How Flexible Packaging Became An Extension For Branding & Marketing

Bhavik Mehta. Feb 23, 2023

There was a time when consumers did not have a lot of options due to a monopoly in the market. But today, the market is brimming with so many options that consumers are spoilt for choice. Businesses now wondered how to distinguish their product from the competition; the solution was the packaging that stood out. I have always believed weird is good when it comes to design and branding. As a consumer, even I buy products with attractive packaging at times. Cashing in on the consumers’ curiosity when they see something unusual is when you score a point.

Packaging is no longer a solution for protecting perishable goods, it has rightfully evolved multifold into a source of branding, marketing and securing a solid customer base for brands. The advent of technology has also developed printing and packaging. Many functions like sustainability, ease of use and materials used have given a deep insight to brands into the minds of consumers and how they can meet their expectations through their packaging design. In addition to convenience and affordability, even a tiny sachet has a lot of space for branding despite its size. There is scope for more graphical design on the packaging, instantly connecting with the consumers.

Options in packaging materials have also played a vital role in customer satisfaction. They take pride in owning a sleek and quality packaged product. A great example is Apple. Believe it or not, Apple has packed experience along with its product. The experience of opening the box, feeling elite and feeling luxurious is like no other and cannot be imitated either. Even Lays chips took their packaging a notch up by personalising the packets with consumers’ faces. And if I may say so, it worked beautifully for their marketing and promotion.

Sustainability has also acted as a catalyst in the ﬂexibility of packaging today. With the growing awareness among consumers for an environment-friendly lifestyle and products, brands are also slowly inclining towards adopting eco-friendly methods compared to traditional materials for manufacturing and packaging their products. They feel a responsibility towards the planet to save it in whatever way they can, which is why the packaging is mostly recyclable. And this gives brands massive leverage in customer acquisition as the number of WOKE audience is growing and when they meet their expectations with conscious products, a goal is scored. The customers feel proud having an association with the brand and consciously promote it via word of mouth to their peers. Which again, works in the favour of brands.

Everyone wants to contribute to saving the planet, investors are no different in this age. They wish to support and invest in more and more sustainable businesses. A client from the FMCG sector approached us to redesign and rebrand her product. The reason for rebranding was that she was questioned by her investors that what is she offering to the woke audience. And that got her thinking and eventually changed the packaging of all her products.

An upside to sustainability is that it is cheaper. Now which business wouldn’t want a cost-effective solution to its packaging? Everyone would! They usually require less time to procure and process, naturally reducing the overall manufacturing cost and time. Hence both large-scale and small-scale businesses are opting for it. Flexible packaging also helps in increasing the shelf life of the products eventually reducing waste. This is the reason behind the packaging of perishable goods like dairy products and food. Nothing can damage it during transportation and handling.

Flexible packaging is a modern phenomenon and has come a long way. With an (almost) never-ending list of tick marks like energy-saving, cost-effective, light in weight, less waste, planet-friendly and a lot more. It is safe to say that it is here to stay and is constantly heading toward advancement. Both the brands and consumers love it. It is clearly an extension of branding and marketing. Now it is up to the brands to make/pack a product such that when it sits on the shelf with its competitors, the customer will reach for their product before looking at other options and picking it up. It's a race to the customer’s ever-changing heart in the truest sense.