Why Packaging is as Important as Your Product
Design
min read

Why Packaging is as Important as Your Product

Understand the importance of product packaging by taking a look at the examples we have outlined.

They say the best brands stand for something: a big idea, a set of values or a voice to stand out in the crowd. Wouldn’t the same be said for strong packaging? The best packaging needs to stand for something. Strong packaging evokes an emotion and makes us feel incomplete without that object in our lives.

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Recently my studio and I were asked to rebrand and repackage the product LunchMail. It is a simple product that encourages and inspires children through positive notes you slip in their backpack or lunch sack. Think of the product as a tiny high five or hug for your kids to help give them confidence throughout the day. Tangibly, we were merely packaging little pieces of paper. But emotionally, we were packaging something much more. 

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three packing mockups

This is why the packaging was so important for this particular product. If we just threw all the paper notes in clear plastic wrapping and crossed our fingers the emotional value of this product would be lost. We wanted to help tell a story and add value to this special experience. We wanted the product to have a sense of whimsy and evoke the positivity of the brand message. Packaging is all about reinforcing that brand experience. The experience you create is just as important as the product you sell.

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over view of lunch

Take the Chipotle burrito for example. Yeah, Chipotle burritos are delicious, they are the Meryl Streep of fast casual foods. But, 9 out of 10 times after I eat one, I kinda feel like I need to consult a physician. So why do I keep coming back time after time? Yes, we all agree they are delicious and generally convenient but I feel there is more to it. The ordering process at Chipotle as well as the control we have in building our burrito can be intoxicating and the presentation or brand experience adds monumental value. 

chipotle burrito

(image: Chipotle’s Facebook) 

Think about it, after you design the perfect burrito, Chipotle congratulates you by wrapping (or packaging) your lunch as if it was a shiny silver gift. Chipotle hands you this clean, shiny, metallic present that is begging to be opened, unwrapped and played with as if on Christmas morning. Would this experience be as strong if our burrito was just thrown on a greasy white paper plate? Or handed to us on an old paper towel? No, the presentation and packaging makes this experience. So I ask you this, do we love eating Chipotle burritos or just really enjoy receiving presents?

Invest in you packaging, just like you invest in your t-shirts! We really hope you enjoyed hearing from Tad! Let us know who else you would like to hear from below or through the Contact Us form on our page. We want to get your questions answered and help you build a successful brand! 

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