Janoschka magazine Linked_V5_2020

60 n e t w o r k & p e o p l e
Perfect packaging
promises an unmistakable
brand experience
Studies by the market research company Growth from
Knowledge (GfK) suggest that up to 75 per cent of all
purchase decisions are made in the shop. Furthermore,
it has been claimed that people subconsciously form an
idea of the things around them in seconds – that does
not leave much time to reflect.
It is the design details and, above all, the colours that are
decisive. Do the proportions, layout and text blocks on
the packaging look right? And what about the fonts,
graphic elements and images? Not to mention the logo
– does it reflect the brand personality? Does, for example,
the overall appearance support the claim of being
a premium brand?
Or, has a trainee at a new advertising agency ignored
brand guidelines by quickly shifting the brand logo to the
edge of the packaging to make way for a spontaneous
special offer? This misdemeanour will damage the brand
and will fail to pay off despite the promotion – at least in
the long run.
Getting the colours right is even more important. Studies
have shown that this is the main factor. Three out of four
consumers regularly say that colours have a key influence
on their purchase decisions. Nevertheless, colours
are no longer just a visual effect. Today, they are measurable,
defined values. The exact reproduction of the
colour palette boosts brand recognition by 80 per cent
according to research at Loyola University Maryland.
"Brands make a promise that the packaging also has
to live up to," says Stefan Hilss, Managing Director of
Linked2Brands. His agency ensures precisely that: the
design, layout and colour have to create a consistent
brand image – across the world and through all channels.
This is not at all easy: product ranges vary from country
to country as do the legal requirements about what has
to be written on the packaging whether with respect to
contents, customer protection information or origin. For
example, EU directives differ from those in countries on
the other side of the globe.
Furthermore, colour is not just colour. The end result
depends on a range of factors. Firstly, the material
that it is printed onto, what we call the substrate. Has
it been manufactured using recycled cardboard, white
paper, film or aluminium? The colours used, printing
tools, equipment and methods are further factors – up to
seventy variables make a difference. Finally, we also have
to bear in mind the platform where the product packaging
will appear, i.e. printed on the shelf or the Internet.
The manufacturers have defined the ideal for themselves.
If the familiar colour of a brand of crisps appears faded, the
consumer may well recognise the crisps, but might also
think that the bag has been lying on the shelf for quite a
while. They will doubt the quality of the contents, potentially
undermining the entire brand.