Let’s be honest, is there really a better feeling than waking up or getting home from work to a package waiting for you at your door. Although somewhat trivial, there is such an excitement to the unboxing process and unboxing rituals that some of us have… like our colleague Chris who meticulously folds and keeps the wrapping paper.
Custom Packaging and The Canadian Consumer
In 2020 Ecommerce sales rose over 40% in the US and these trends followed closely here in Canada. Now more than ever consumers/ ambassadors/ influencers are receiving their daily fare by mail which gives product providers & marketers a great opportunity to stand out.
If you think about branded or custom packaging, it can be an incredibly effective way to reach your audience and create immediate emotions around what they are about to open. “Retail Therapy” is an age-old cliché, but one that’s actually backed by more science than you might think. Shopping, for most of us, provides an instant rush of dopamine, one of the feel-good chemicals our brains naturally produce, making us feel this warm and fuzzy sensation of excitement. Now that we are accustomed to receiving more, and more of our shopping needs directly to the house, this presents a great opportunity for brands to further engage and stretch this positive feeling.
Let’s think about the following scenarios together:
You’ve ordered a new bold coffee, we’re big on coffee here, you’ve swiped your credit card and received a confirmation email – You then begin the process of feverously checking the tracking number... now your package is out for delivery … WOOHOO!
A traditional brown packing box awaits at the doorstep, is it the coffee? We rip into the packaging remove (and make sure to fold & keep) the wrapping paper, alas the beans are here, and we are ready to brew our cup of joe. The box is thrown out without care, and we are satisfied.
A branded packing box awaits at the doorstep. On the outside are fully printed graphics that let us know immediately that this package is the one we’ve been waiting for, excitement brews (we like puns too)! We pick up our phones and we take a picture of the box #BoldBeans #CoffeeTime for all of our friends to see. We carefully open the box this time, maybe we might keep this one for storage… WOW even the inside is branded, and there’s a thank you note printed on the top flap of the box, with a picture and explanation of the coffee we’re about to unwrap… snap of the phone camera, and another share with our friends #brandingGoals. What a rush, we are really excited with our purchase, and the whole experience has been made fun.
Like this awesome box from our partners at www.itfactor.biz loaded with Marner merch (imagine this showing up on your doorstep #brandinggoals).
Higher Brand Engagement & Repeat Business
Why should brands in Canada take notice when it comes to custom packaging? Although new opportunities to create brand awareness now exist, remember we are consuming more from our homes now than ever, this also presents a challenge of literally getting lost amongst the rest of the mail.
According to an e-commerce study conducted in 2019, 62% of consumers are more likely to purchase from a brand that uses sustainable or biodegradable packaging solutions.
According to the same 2019 study, 45% of consumers said that branded, gift-like packaging translates into the brand feeling more upscale
39% of online shoppers have shared an image of packaging on social media that was unique or branded. And 25% of those who hadn’t shared an image would be more likely to do as a result of beautiful packaging.
A good rule to remember is that packaging is the one marketing investment that a brand can make that is visible by 100% of the audience they send it to. So, what are some tricks that the best do to stand out?
5 Steps to Nailing Custom Packaging, in Canada
The best custom packaging features your brand
Mailer boxes can act as your primary packaging and create brand recognition the moment a customer sees it. This is a great opportunity to create brand resonance and increase organic content that is shared… more shares = more customers!
Your Brand Uniqueness:
What makes your brand special, revisit your unique selling proposition and think about how you can connect with your customer. What story can you tell them, and what will pique their interest.
Remember visual explosions are awesome, but simple designs also create recognition
What, when reshared, will let an audience know that this is unequivocally your brand
Customer Expectation
Understand your customers and their expectations. Why are they or why would they purchase your product? Are you solving a problem for them, creating an experience, pampering them?
Understanding why someone will consume your product/ service helps to further design your packaging. For example, a coffee drinker trying a new bean would be impressed by the process of how you create your coffee, or where it’s sourced from, or if it’s strong enough to get them through their Monday meeting.
Show Off Your Brand
You should use your packaging as a canvas to share your brand. Remember the rush of dopamine we discussed above, let the recipients of your package get a positive feeling and association to your logo. Even a negative reason for consuming a product can be turned positive for example:
You need to repair a whole in the wall from when you decided to take 3 chairs up the stairs instead of 2... it’s time consuming, it’s unexpected, and even more the in-laws are coming this weekend … what frustration! The repair kit you ordered is here, and well branded. On the box is a funny cartoon instruction that makes you know you’ve ordered from the right place, and you’re not the only one that has to deal with this; in a time of chaos there’s a moment of relief
Remember the better we do with conveying our brand messaging the more our audience will share
The more our audience shares, the more organic business you will receive
Make Your Brand Visible When Not Visible
The best branding is when we look at a design, or a set of colours and we just know instantly what the brand is. As creators we have a tendency to try to go wild in creating visual experiences, however, it’s important that your custom packaging uses your brands colours.
You want to build relatability between colours and your brand, so when a consumer sees a certain shade or design, their mind immediately draws back to you.
Amplify Your Story and Values with Thoughtful Messaging
Much like our example of turning a home repair into a positive brand association, your packaging is an opportunity to further share your brands story with your audience. We want them to think of your brand whenever they think about that product
Make your logo very clear
Add imagery that depicts what you do
Add text to tell a story
Thank your customer
Talk to a Paq team member about design ideas for your next mailer
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