Pacdora Blog

‘Sensory experience’ is not the first thing people think of when they consider Marketing strategy, even though it is the first experience customers have with your product. The way the package looks is just as important as the item it contains.

You can design your ideal packaging here online: Pacdora

The packaging of a product can be just as important as the product itself. If the packaging is not visually appealing or engaging, customers are less likely to purchase the product. Even if the label provides helpful information, customers may not bother to read it if they are not interested in the product. Therefore, companies should focus on creating packaging that will grab the attention of potential buyers.

You can find a good example of this in the packaging of the world’s most profitable company: Apple. If you have ever seen the box of an iPhone or a brand new MacBook, you will be able to picture the minimalist white box with the shimmering metallic fonts.

You can design your ideal packaging here online: Pacdora

The materials are just as high-quality as the product itself. Even the way it opens is satisfying.

Apple is amazing at making an iconic sensory experience that does not require any words or logo to communicate its brand. This is because Apple makes its packaging look as aesthetically pleasing as the device inside. Every corner of the box is clean, the color is a simplistic white, and the materials are high-quality. Even the way it opens is satisfying.

Apple’s packaging is designed to be clean and simple, in a world of clutter and constant sensory over-stimulation. The company’s iconic minimalism is what attracts the eye.

You can design your ideal packaging here online: Pacdora

The article is discussing how the elegant presentation of the product reinforces the sensory associations people have with it.

Apple employs a designer whose sole job is packaging to ensure that opening the box is a unique experience. The company also has a designer who is devoted to opening hundreds of prototype boxes and creating and testing endless versions of box shape, angles and tapes. This process is focused on the customer and is not just about esthetics. It is also about creating a package that is easy for customers to open, easy to identify the component parts, and easy to start using.

To understand how much importance Apple executives place on the small details, consider this: For months, a packaging designer was holed up in this room opening boxes. Adam Lashinsky, executive editor of Fortune Magazine, says that the end result of this focus is the wonderful experience of unpacking an Apple product.

You can design your ideal packaging here online: Pacdora

A high level of visibility is necessary for high purchase levels, which is why 80% of new retail products fail. According to Scott Young of Perception Research Services (PRS), visual contrast to other brands is key. “Color is the strongest tool – and the smaller the brand, the more important it is to ‘own a color’ on shelf. While there is no ‘magic color’ for creating contrast, we can say that the best solutions often involve ‘breaking the rules’ of the category.”

In eye-tracking studies, PRS found that “less is more” when it comes to text on the package. Shoppers look at a package for about 5 seconds to decide whether to pick it up. More messages on the package means more messages competing for the same 5 seconds of attention, which makes it less likely that the message will get through to shoppers. Apple is the master here, showing just the essentials on the box and avoiding clutter that will detract from the brand.

It is clear that Steve Jobs’ focus on the smaller details is what assisted Apple in becoming the successful company it is today.

Apple Packaging: Eco-friendly or marketing hype?

You can design your ideal packaging here online: Pacdora

There is no one easy solution to becoming sustainable, it is a journey. With Apple having to package hundreds, maybe even thousands, of different products, true sustainability is something that will take time.

Although Apple’s new packaging design benefits its supply chain and distribution channels, the environment is also harmed less because 50% less packaging is used.

“Apple’s new packaging is environmentally friendly and more convenient to carry around, thanks to the supply chain benefits of using less packaging,” concludes Oboleński.

“The brand isn’t changing the packaging industry, so while their effort is good, they’re not going to win any eco-trophies for using less packaging’.

The most earth-friendly decision a business can make regarding their packaging is to not use any packaging at all. The second best thing a business can do is to use as little packaging as possible.