There's Still Time to Design Your Way into a Great Holiday 2020 Season

March 12, 2020 Brand Packaging, Retail Kits9 Minutes

packaging

Seasonal Packaging: Brand Recognition at Your Fingertips

How important is seasonal and holiday packaging to brands? Considering that packaging has become the primary face of any brand and product, regardless of the time of year or season, it is safe to say it is extremely important. A company’s brand tells a story—it adds personality and animation into the consumer’s perception of that company. As brands compete for attention in an ever-growing market of products, packaging has become key to helping brands rise above the clutter and there’s no better time than the holidays to put a limited edition special pack or promotional kit in-stores/online. There’s just enough time to start and finish a project efficiently (adding to your ROI) if you get going in April.

A Quick History Lesson

While holiday or seasonally-themed product packaging may seem like a relatively new concept, the act of packaging gifts has been around for centuries. Originating in Asia, around 2nd Century B.C., the Song Dynasty would gift money to government officials in ornamental envelopes made of bamboo, hemp, and rice.

In the West, elaborate packaging was much slower to catch on. The Christmas card wasn’t developed until 1843, and took until the 1860’s to gain increased popularity.

Especially around Christmas, the increase in popularity of cards eventually led to the development of Victorian decorative papers to accompany the cards. These papers, however,  were expensive to produce and were only affordable to the wealthy.

As gift-giving became more accessible to the masses, packaging became more popular as well. Ranging from wrapping paper and ribbons to printed boxes and unique containers, more varieties of packaging were created to satisfy holiday and seasonal needs.

So, what are some of the best ways to rise to the top during any season, holiday, or event? Here are a few steps to determining how to choose the best packaging for your target customers, all year round:

1. Choose your holiday (or season, or celebration…)

Depending on your product, some holidays will be more effective for holiday packaging. Foods and beverages normally do well on all occasions—Valentine’s Day, Easter, 4th of July, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas, for example. Other products might find it harder to make connections as easily, but could make a huge splash with seasonal milestones that are aligned with their brand voice and point of view.

As an ever-increasing number of celebrations pop up on a global scale, like Pride week, Women’s Day, Earth Day, and China’s Single’s Day, products and packaging can find ways to attract more consumers and boost brand recognition and loyalty.

For example, Skittles found a way to support Pride week with their “Give the Rainbow” packaging, where they changed their rainbow-colored candies and packaging to white.

Image: AdWeek, June 2016

Image: AdWeek, June 2016

 2. Order appropriately

When planning seasonal and celebratory packaging, there are more things to consider than design. As exciting as it may be to showcase great packaging for the occasions, be sure your forecast is dialed.

There are ways to avoid this, of course. One way is to include packaging changes that can be removed, such as a label or ribbon. Another way is to make limited time only GWP or PWP special-packs that are easy to gift and typically under $29 retail encouraging busy shoppers to buy more than one. 

3. Show them something special

During high-purchase holidays, vying for shoppers’ attention is competitive. Adding a touch of creativity to primary and secondary packaging designs are ways to rise above the noise.

Nutella proved this with its idea of offering customers the chance to personalize jars with their names or to purchase original packaging designs labeled as “limited editions” (7 million designs, to be exact)—to great success. We’d love to see them do this again with multiple trial-size snacks that are fun to dip — would be great social media fuel.

 

Image: DeZeen, June 2017

Image: DeZeen, June 2017

 

Image: The Body Shop, 2018

Image: The Body Shop, 2018

 

4. Make it sustainable

Sustainable packaging is also a way companies can reinforce special packaging—for holidays, celebrations (like Earth Day), or an all-year commitment, especially with millennials and Gen Z, though not limited to them. Consumers are more conscious than ever about reducing their ecological footprint and demanding companies provide more environmentally friendly packaging. One way to respond to this is by offering reusable packaging such as ornate bottles, good TSA bags, dopp kits, clutches, or hinged cases. The Body Shop is known for this, often presenting its gift ranges in tins that buyers can put to other purposes once they have used the product itself. 

5.  Create something luxurious

Clearly, product packaging for holiday, seasonal, and celebratory events must be extraordinary and special in some way. To stand out, you need a great packaging design for the products you provide (primary) and the secondary packaging so you can boost sell-through, paying attention to both the visual and tactile elements.

Luxury packaging is an art, and a custom box can be the canvas. Here are some practical tips for creating experiential packaging that keep consumers coming back for more:

  • Visual: Choose the right color! Simply put, the right color sells more. Human eyes are especially attuned to the subtle influence of color and, of course, it helps if the color you imagine during the design is the actual color that prints. Special, custom colors and finishes are a great way to give packaging a one-of-a-kind, distinctive look. Those custom colors stand out in wall of brown boxes, greens and reds and Christmas time, or the standard “natural” colors that line the shelves.

  • Tactile: The sense of touch is important, and as Vivabox has said many times before, it is usually one of the only physical touchpoints a consumer has with a brand. Human beings are wired to respond to physical touch, so the experience is important to brand recognition and loyalty. For example, because consumers are influenced by the look and feel of packaging when making purchase decisions, a well-designed custom box can be embossed (raised lettering or artwork) or it can be debossed (recessed), it can be coated in felt, RPET, papers that feel like wood or linen, and so much more.

Image: Neutrogena Hydro Boost, 2019

Image: Neutrogena Hydro Boost, 2019

 

Every consumer is influenced by packaging. It’s important to remember that the person buying your product is more than likely buying it for someone else. Since they are buying for other people, first impressions matter, mainly because many consumers consider the outside packaging to be a reflection of the quality of the product inside.

Although holidays and certain seasons can be busy, your brand and business can benefit from these packaging strategies, if planned correctly. Vivabox can help your brand meet modern packaging needs for any holiday or seasonal event. Contact us for details.

Looking for a solution? We can help.

Headquarters

9211 Corporate Blvd Ste 110
Rockville MD 20850

Satellite Offices

Dallas, TX
Paris, France
San Francisco, CA
Scottsdale, AZ

Email

info@vivaboxsolutions.com

Phone

800-529-1988

Minimum Order Quantities:
RPET Totes: 3,000
Kraft Shoppers: 5,000
Rigid Boxes: 3,000
Folding Cartons: 5,000


What a White Label VIP Customer Care Service Could Add to Your Business

April 29, 2019 Concierge, Loyalty4 Minutes

packaging

As a business looking for opportunities to get ahead in the marketing and service focus of modern retailing, your first instinct may be to do it all yourself. Unfortunately, that is not always the best solution.

Building a customized, high-touch VIP customer care solution from scratch by attempting to meet the exact specifications of your business can be time-consuming and complicated. That’s because building your own solution can lead you to make mistakes, like spending too much money developing tools and solutions that already exist in other formats, or you may miss out on resources and expertise in the specific space where you need a focused solution. Or you simply don’t have the bandwidth to train, monitor, and launch a specialized high-touch customer service team.

These pitfalls are easy to avoid if you opt for a white label solution, rather than building one yourself. White label products and services, like the Vivabox VIP White Label Customer Care Service, help you deliver on your Brand Promise & Customer Care commitment using our outsourced team who operate under your “banner” — that’s the white label part.

Vivabox’s White label VIP Customer Care Service offers you the following benefits:

  • High-touch, limited quantity & limited time only rewards, gifts, influencer packages, and pop-up shop gifts, and special experiences need a specialized customer care team experienced in delivering above and beyond. We do that for you.

  • Our team uses software, yes, but they’re people. Real people. Customer care experts adept at delivering special products and special value to your most important customers.

  • It’s quick and easy to brand. We represent your aesthetic, tone, and service level as if it was…you! White label solutions are generally fully integrated, which makes branding easy. You can be free from concerns about needing to spend time and money on research or development because white label services are doing the work for you. Simply enough, we help propel your brand’s experience for you so you don’t have to cut corners that could backfire on your brand identity.

  • You can scale your services portfolio. The most significant benefit of using white label marketing is to broaden your offerings. You don’t need to specialize in each and every service that you offer, and outsourcing provides a much broader range of services for your business.

  • You can focus on your core competencies. Core competencies benefit from scaling your services. In many cases, the solutions that companies hope to build themselves fall far outside of their areas of expertise. It’s not smart to stretch your resources to do something that doesn’t fit within your core competencies. Pre-packaged solutions offer your business an opportunity to trust the experts in the specific space you are focused on, and avoid making the same mistakes that others have made before you.

  • Improve your customer loyalty, retention, and NPS. Broaden your rewards and event strategies. With a third-party provider taking responsibility for most important service delivery, you can focus more time and effort on managing your retail spaces, relationships, and product array. Every time your Growth or Marketing team comes to you with a special promotion, or award tier, you won’t have to say no to them just because you don’t have the capabilities in-house.

White label solutions, like the one Vivabox provides, help businesses use unique branding and high-touch customer care so you can offer a product or service without investing in infrastructure or technology creation. Done and done — at the speed of today’s retail environment.

Looking for a solution? We can help.

Headquarters

9211 Corporate Blvd Ste 110
Rockville MD 20850

Satellite Offices

Dallas, TX
Paris, France
San Francisco, CA
Scottsdale, AZ

Email

info@vivaboxsolutions.com

Phone

800-529-1988

Minimum Order Quantities:
RPET Totes: 3,000
Kraft Shoppers: 5,000
Rigid Boxes: 3,000
Folding Cartons: 5,000


Augmented Reality (AR) 'Smart Packaging' Opens Up New Packaging Potential

February 25, 2019 Brand Packaging, Creative, Retail Kits5 Minutes

packaging

We talk a lot about how packaging is one of the few tangible relationships a brand has with the consumer, as well as its importance to a brand’s narrative and loyalty. This recognition is based on the density of smartphone ownership, sales trends, and overall connectivity.

During a time when everything is mobile (yet everything still has a barcode), augmented reality (AR) packaging, aka digital or smart packaging, is here. It’s the next frontier in experiential branding because it offers enormous untapped potential for retailers and brands to revolutionize packaging and the way they connect and engage with consumers today.

At a time when marketing departments are spending more on digital advertising than ever before–and users are connecting to the web through mobile more than ever before–brands are sitting on an unrealized mobile marketing channel that’s been dormant in every supermarket, home, office, and shopping destination until recently.

AR packaging has become a new way of expanding a brand’s narrative–to offer background information in clever ways and to offer consumers a way to attach to the brand emotionally. It provides another innovative dimension to packaging that gives consumers a surprising experience.

A great example of smart packaging can be seen with Anheuser-Busch, which created a collectible Budweiser cup that lit up in response to crowd noise during the 2018 FIFA World Cup. There was a circuitry built into the beverage packaging that responded to environmental sound with LEDs that flashed, which visually riled up the crowd’s energy during games.

Packaging Digest (Aug. 29, 2018)

Packaging Digest (Aug. 29, 2018)

Another interesting, smart packaging design comes with “auto-replenish,” which was created by Amazon to support products that are regularly used and need regular refills or replacement. Products can use smart packaging to notify consumers when it is time to reorder so they can request more through their Dash Replenishment Services (DRS).

Researcher Pan Demetrakakes explains, “So far, smart packaging has been thought of mostly in terms of connection to ‘passive’ online information, like recipes or discount offers. However, it has the capability to unlock the full interactive potential of the internet.”

In light of such research, founder of London-based branding agency SharpEnd, Cameron Worth talks about the potential for smart packaging to integrate with the Internet of Things (IoT): “Traditionally, there has been no way to close the gap between the brand and consumer via the product, but now with the IoT, we can use smart packaging to bring brands directly into contact with individual consumers and use this opportunity to build brands post-purchase.”

At Vivabox, we are actively building event and influencer kit experiences with AR and thinking about how trial and loyalty consumer journeys can be impacted with smart packaging.

Although there is a practicality in association with the Internet and ordering, brands also have the opportunity to develop deeper brand connections through stories. For example, pasta sauce brand Francesco Rinaldi recently updated their brand with a smart packaging feature that enabled consumers to interact with brand spokesperson Mrs. Rinaldi. This digital approach allows consumers to pick up the jar from the shelf, scan it, and hear the story of the product directly from the brand “mascot.”

Packaging Digest, Dec 13, 2018

Packaging Digest, Dec 13, 2018

These variations of smart packaging also offer brands some essential opportunities/thought starters:

  • Imagine picking up a trial item, turning on your AR to hear from the perfumer who made the product waxing poetic about the formula and the ingredient origins Star Trek style in the aisle of the store or pop-up.

  • Extend the available real estate for product messaging and promotional offers.

  • Increase brand engagement especially via social sharing while this is still relatively new.

  • Serve contextually relevant information at the point of purchase and consumption.

  • It also drives better consumer data by offering real-time data analytics on a serialized basis, creates a better understanding of users, and helps deliver more measurable results and value-added benefits to customers.

Vivabox can help you with better packaging and connect you with AR experiences to help take your brand story to the next level of digital packaging sophistication.

Looking for a solution? We can help.

Headquarters

9211 Corporate Blvd Ste 110
Rockville MD 20850

Satellite Offices

Dallas, TX
Paris, France
San Francisco, CA
Scottsdale, AZ

Email

info@vivaboxsolutions.com

Phone

800-529-1988

Minimum Order Quantities:
RPET Totes: 3,000
Kraft Shoppers: 5,000
Rigid Boxes: 3,000
Folding Cartons: 5,000


The Touchpoint that Matters More than Most: Storytelling with Packaging

November 26, 2018 Brand Packaging, Creative6 Minutes

packaging

Not only does your packaging carry a product, but it also delivers an experience, and when it is done right, it can be a great experience. It’s not just a means to an end anymore, it is part of a unique customer narrative that is part of the full marketing and customer experience (CX) strategies.

For most brands, the packaging is the most tangible part of the shopping experience, whether it is ordered digitally or picked off of a shelf in a store. So as e-commerce becomes more prevalent, packaging becomes even more critical. It is a physical manifestation of your brand that you cannot overlook. Packaging should be part of your brand’s narrative–it should tell your story and the story of the product inside. It has become such an excellent way to fully embrace your customer (and they will hug you back).

Unlike physical retail, e-commerce businesses have fewer touchpoints to attract and amaze customers, so it’s essential to use every tangible moment to create a branded experience that sets you apart from competitors. You can have the best product in the world, but if the packaging does not contribute to the bigger picture, it can become a lackluster, and sometimes frustrating, experience.

In a recent study by Dotcom Distribution, they found that 52% of consumers are likely to make repeat purchases from an online business that delivers premium packaging and 4 in 10 consumers would share an image of the packaging on social media if it were unique or aesthetically pleasing.

Here are three sure-fire ways to think about the box and how it can become a part of your brand’s story:

1. External Design

The external packaging should guide consumers into the experience before they ever start to open it. From the moment they see and touch the package, they should understand the story you’re telling. Whatever colors, materials, textures, typography, or copy you use, your external packaging should evoke certain feelings and emotions.

For example, Bee Bright’s creamed honey comes in wax packaging with a wooden lid. Once the product inside is used, the wax packaging can be turned upside down, mounted on the wooden lid, and used as a candle.

Bee Bright

Screenshot 2018-11-26 10.27.39.png


Such clever uses of colors, textures, and the ability to reuse the packaging beyond its initial purpose creates a beautiful consumer experience every step of the way.

Another original example of packaging design that tells a story is used by Thelma’s bakery. A simply designed box made to look like an oven creates a quirky narrative of freshly delivered cookies straight from the oven.

Thelma’s

Screenshot 2018-11-26 10.28.05.png


These examples offer simple solutions for branding that packs a serious punch. When the packaging is as coveted as what’s inside, that’s a brand experience!

2. Internal Wrapping and Messaging

Once the box is opened, the experience should continue. More brands are making sure to use every surface outside and inside the box to tell their story. Whether a company uses tissue paper with branded seals, textured ribbon or twine to embellish the products, or an additional message on the inside of an opened box lid (or a combination of all of these), every piece of the internal narrative should be intentional.

A great example of internal branding can be found in a Trunk Club box. Not only does it have sophisticated, well-designed, and pertinent information on the inside of the lid, the clothing in the box is wrapped in a natural-colored, cotton ribbon and there is a handwritten note from the stylist to give the experience a uniquely personal touch.

Trunk Club

WomensFitting_0062.jpg

This is a perfect example of how simple touches can make an incredible difference in a brand experience and not break the bank. This is the stuff that creates customer loyalty.

3. Packaging Inserts

Marketing collateral and package inserts are wonderful ways to attach additional messaging, offer future discounts, or announce up-and-coming products. It is a cost-effective and versatile medium for building a solid relationship and keeping them coming back for more. Not only does your brand get another chance at engaging the customer, but it is something the customer can take away for future use. Simply put, a well designed and targeted insert can increase customer loyalty.

Companies like Gale Leather offer aged-looking paper with product information printed in brand-specific typography and treats like Turkish coffee or a tea sample. Something so simple means a lot to a consumer because it makes them feel special.

Galen Leather Co.

Screenshot 2018-11-26 10.33.05.png

Inserts are always a great way to add a personal touch for very little cost to the business, and the payoff for such small sentiments can be considerable.

Think about how your brand can up the ante on its narrative with packaging. By creating clever, personal, and elegant presentations, you give your customers a full buyer’s experience before they ever get to the end product.

Looking for a solution? We can help.

Headquarters

9211 Corporate Blvd Ste 110
Rockville MD 20850

Satellite Offices

Dallas, TX
Paris, France
San Francisco, CA
Scottsdale, AZ

Email

info@vivaboxsolutions.com

Phone

800-529-1988

Minimum Order Quantities:
RPET Totes: 3,000
Kraft Shoppers: 5,000
Rigid Boxes: 3,000
Folding Cartons: 5,000


In our Digital World, Your Packaging May be the Only Physical Connection You Have with Your Consumers. Three Ways to Make Sure it Counts.

October 15, 2018 Brand Packaging, Retail Kits5 Minutes

packaging

The process of opening a new product can be a gift-like experience which embeds itself into the consumer’s psyche and can even be as great as the product itself.

Packaging is a visceral experience, and as our culture becomes continuously more visual, it feeds more than our desire for something to simply be a container. Our packaging has to mean as much as the product inside of it. Whether it has an aesthetic or ecological meaning, we want our packaging to be a reflection of us. There is a reason why brands rely on them so much. Without the right packaging, people will walk right by you, or even worse, not like you.

So here are three things to think about as you move forward with packaging ideas for the holidays and beyond:

1. The Outer Gift

In the best case scenario, we want our customers to be loyal, and packaging can build and maintain loyalty in a very tangible way. For example, think about a Tiffany box—many of us have never seen one in person, but if someone set one in front of us, it would take a lot to hold us back. There is an entire ethos surrounding that simple robin’s-egg-blue-and-white packaging, and it makes what is inside that much more coveted.

These experiences should be at the foreground of every brand’s identity, and packaging tugs at the very foundation of our consumer experience, whether we are aware of it or not.

According to Danielle Sauvé, Director of Customer Insights and Experience at Danaher Product Identification Platform, “Product packaging is often the only physical marketing channel that the consumer physically touches.”

So, customer loyalty is just as grounded in the tactile experience as it is in the visual and digital experience. Every detail is essential to address.

2. Seasonal Packaging

Adjusting packaging during holidays or other seasonal events is also a way to increase brand loyalty. If the packaging changes enough to be seasonal, customers appreciate the effort. However, be careful…adjusting for holidays or other events should only be taken so far. Customers still want to be able to identify the brand easily rather than hunting for it on a shelf.

Tasteful seasonal packaging is difficult to come by, so also think about how measured you want to be when implementing your packaging strategy. For example, as impressive as Christmas may be for many, the red and green combination can be a bit harsh or garish to others. Many who want to be more tastefully understated may go with more natural color combinations or interesting plaids.

3. The Inner Gift

Another layer of packaging that is just as important is the layout. How does it look once it is opened? As convenient as some packaging is, if each piece is bubble wrapped and jumbled in a box, the customer experience declines rapidly. One does not want to go from the elation of opening a beautiful box to cursing under their breath to unwrap multiple items in taped plastic. If the experience turns sour, you can bet that customer loyalty may as well.

Another common complaint is buying a product with the notion that the packaging is sustainable, only to get inside to find unrecyclable plastic materials. No one wants guilt wrapped with a bow.

So what does all of this mean for the brand? The consumer experience should be a pleasant one from the moment one starts looking for a product, through the unwrapping and big reveal, to the moment when they wonder whether they will keep the box or recycle it. It may be easier said than done for many businesses, but it is a necessity to think about every step of the buyer journey if you want to build and maintain consumer loyalty.

Looking for a solution? We can help.

Headquarters

9211 Corporate Blvd Ste 110
Rockville MD 20850

Satellite Offices

Dallas, TX
Paris, France
San Francisco, CA
Scottsdale, AZ

Email

info@vivaboxsolutions.com

Phone

800-529-1988

Minimum Order Quantities:
RPET Totes: 3,000
Kraft Shoppers: 5,000
Rigid Boxes: 3,000
Folding Cartons: 5,000