How to get personal with your packaging

Personalised marketing is one of the biggest business trends in the world right now. Whether it’s a suggested playlist based on your most listened to songs or a reminder that you’ve forgotten an item at the checkout – brands can now deliver highly targeted content to their consumers, using algorithms, cookies and data collection.

While the primary purpose of packaging is to protect and transport products, it can also play a similar role in connecting, engaging and even entertaining consumers (have you heard of unboxing?!) Personalising your packaging will help you stand out from the competition and shows your customers that you’re paying attention and care about them!

What is Personalised Packaging? Personalised packaging features a number of specific and tailored design and manufacturing elements that have been influenced by business and consumer insights or data. These additional elements are deliberately employed to generate a specific feeling or experience from the receiver or customer.

Here are five ways to get personal with your packaging:

1. Put the customer first – Include a personalised letter or note card, your customer’s first name and a personal message with your package as a reminder of how well you know them. This this level of personalisation is ideal for repeat-customers or subscription-based products as it helps maintain long-term relationships and builds brand loyalty. Personalising the actual packaging for individual customers could be as simple as having distinct ‘his’ and ‘hers’ or ‘it’s your birthday!’ versions available.

2. Showcase the brand – Whether your product is luxurious, sleek and modern or bright, young and spontaneous – making sure your packaging accurately reflects the brand values and vision of your business can help build brand identity and reputation. Your brand and packaging might therefore be bold and in-your-face, or subtle and nuanced. Consistency is key when it comes to establishing and growing a business, so make sure everything you do, right down to your packaging, links back to your vision and goals.

3. Showcase the product – Standard packaging isn’t always going to be the right physical fit and may not offer adequate protection for some more fragile or oddly shaped items. Create packaging to fit or having tailored compartments within a box for individual items will help to showcase or emphasise that product’s distinct features. Custom boxes like wine mailers for example, are often created for practical purposes but packaging can also be used to create drama, excitement and intrigue. Imagine if your latest pair of shoes came in a shoe shaped box?! Check out the customer design solution we created for Sussex Taps for a great example of how to blend practicality with finesse.

4. Create an experience – Add interesting layers or a number of steps to your packaging and take your customer on a journey as they unpack their latest purchase! The ‘unboxing’ trend has resulted in a number of companies creating elaborate, babushka-style packaging – particularly for the younger market. Whether you have boxes inside boxes, levers that open secret compartments or include puzzles to solve along the way – packaging can become an extension of your brand story. Just make sure you use environmentally friendly materials where-ever you can!

5. Create a work of art – packaging can more than just functional. It can also be a thing of beauty, something to be admired, kept and even collected. Whether you create your own or commission an exclusive illustration, painting or photograph to be printed or used on your packaging – creating something that is aesthetically pleasing can help elevate and communicate your brand’s unique personality and beliefs. Creating uniquely shaped or sculptural-style cartons is another creative way to turn the humble box into art…

Personalising your packaging will make your customers feel special and valued, and also allows them to engage and identify with your brand and products on a whole new level. Our in-house team of experience and creative packaging designers and engineers love any opportunity to get creative and will take the time to understand your brand, product and customer experience needs, in order to produce a packaging solution that is fully personalised and right your business.

Connect with us or call 1800 258 000 to book your FREE initial consultation in Melbourne.