Packaging is no longer that – just a package. Packaging today is meant to inform and entice a consumer with supplementary information on the product. This information is supplied through the information on the label and by smart packages with barcodes that help you make an informed decision. Who’s using this information? The millions of consumers with smart phones are the ones accessing the information on the package.
The segment "Your Packaging Does What and Where" in World Packaging News explains the methods you can use to reach out to the busy consumers. The smart package is only in its infancy, but the article points out that "statistics bear out that this type of package marketing is the wave of the future and is only limited by the marketer's imagination. Think about it. You can covey whatever information your consumer may need to make an informed decision to buy, through today’s technology.
How is this done? Through the key packaging phrases World Packaging News has identified:
Augmented Reality
2D Barcodes
Social Media
Facebook
Twitter
Smart Packaging
Intelligent Packaging
Nanotechnology
YouTube
Virtual Stores
Smartphones
An educated customer reads labels and takes notes. So if your product is not part of the smart packaging trend, you may lose ground. World Packaging News notes, “Not only are they reading the package but they are comparing like products, making informed shopping decisions. Branded merchandise is losing ground to private label products.”
So how much information can you convey on a package on through a little code? Or even in a tweet or Facebook posting? Pay attention to what information your audience needs and deliver a positive message on your product. You have a great product – let them know why!
Just don’t get left behind. Smart packaging is paying attention to what your competitor is doing.
How is your packaging “smart”?