Marketing: the importance of packaging products appropriately

• 1. packages perform many sales tasks—from attracting attention to describing the product, to making the sale

• 2. attracting attention is the most crucial function. Companies are realizing the power of good packaging to create instant consumer recognition of the company or brand

• 3. the package may be the seller’s last change to influence buyers. ‘five-second commercial’.

• The pic of...appears on the boxes of a certain brand of soft drinks, to convey an image of fitness, energy and vitality. Its sales tripled in one year

• In recent years, numerous factors have made packaging an important marketing tool.

• Increased competition on retail store shelves means that packages now must perform many sales tasks -- from attracting attention, to describing the product, to making the sale. Among these, the first one is undoubtedly the most crucial function. Companies are realizing the power of good packaging to create instant consumer recognition of the company or brand. Nowadays, in an average supermarket, which stocks 15,000 to 17,000 items, the typical shopper passes by some 300 items per minute, and 53 percent of all purchases are made on impulse.

• In this highly competitive environment, the package may be the seller’s last chance to influence buyers. It becomes a “five-second commercial”.

• More recently, the picture of a smiling Tiger Woods, the golf guru, appears on the boxes of a certain brand of cereals, apparently to convey an image of fitness, energy, and vitality. The effort has not been wasted – its sales tripled in one year.

• In brief, while good packaging can serve many practical purposes, it is with its utility in effective product promotion that marketers are primarily concerned.