Mar 12 Celloglas News
Proof that packaging interior does influence product Return On Investment
There is an abundance of research to suggest packaging interior does influence product ROI. We’ve seen it in practice, as we work with some of Britain’s most luxurious brands. So, when asked to take part in a micro-experiment with The Retail Institute, we jumped at the chance.
During the experiment, brands, agencies and print industry professionals put themselves in the shoes of the consumer to consider the impact of packaging interior on product quality perception. We set out to test a researched theory and early top-level findings indicate a significant correlation between the perceived quality of packaging finish and the perceived value of the product inside – which in turn could have a positive impact on ROI.
The findings support existing research claiming that:
- Customers have a greater quality perception of a product when they perceive the packaging to be of superior standard
- Attractive packaging adds value to the shopping experience and influences how a consumer feels about the products they see
- Attractive packaging that looks expensive and well-designed implies to the consumer that the product is valuable
Of particular interest to Celloglas and The Retail Institute was to explore the research claim that optimised packaging designs yield an average 2.5x return on investment, this would be a much higher return than many forms of brand promotion including advertising and social media. What’s more, Neilson also predicts an average 5.5% average forecasted sales impact via optimal packaging design.
The method
For the experiment, we produced three packages. Each package was identical on the outside but had one of three different finish on the inside – shiny gold, matt black and plain) were presented to The Retail Institute delegates. The three packs contained an identical product inside (a perfume bottle) but were all marked at different price points. Participants were asked to randomly open a pack and answer a short questionnaire about the perception of product quality and hedonic experience.
The Results
The shiny gold pack was perceived as the luxury item and came top in the gifting category, illustrating that the eye is drawn to this type of finish due to the perception of luxury and glamour. Gold also proved to be superior on Hedonic perception, but it was closely followed by the matt black packaging, which also performed well, and was considered to be good quality and attractive, scoring well on offering an alternative route to sophistication.
The differences recorded between the gold and plain packaging demonstrate that packaging can provide ROI. The packaging with the gold interior displayed a price that was 50% higher than the retail cost of the plain packaging.
Olga Munroe, Head of The Retail Institute said: ‘We enjoy working with our members and exploring a variety of topics around products and packaging developments. This mini-experiment conducted alongside Celloglas was designed to provoke some thinking around how packaging impacts consumer perceptions around product and brand value. With consumer expectations evolving so dynamically, it’s important for companies to understand the subtle but impactful cues that their packaging communicates. Different textures, weight or colour of the packaging, send very clear messages to the buyers. It’s important for brands to understand what these messages are so that they can support the product rather than conflict with its core message.’
We were not surprised to find that the quality of packaging has an impact on what consumers are prepared to pay for a product. However, the interesting thing for us was that on a few questions the matt black packaging wasn’t far behind the shiny gold – particularly on the scale of the packaging looking sophisticated where there was only .3 difference (4.2 vs 4.5), illustrating the rising consumer trend of appreciating more matt and muted colours, and also associating those with quality. Again this was no surprise to us as some of Britain’s leading luxury brands take this approach but we think these findings may surprise some in the industry.
As a result of this experiment, Celloglas is launching new versions of their Mirri Wow Packs for 2018.
Our Mirri Brand Development Manager, Mark Askham said: “Building on the well-performing luxury gold shiny finish, we have already rolled out rose gold and striking red interiors for the Mirri Wow Pack this year, used predominantly for e-commerce purposes. For 2018 we are to launch a new pack reflecting the 2018 Pantone spring colour for the year alongside our 2018 trend book colours.”
He added: “As a further development on the back of our findings we are also launching a new range of Mirri Wow Packs with some gorgeous matt finishes, using Mirri Silk. Using Mirri H Colours as a base, silks are created through the additional lamination of a matt OPP film that mutes the brightness and gives a silky, textured appearance to the finished sheet. We know matt can hold its own in the style stakes and is often used in fashion to depict sophistication so it makes sense to offer this moving forward. Ultimately the Mirri Wow Packs can be created to bespoke requirements but we thought by offering these additional variations as standard options it may encourage brands to be a bit experimental and to try something new out”.
The Mirri Wow Pack was launched earlier this year and sees everyday packaging boxes lined with Mirri metallic board, complementing the product that sits inside. The box also features a tear-off section and a quick seal adhesive strip, allowing the customer to easily re-package their returns. The Mirri Wow Pack can be made in a variety of styles and sizes to tailor to your needs. The pack can also be made to the majority of the FEFCO box designs.
Posted By
Richard Pinkney