In a world where snap judgements by consumers can make or break a brand, packaging form and aesthetics have a crucial role in deciding if the product will make it to the shopper’s trolley.
Movie as a product is consumed in two to three hours. A lot goes on behind the scenes to make a motion picture. The number of people involved in a project, the props, multiple locations, costumes, budget, scripts going through multiple iteration, raw stocks, cameras, lighting, editing, sounds and songs reach a crescendo on a Friday night.
Everything a director, producer, actor, editor, cameraman, dress designer, spot boy, light boy, caterer, props supplier, accountant, marketing manager, actress, actress’ over-zealous mom…has been working towards to deliver a hit movie — is put to the ultimate litmus test on that Friday afternoon. In a sense, the film’s fate is sealed at 3:00 pm.
Similarly, a brand’s fate is sealed every day in the stores. The journey of a product from its origin to packaging and finally to a retail shelf is staggeringly long — from the source of raw materials and special ingredients and packaging material to the factory, company depot, distributor and lastly to retailers, spread all across the country. For a brand, the ultimate realisation of this long journey and all these inputs lies in the last two feet of shelf space in a retail store. That’s the irony of a brand’s life!
Welcome to the world of consumers making choices in short spans. At the point of purchase, the development of two things are slowly becoming the differentiator — crossing this two feet distance is most critical and winning brands are shifting more and more focus towards them.
Packaging improvements
Successful brands are improving and enhancing the packaging form and aesthetics. Many of us have vivid memories of talcum powders, baby foods and malted beverages in staid tin canisters, soaps in uptight, clearly defined, solid shapes wrapped in plain paper wraps, etc. Those were the days when design aesthetics were overlooked and basic functions or deliveries of the products were propounded. Not so long ago, plastics like polyethylene, polypropylene, PET etc. started replacing most metallic packaging by virtue of their easy availability, low cost and better design flexibility.
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Out went rigid containers. Instead, new shapes, designs, colours and forms were instituted. In the process, within the span of the decade, consumer goods moved ahead to evolve as fast moving consumer goods. Experimentations with dynamic design elements in packaging gave brands a new-found shelf appeal. The products of today have much better pick-me-up qualities. The evolved design software and CAD CAM tools of today ensure that the customer picks up a certain package at least once from the shelf. A well-designed pack will end up longer in the customer’s hands. The more a customer lingers over the package, the better the chances of her putting it in the trolley.
Apart from functional design and format of the package, another aspect of packaging that has developed over the years is graphics. The look and throw of the designs on the packages compliment the shape.
From being basic functional designs on the packs, graphics have helped create artworks, which add a boutique-style look to the packaging.
The trend of limited-edition packs in premium categories like wine, liquor, chocolate, confectioneries, essences and perfumes, etc. have all the more fuelled and channelled creativity in this segment. The rub-off effect is seen on FMCG products that now have visually appealing graphics, colour combinations, forms, etc. to help a brand stand out among the shelf clutter and shout out to the customer.
In-store engagements
Once inside a store, most consumers don’t just buy what is on their shopping list. This is the age of store wars — brands have realised that adversity opens doors to innovation.
Innovation, experimentation, etc. were brought in to make customer engagement as interactive as possible. One of the most famous innovations in customer engagement came not from the FMCG world but from a paint company when it launched signature stores equipped with a mechanism for the rookie customer to create her own shade. The experience brought back consumers — in this case, home owners — to the stores, unheard of in that industry before.
Of late, domestic companies as well as multinationals in personal care products, processed food, home consumables etc have been devising novel ways to engage customers at the store where they are assured of their attention. This new space scored over traditional media in conversions, since the brands conversed with the target group directly.
And this nexus of the brand-retailer-customer is growing stronger over time. Quite a few companies now earmark budgets for in-store activations.
Companies in evolved product categories like high-end skin care, hair care, beauty care, oral care are able to build relationships with their consumers through these activations.
On the part of the consumer, she is happy and feels important when the brand talks to her directly. Gone are the days where a brand could be simply lying and idle on the shelf hoping someone would come and pick it up.
The focus on packaging development and activation at the store level are just the first steps. They will see a big surge in the year to come. In the arena of the store, the brand that travels the last two feet wins the gold. There’s no silver in this game.
Devendra Chawla
President, Food Bazaar category, Future Group