A Brief Look at Packaging....

Last month saw the announcement of the 2011 DBA Design Effectiveness Awards, which got me thinking about the role of packaging in the marketing mix. When I think about packaging there are three elements that spring to mind immediately, and I have so far failed to think of many that have successfully achieved all three.

The first and most obvious role of packaging is Function. Does it hold cereal? Does it ensure that the cereal doesn't go stale before it is bought? Is it easy to get the cereal from the packet into the bowl? And so on...

The Visual aspect comes second. Does it look appealing to the target audience? Is it on message? Does it stand out from the other "noise" on the shelf? Is it quickly and easily identifiable?

And lastly, Environmental. These days most people feels guilty stuffing a plastic bottle into the rubbish, rather than the recycling; so, is it recyclable/reusable? Is it made from recycled materials? How many airmiles does it have? How many chemicals were used in creating it? Is it going to leak mineral oils into my food?

Everybody's current favorite example of packaging that hits all the boxes it Kenco's new design. The packaging is not simply aligned with the marketing, but the marketing is centered around the packaging. The look of the packet still has the legacy of the Kenco coffee jar image on the front. And it has 97% less packaging that a jar of coffee. And it is more functional than other ways of reducing packaging, as can be seen in the amusing adverts.

Of course reducing packaging is not the only way to make the product or even the packaging more eco-friendly, but it is probably a good place to start.