every product needs repackaging, but, as in these cases, refreshing your packaging may lead to positive consequences for your company and brand.

We cannot stress enough how important it is to differentiate your product from the competition.  If there are comparable products, one of the main ways to differentiate your product is with packaging and design.  A creative and unique package will help your product stand out and “pop” on the shelf.

Coca-Cola did just that with their special edition bottles and cans of soda.  With custom packaging, they can create their own distinctive design that the competition can not compare to.  And since there is a limited amount of these designs produced, they could become collectors’ items.  Since they are eye-appealing with creative design, along with the fact that they are rare, these bottles are likely to be snatched up from the shelves.  Here are some of our favorite special edition Coca-Cola bottles and cans that we found online:

You can package your product in a simple white paper sleeve or paperboard mailer and we can help you with that. There are lots of projects that this type of packaging is perfect for.

However when you are talking about products for the retail market, either on-line or at a bricks and mortar store, movie and music enthusiasts choose the physical product over a download for one reason… The Packaging.

The following is a short list of movie and music reviewers and their thoughts on the packaging and the value it adds:

Rev/Views DVD & Television blog

Review of the first season of the TV series “Chuck“:
“Now I am a bit of a packaging enthusiast, mostly because I feel I’ve invested money in purchasing DVDs and as such I want them to look nice on the shelf and work well.”

Creative Review blog

Review of “Glastonbury The Movie“:
“At a time when you can get online and simply download music and films, really it’s down to the packaging of albums and DVDs to make the tangible music or film product a viable option to the consumer.”

Pulse Wrestling blog

Review of the WWE “Randy Savage Ultimate Collection“:
“As someone who collects a lot of disc based stuff (hardcore video game collector here), I like it when the stuff occupying my shelf looks good.”

MamaPop blog

Review of “Wilco (the album)”:
“certain bands, you need to buy the physical recording, because there’s packaging that speaks to what the album is and isn’t.”

NSRMTB blog

Review of “Tipping Point“:
“To all those out there that would rather download a DH DVD than buy one you are going to miss out on some cool packaging and shame on you.”

Bring on Mixed Reviews blog

Review of “The Dear Hunter“:
“The album’s packaging is also something to behold. The time and effort put into the old timey photos that double as track lyrics/notes, is simply amazing. If you have The Prize Fighter Inferno‘s album “My Brother’s Blood Machine” then you know what I am referring to, it returns my faith in the CD medium, where so many have abandoned it for hollow digital downloads.”

These are just some of many comments that prove that the packaging adds value to an album or movie.  You could decrease piracy and downloads by investing in custom packaging that is creative and eye-catching.  By doing this, you are making the physical product of your album or movie a must-have for every fan.

When you walk into a store, what is it that makes you want to buy a product?  Is it the actual product itself or the presentation of the product with custom packaging that grabs your attention?  It is usually a combination of both.  Consumers typically have at least somewhat of a need or want for the actual product itself if they are going to buy it, but the creative packaging is really what makes it stand out on the shelf over the competition.

So what is it about creative packaging that draws us in?  The bright colors, the different shapes and sizes, the unique design.  It’s not something we see everyday, it’s new and exciting, our curiosity wants to see more.  The packaging is such a huge part of marketing, because products are so similar and the packaging could be the slight differentiation from the competition.  Meterdown displayed some creative packaging designs that they found:

Box designed to custom-fit the shoes.

Coca-Cola holiday bottles look like ornaments.

See your dream sports field as you open your new athletic shoes.

Workout with your sports drink.

Eco-friendly paper water bottles.

Unique shoe box.

Innovative milk carton.

Banana case to protect from bruising.

Make sure no one eats your sandwich.

Creative juice boxes that look like the texture of fruit.

Custom packaging can truly turn your product into a creative masterpiece that gets consumers to stop and stare.  It adds value to your product with an exceptional look that is fit to meet your needs.  Consider getting an eye-appealing customized package for your product or your next project and you could see the results that a quality product presentation gives.

Creativity and innovation can be a part of both the product and the packaging with a connected theme. By doing this, consumers are interested in and drawn to your product more than they would be with plain packaging. With custom packaging, you can create a design that matches the personality of your product.

WDARU designed a line of creative tea bags for Maum that feature a variety of different little people that hook onto the side of your cup. They come packaged in boxes that match the theme of the characters inside. These cute little bags make drinking tea fun and different each time, which is a great way to get kids to drink tea.

With these fun designs, people are sure to grab Maum tea off the shelf. With some thought and creativity, you can really transform your product into an attention-drawing piece of art. By creating a series of custom packaging, you can differentiate your product from the competition and keep your customers coming back for more.

Set your product apart from others. Gain recognition for your creativity in packaging. This is what custom packaging is all about. Recently, I stumbled upon some truly unique packaging that Turner Duckworth – based out of San Francisco and London – created for Motorola.

Turner Duckworth was challenged to create a totally unique, eye-catching and product-tailored packaging design for their phones.

Here is what they came up with:

This design was created to compliment the MOTOROKR, a phone that doubles as an MP3 player. The stereo design shows off the functionality of the product in a custom way.

For the MOTORIZR, a package was created that illustrates the sliding motion of the phone. The box design includes “tatoos” with varnished surface textures.

The packaging for the MOTORZR was created to exude a glamorous image. The highly reflective, jewel-like finish shows-off the reflective gleam of the actual phone.

This example illustrates the impact of custom packaging. Not only does is it more attractive and eye-catching than standard packaging options, but it fully reflect the product it contains.

To find out more about custom packaging or to find out how you can create a custom package of your own, contact Sunrise Packaging at (763) 785-2505 or toll-free at (800) 634-8160.