by: PLAY
Over the years we've worked with hundreds of brands to launch seasonal products and packs and we've picked up a fair few pointers along the way.
Here are a few of our favourite tips 'n' tricks to ensure a happy (and prosperous!) promotion.
1. Stay true to your brand.
We've seen countless brands in store with products and packaging that have strayed so far from the original brand promise that they're almost unrecognisable. One brand that got it spot on was Skittles. For Pride 2018, Skittles removed the colour from its packaging, arguing that during Pride, there's only one rainbow that matters. The campaign was a huge success.
Our pack research expert, Kat, says: "Avoid confusion or frustration from loyal customers. Retain your core brand assets to ensure your brand identity stays strong and consumers can locate your product on the shelf."
2. Think seasonal not ‘holiday’.
Sidestep the issue of leftover stock by being smart in how you position your seasonal or event offering to give products more longevity. In the US, Hershey’s changed their Halloween imagery to autumnal leaves and colours so they didn’t have to heavily discount after the holiday. This gave them additional runway to sell through until winter - but it's interesting to note that in recent years they've returned to more traditional spooky-themed packaging.
3. Use tried and trusted methods.
Use personalisation and interactivity to boost sales and engagement. Johnnie Walker personalised bottles are a great example. It helps that it also works really well if you want to play more into the gifting space. Who doesn't want a personalised bottle of scotch?!
“We have moved beyond the period when consumers were siloed into larger demographic groups. Today’s consumers want to be treated as individuals.”
- Ellie Damashek, Trend Watching.
4. ... but also set new trends.
Seasonal and event-based opportunities can be a great time to experiment. Use a reputable agency to minimise risk and understand early on in the pipeline how your changes are likely to be received.
And don't forget to evaluate the successes and failures of your competitors’ seasonal packaging this year, to generate learnings for next year.
5. Get creative with your approach.
Stand out from the competitive clutter for the right reasons by using design creatively. Think innovatively about packaging design and refine it well before it hits the shelf. Partnering with someone like Monash Food Innovation to ideate, test, refine and retest using their design sprint methodology can mean the difference between a seasonal flop and a home run win.
Wrapping it up.
If you’ve been following our blogs you’ll know how important we believe packaging is - it’s arguably the most powerful consumer touchpoint today.
Packaging could well be what gets your product from shelf to basket, so it's your opportunity to experiment with stand-out designs.
Packaging research is one of PLAY's specialities (and passions). Over the years, we've carried out pack tests for many of the biggest FMCG and retail brands in the world.
So, if you're interested in testing some seasonal pack designs, drop us a line at hello@playmr.com.au. We'd love to help optimise your designs for the best possible results.
Want an overview of the most important stuff? Download our 8 Secret Packaging Research Tricks now.
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