What Does Your Packaging Say About Your Brand?

Thoughts for DTC food brands about effective packaging.

Packaging is an opportunity that a lot of eCommerce brands let fall by the wayside. They’ve poured their time and talent into developing amazing products. The packaging is just an afterthought. Whatever is available, the right size, and not too pricey, right?

No, stop nodding — it’s wrong! Your product packaging is a important piece of your product and an enormous opportunity. It can be what totally sets you apart from your competitors, or what makes you blend right in.

There are a few things you need to think about when developing packaging for your DTC eCommerce products.

Branding Cohesion

It’s hardly a surprise that the company who specializes in eCommerce branding and web development would place this at the top of the list.

But this is one of the most important aspects of your packaging. We could devote several thousand words to unpack the importance of on-point branding in packaging, but for now, we’ll keep it short.

Brand Recognition: They should instantly know that it’s your brand. Stick with brand colors and make your logo or catchphrase prominent. You know how in a supermarket you can sweep your gaze down the aisle and rows and rows of products until you see your favorite brands of chips? That instant recognition is important — even in eCommerce.

Brand Values: Your packaging design, functionality, and messaging should all undergird your brand value statements. Whatever your values are, make sure they come across clearly in your packaging choices.

Brand Voice: Keep your brand voice consistent in every area of your business, from website to social media, to, of course, your packaging. This even extends to the boxes that you ship your products in and the filler materials you choose to use.

Clear Purpose

For some DTC food products (something we specialize in), you’ll feel like the purpose is pretty clear. You can only use coffee beans for one thing, right?

But we’re talking bigger picture here. Are those mind-blowing beans that will knock the socks off whosoever dares to take a sip in the wee hours of the morning? Your purpose is also an aspect of what sets you apart from your competitors. It’s part of your value proposition.

Examples? Okay. Your purpose might be…

• Offering the best-ever coffee beans.
• Providing unique and delicious beer experiences.
• Offering the most nutritious and like-your-granny’s bone broth ever brewed.
• Providing sustainable farm-to-table fruit and veggie goodness from local farmers to local neighbors.

You get the idea.

Emotional Value — Mission Statement

Your next objective is to elicit an emotional reaction from your customer. All you have to say to a 90’s kid is ‘chicken noodle,’ and they recall memories of childhood sick days. Campbell’s branding targeted the emotional connection of family and that sense of being ‘taken care of.’ Those chubby, smiling kids on every soup can and soup mug communicated, “happy home.”

Cliff Bars have also done an incredible job of emotional association. Cliff Bars have been, for years, synonymous with outdoor adventuring. Their ads and packaging played up to their target audience — high protein, filling, lightweight, and still delicious. Primary colors, simple design and the image of a rock-climber bravely scaling a cliff all reinforce their emotional play.

Consider how your product can play to the emotions of your customer. Tie it into your packaging. If you can identify your customer’s pain points and priorities, you’ll create a stronger connection to your brand. This increase the likelihood that they’ll become brand ambassadors as well. They’ve bought into the emotion.

Information

Thanks to the health-food movement and the rising number of food allergies out there, people have a growing expectation to know exactly what is in their food. They want to know…

• where products are made
• the ingredients inside
• the nutritional facts
• any compliance with government guidelines
• any certifications you’ve got, including Fair-Trade, Organic, etc.

And that’s just the beginning. Aside from these basic facts, consider the aspects of your product that set you apart from your competition. What makes you special? Place that information front and center on your packaging.

Functionality

Functionality in packaging design is such a basic factor, and yet so many brands utterly fail at achieving this. For example, consider that generation of Americans who suffered through those confounded cardboard-topped milk cartons before someone had the bright idea of a plastic screw top lid.

In this study, consumers chimed in on the functionality factors that they look for in product packaging.

1. Easy to store (66%)
2. Resealable (65%)
3. Easy to open (60%)
4. Ability to extend product life (55%)
5. Easy to carry (47%)

Beyond providing a good product, you also need to provide a functional way of packaging it. Merge usability into your packaging design. And remember, packaging has to be functional from both your perspective and the customer’s perspective.

Ask yourself these questions.

1. Is it going to arrive safely?
2. Are the dimensions right for wherever they’re going to be storing it?
3. Is it too heavy to lift onto the top shelf of the pantry?
4. Is it durable?
5. Will it help the product last longer because it has a tight seal?
6. Are they able to get the package open without resorting to knives, scissors, and Hulk-rage?
7. Once it’s open, is it easily resealed? (I’ve stuck with our brand of dog-food because the bag velcros shut, and thwarts my wily pup, who is convinced that eating his weight in dog food would be the perfect way to spend an afternoon.)

Sustainable and Eco-Friendly Packaging

This is another big topic. Big enough, in fact, that we’ve created a separate article on the topic.

A study performed by Unilever showed that 78% of Americans place a high value on sustainability and eco-friendly manufacturing. Over half of the participants said they’d consider switching from a product they know to a new, similar product because that new product is recyclable. A whopping 52% of participants said that they’d even be willing to pay a small amount extra in order to purchase a recyclable product.

Well, people can say anything. But do they really put their money where their mouth it?

Well, it seems that they do. Unilever’s internal financial performance review revealed that their brands who shifted towards eco-friendly methods and a focus on positive social action lead the way in growth. Those brands grew approximately 30% more than Unilever’s other brands.

Consumer choices are obviously being influenced by the sustainability of the products they’re buying. Making an effort to become a sustainable and eco-responsible brand could be a key differentiator from your competition, opening your business up to a much larger market.

Invest in Quality

Don’t skimp on quality. Poorly printed or manufactured packaging makes your brand seem cheap and lowers your visual equity. Consider shelf appearance and wear-and-tear when choosing materials and finishes, and invest in a branding company who can truly help you design attractive, quality packaging.

That Something Extra

Annie’s Organics is a perfect example of a brand that focuses on the details. The bunny ears on box tabs, the hidden rabbits in each product design, and, of course, the endless rabbit-themed puns. They’ve invested creativity into their products, and the result is a little gasp of delight from kids (okay, and me too) when they discover hidden bunnies and kids enthusiastically completing bunny-themed puzzles and games on the backs of boxes.

This little something ‘extra’ that makes the product stand out and stick in people’s heads.

Creating Unique and Thoughtful Product Packaging Is Crazy Exciting

We love the challenge of helping brands create packaging that’s exciting, engaging, and a true reflection of their brand vision. If you are looking to hire, awesome — we’re here to help! If you’re just overwhelmed and want some free advice from a personable team of people who can easily talk about branding and web design for hours over coffee, that’s cool too.

Either way, get in touch.

Love,
Rynn Jacobson and Mammoth Factory