Isn't it Iconic? and The Power of the Box

1. 1. Packaging is very important in marketing a product. It relates to the behavioral design of a product. If a product is packaged in a way that makes operation difficult, it negatively impacts the product’s image and discourages people from purchasing it. In marketing, packaging plays off of visceral design. In stores, the packaging is the first thing a consumer sees, and is what they base their purchasing judgment off of. Packaging also makes different products unique and makes them stand apart from other products in the same category. Red Bull is an example. It has always had the same type of can since it was first introduced.

2. 2. Many different products have iconic packaging. Products that have a tradition in the consumer marketplace, such as the Coca Cola bottle, have iconic packaging. Aunt Jemima maple syrup is another example. Some brands of honey come in a bottle shaped like a honey bear, which is recognized worldwide. Fiji water is another example, because it comes in a distinctly shaped, square bottle. Voss water comes in a cylindrical bottle as well. The labeling of Campbell’s soup can be recognized all over, and stands apart from other soups, such as Progresso. In regards to clothing, Tiffany and Co. has consistently used a light blue bag with a simple white ribbon. The long standing tradition of the “Tiffany blue” bag is a worldwide recognizable symbol in the jewelry market. Another example is Pepto Bismol. Since its beginning, Pepto has come in the same, pink bottle.

3. 3. Some types of packaging make it difficult to access the product. Twinkle lights used around Christmas to decorate bushes come in complicated packaging. It takes far too long to get the product out because if you aren’t careful, it is easy to break the lights trying to get them out of the package. Plastic packaging, such as the hard plastic that most electronics come packaged in, is also poor design. On numerous occasions, I have managed to cut myself while trying to access the product. Although they protect the product, they also can pose a danger to the consumer.