Packaging Valentine's Day for Profit By JoAnn R. Hines
Holidays are a great time to market new packaging innovations. Consumers look for that special something to celebrate the occasion and prowl the isles for that unique gift that means you are special to someone. Valentine's Day is one of the best holidays because it’s emotionally connected to the heart; and the heart is at the crux of what connects product packaging to consumers. If your product packaging cannot "connect" to the consumer, then it will never make its way out of the door.So what is the emotional connection that says to consumers “buy me or pick me up for a closer look”? Pulling at consumer heart strings can be accomplished in numerous ways. Remember those "E" words I often write about (evoke, engage, emotion). How can you capture that essence in your product packaging?
However you reach out to your consumer it needs to be something unique and beyond the ordinary. It could be a clever new design, shape or in the case of chocolate, trade on the packaging innovation of "chocolate smells packaging. I recently cam across some very unusual "packaged" Valentines:one was a lucite keepsake container and one was in deep purple. So much for pink and red.
By the way, did you know that vanilla is the number one fragrance that appeals to men? This may be attributed to remembering to all those homey smells, apple pie, and mom. So why not utilize a vanilla smelling package to appeal to that man in your target market? "Connecting" to the consumer (whether man or woman) is paramount in getting them to buy. I'm amazed at the success of vanilla soaps and shampoos. That translates that into opportunities for product packaging innovation.
In any case, your product needs to be more than just the typical Valentine's Day product packaged in red or in some cases pink with a big bow and cellophane. (That is so passé.) I received a great package of chocolate from Noka Chocolate. Surprisingly, it was packaged in black. The packaging was a great concept too. Not only was it an elegant package but after the chocolate is gone, long before Valentine's Day in my case, the box is designed to be saved and reused as a keepsake holder. Hitting emotionally on two fronts "saving the environment" (packaging trend for 08) because I'm not throwing it away and by giving me something to reuse in a "meaningful" way (not just as junk). It got my interest and a mention here as a company that put a lot of thought into their product packaging. (By the way, if you're packaging diamonds, be sure and send some my way for a product review tee, hee)
However you evoke, engage or emote the consumer it’s important to look for ways to distinguish yourself from your competitor’s product. Can your product packaging piggy back off a cause that lends itself well to the heart? It just so happens that the American Heart Association, has made February Go Red for Women month. There are myriad's of ways to make a "heart" connection with Valentine's Day. Obviously "red" anything will work, but last year I wrote about companies that were missing the opportunity to capitalize on chocolate: Missing the health connection to buying chocolate not as an indulgence but as a necessary component to a healthy life. This year it seems that a few companies have taken notice in their product offerings. Healthy is "in." Just look what is happening to trans-fats.
The important thing to take way from this article is how you can turn Valentine's Day into a profitable opportunity to package your products. It’s a holiday when participants expect to get or give something special. As a result, consumers are ready and willing to spend money on that unique item that shows them or their loved one that they are a special person in the giver’s life. Accomplish that with your product packaging and you will have a winner -- and a heartily profitable one too.
Need to know whose got the latest concepts in packaging innovation? I know that's what I do-track packaging trends and innovation and how it is going to impact your business. Get connected with me JoAnn Hines Packaging Diva at my website http://packagingdiva.com or by phone 1-678-594 6872.