Silent sellers
Packaging 3 Packaging design is of vital importance during an economic downturn—because customers want to be able to recognize their products on the shelf. This is how the industry is defying cost pressures and trends toward more standardized containers.
Packaging 3 Packaging design is of vital importance in the economic downturn - because customers want to recognize their products on the shelf. They are silent salespeople on the shelf who quickly communicate which need they satisfy better than the product standing right next to them," says Werner Lang, founder of the packaging design agency Design by Desire, summing up the most important requirement for packaging from a marketing perspective. Packaging has long since had to fulfill more than just protective, wrapping and logistical functions. This can be tested most impressively with a small experiment: anyone could distinguish a shard of glass from an Orangina belly bottle or a waisted Coca-Cola bottle from those of other bottles.The fact that uniqueness is increasingly being sought in packaging - a low-involvement element of communication - is obvious given the shifts in the marketing mix caused by cost pressure. Especially as the clear design message with its identifying characteristics is not only the most direct but also the cheapest way to reach the consumer's heart - without having to say much about it.
Philippe Guignards, PR manager at ARD Graphic in Vevey, probably speaks for the industry when he says: "We haven't felt the effects of the crisis yet." Not only does his brand and packaging design office have the best neighbor it could wish for: Nestlé, one of the largest packaging clients in the world, is just a stone's throw away. ARD Graphic even recently received a silver Mermaid for Findus' ready-to-eat meal bowl. The PDA Pan European Brand Design Association's design award was first presented in 2002 and symbolizes the growing self-confidence of an industry that has long been overshadowed by the communications sector in Switzerland. For designer Lang, this is incomprehensible, as packaging is the most durable and therefore most important medium in the marketing mix and "the justification of the advertising promise" par excellence.
Umbilical cord to the consumerIn the field of packaged goods, Klaus Brandmeyer, Director at the Institute for Brand Technology in Geneva, believes that the increasing importance of packaging and the information it conveys is no longer limited to the supermarket. "Packaging is the only way to maintain the connection to the manufacturer, even without a salesperson," he says. In addition, good packaging - concisely and independently designed - is still regarded as the best embodiment of the product and the brand idea.
This has been proven to be the strongest way of creating customer loyalty to a product or brand. Brigitte Meier from Pro Carton Switzerland confirms this with a German study conducted by the market research company Facit among 300 consumers and 31 experts. The results show, among other things, that TV advertising generates by far the most attention for a product and also entices consumers to buy a product for the first time. "However, whether the first purchase is followed by a repeat purchase is decided on the basis of the packaging," says Meier.
Trilingual restrictionsConsumers and experts agree on credibility and information content: packaging is far ahead of advertisements, TV commercials and even the internet. But it is precisely the desire for more information that limits the freedom of packaging designers in trilingual Switzerland, says Franco Miani, Head of Training and Communication at the Swiss Packaging Institute SVI. However, this is not the only reason why distinctive design, i.e. standing out from the competition, is becoming increasingly difficult to achieve.
As important as packaging may have become in the marketing mix, it remains astonishing that it is still mostly created in advertising agencies. But even if it is developed in one of the many Swiss design companies, it is like squaring the circle because of the battle between marketing managers and packaging technicians. While the former see packaging that attracts the buyer's attention with its choice of materials and design, the technician first thinks about standards and efficient processes, "which often leads to abstruse results, as the solution is not sought together," Miani reports.
Brandmeyer sees further reasons for the increasing uniformity on the shelves in the fear of doing something that others are not doing. Combined with the bogus argument that you have to ensure that you are immediately perceived as belonging to the industry. "In addition, the belief persists that you can compensate for a lack of difference in packaging with differentiating advertising."
Pierre Barth, Head of Marketing and Sales at Limmatdruck/Zeiler, sees the reason for so much hesitation in the highly dynamic markets, in which product cycles are becoming ever shorter. Innovation is then usually limited to the product. "People often fall back on classic packaging for cost reasons, but this can gain uniqueness through print quality and increasingly versatile finishing techniques and thus make a name for itself at POP," says Barth.
The small domestic market also plays a role. Those who cannot sell European quantities find it difficult to refinance the high investments in special packaging systems, Miani points out. Cost management has influenced packaging design in recent years much more than globalization and the concentration movement. "Trying new experiments can be very costly. Being the first requires a lot of entrepreneurial courage." When Limmatdruck/Zeiler, which is spoiled with prizes, says that, it means something. Franco Miani from the SVI is aware of the framework conditions, but above all he sees a great need for training and education across all disciplines. The packaging expert complains that "a lot of untapped potential is being wasted", particularly among marketing people on the client side.
However, Werner Lang, who switched from a traditional advertising agency to his own design agency, is also aware of consumer inertia: "The design codes are fixed for all segments and have therefore been learned by consumers. Breaking this rule would require a great deal of communicative support." Miani sees no disadvantage in the generally conservative, conventional Swiss packaging design: "It always depends on the target audience. Other markets may be more open to more creative packaging than our market. But we are also seeing a decrease in skepticism towards packaging here. The Swiss are receptive to credible packaging whose design is in harmony with the product."
The trend is towards convenience and individuality with constant research into sustainability and recycling. However, it is difficult to draw an international comparison in packaging design. There are already major differences in materials and volumes between the industrialized countries alone. "Until recently, both packaging production and the packaging machinery industry were primarily nationally oriented," says Barth. Apart from the growing use of standard containers by international multinationals, no global trends in packaging design can be identified. There is therefore no question of uniformity, says Miani: "Packaging design itself does not set trends. It always reacts to regional trends and adapts to country-specific requirements."
His statement can be illustrated by the cleaning agent Ajax: While flavors with fruit aromas are well received on the market in Mediterranean countries and the packaging is kept in warm, sweet shades, consumers north of the Alps prefer cool blue or green packaging because the fresh mountain scent is easier to sell.
The only trend in the Swiss market is probably that, despite discount lines, packaging will not be less, but different, sometimes more and more environmentally friendly. Nobody seriously believes that designers could run out of work because of M-Budget. "M-Budget is a typical Swiss Migros phenomenon that will probably remain unique in its success," Miani is convinced.
It is TV advertising that entices consumers to buy a product for the first time. According to the consumers and experts surveyed, however, it is the packaging that encourages repeat purchases.
Philippe Guignards, PR manager at ARD Graphic in Vevey, probably speaks for the industry when he says: "We haven't felt the effects of the crisis yet." Not only does his brand and packaging design office have the best neighbor it could wish for: Nestlé, one of the largest packaging clients in the world, is just a stone's throw away. ARD Graphic even recently received a silver Mermaid for Findus' ready-to-eat meal bowl. The PDA Pan European Brand Design Association's design award was first presented in 2002 and symbolizes the growing self-confidence of an industry that has long been overshadowed by the communications sector in Switzerland. For designer Lang, this is incomprehensible, as packaging is the most durable and therefore most important medium in the marketing mix and "the justification of the advertising promise" par excellence.
Umbilical cord to the consumerIn the field of packaged goods, Klaus Brandmeyer, Director at the Institute for Brand Technology in Geneva, believes that the increasing importance of packaging and the information it conveys is no longer limited to the supermarket. "Packaging is the only way to maintain the connection to the manufacturer, even without a salesperson," he says. In addition, good packaging - concisely and independently designed - is still regarded as the best embodiment of the product and the brand idea.
This has been proven to be the strongest way of creating customer loyalty to a product or brand. Brigitte Meier from Pro Carton Switzerland confirms this with a German study conducted by the market research company Facit among 300 consumers and 31 experts. The results show, among other things, that TV advertising generates by far the most attention for a product and also entices consumers to buy a product for the first time. "However, whether the first purchase is followed by a repeat purchase is decided on the basis of the packaging," says Meier.
Trilingual restrictionsConsumers and experts agree on credibility and information content: packaging is far ahead of advertisements, TV commercials and even the internet. But it is precisely the desire for more information that limits the freedom of packaging designers in trilingual Switzerland, says Franco Miani, Head of Training and Communication at the Swiss Packaging Institute SVI. However, this is not the only reason why distinctive design, i.e. standing out from the competition, is becoming increasingly difficult to achieve.
As important as packaging may have become in the marketing mix, it remains astonishing that it is still mostly created in advertising agencies. But even if it is developed in one of the many Swiss design companies, it is like squaring the circle because of the battle between marketing managers and packaging technicians. While the former see packaging that attracts the buyer's attention with its choice of materials and design, the technician first thinks about standards and efficient processes, "which often leads to abstruse results, as the solution is not sought together," Miani reports.
Brandmeyer sees further reasons for the increasing uniformity on the shelves in the fear of doing something that others are not doing. Combined with the bogus argument that you have to ensure that you are immediately perceived as belonging to the industry. "In addition, the belief persists that you can compensate for a lack of difference in packaging with differentiating advertising."
Pierre Barth, Head of Marketing and Sales at Limmatdruck/Zeiler, sees the reason for so much hesitation in the highly dynamic markets, in which product cycles are becoming ever shorter. Innovation is then usually limited to the product. "People often fall back on classic packaging for cost reasons, but this can gain uniqueness through print quality and increasingly versatile finishing techniques and thus make a name for itself at POP," says Barth.
The small domestic market also plays a role. Those who cannot sell European quantities find it difficult to refinance the high investments in special packaging systems, Miani points out. Cost management has influenced packaging design in recent years much more than globalization and the concentration movement. "Trying new experiments can be very costly. Being the first requires a lot of entrepreneurial courage." When Limmatdruck/Zeiler, which is spoiled with prizes, says that, it means something. Franco Miani from the SVI is aware of the framework conditions, but above all he sees a great need for training and education across all disciplines. The packaging expert complains that "a lot of untapped potential is being wasted", particularly among marketing people on the client side.
However, Werner Lang, who switched from a traditional advertising agency to his own design agency, is also aware of consumer inertia: "The design codes are fixed for all segments and have therefore been learned by consumers. Breaking this rule would require a great deal of communicative support." Miani sees no disadvantage in the generally conservative, conventional Swiss packaging design: "It always depends on the target audience. Other markets may be more open to more creative packaging than our market. But we are also seeing a decrease in skepticism towards packaging here. The Swiss are receptive to credible packaging whose design is in harmony with the product."
The trend is towards convenience and individuality with constant research into sustainability and recycling. However, it is difficult to draw an international comparison in packaging design. There are already major differences in materials and volumes between the industrialized countries alone. "Until recently, both packaging production and the packaging machinery industry were primarily nationally oriented," says Barth. Apart from the growing use of standard containers by international multinationals, no global trends in packaging design can be identified. There is therefore no question of uniformity, says Miani: "Packaging design itself does not set trends. It always reacts to regional trends and adapts to country-specific requirements."
His statement can be illustrated by the cleaning agent Ajax: While flavors with fruit aromas are well received on the market in Mediterranean countries and the packaging is kept in warm, sweet shades, consumers north of the Alps prefer cool blue or green packaging because the fresh mountain scent is easier to sell.
The only trend in the Swiss market is probably that, despite discount lines, packaging will not be less, but different, sometimes more and more environmentally friendly. Nobody seriously believes that designers could run out of work because of M-Budget. "M-Budget is a typical Swiss Migros phenomenon that will probably remain unique in its success," Miani is convinced.
It is TV advertising that entices consumers to buy a product for the first time. According to the consumers and experts surveyed, however, it is the packaging that encourages repeat purchases.
Luca Aloisi
