Dive Brief:
- A parallel path between brands looking to engage consumers on a deeper personal level and consumers’ expectations for packaging to deliver that experience informs Mintel's list of five major trends that will impact the global packaging industry over the next year.
- With an increase in e-commerce expected, Mintel said that brands need to explore both the opportunities and threats that come with the shift to online shopping, and how it impacts packaging design.
- The five trends are: The [Re] Union of Package Structure and Branding; The Face and Role of Packaging Online; Packaging Gets Smart, Active and Intelligent;The Experience of Packaging; Extend My Brand.
Dive Insight:
Of all the trends in Mintel’s study, perhaps the most important for food and beverage manufacturers is unique packaging designed to differentiate on the shelf and also help form and support brand identity.
“Design message on packaging can be the make or break point with your target audience,” Gillian Christie, founder & CEO of adVentures Academy, told Food Dive. “Understanding consumer behavior and identifying the exact buying motivators, hot buttons and the specific ‘conversion factor’ for that target audience is the differentiating factor between a good design and a great design.”
A package design should tell a compelling story that entices the consumer to pick a package off the shelf; once it's in their hands, they're far more likely to buy it. Examples of good design include gluten-free messaging, bold photos of natural ingredients, and pearlescent effects to enhance moisturizing/cooling/soothing.
“I’d like to say that if you have great design messaging, you will always engage your target customer and inspire them to take the action you seek. Though that would make a packaging designer’s job easier, it is not the world we live in,” Pam Webber, CMO of 99designs, told Food Dive in an email. “Great design messaging is important, but not sufficient. It’s difficult to get away from the traditional 4 P’s of marketing — product, promotion, placement, and price—a ll of which influence consumer actions.”