What Are the Benefits of Packaging in Marketing?

Store shelves are stocked with various products stored inside boxes, bottles, jars and other containers. Product packaging is designed in various colors, shapes and sizes and store everything from foods and beverages to cosmetics and medicines. Packaging is such an essential part of the marketing process, companies spend a considerable amount of time and money planning and designing it.

Product packaging ensures that products are safe when they are shipped to consumers and stores, as well as when they sit on store shelves. It's important to marketers that customers receive their products in undamaged containers, so that customers experience the care and consideration companies put into planning the packaging they use to hold and ship products. Poorly packaged products can turn into customer service and public relations problems for companies. Consumers perceive products as inferior and lacking quality if they are not packaged appropriately.

The visual presentation of product packaging helps attract consumers and persuade them to pick up a product, learn what it's used for and determine if the product will add value to their lives. Packaging design is heavily dependent on the company's target market. From color to artwork to shape, everything is considered as companies determine how to tailor it for their ideal consumers.

Businesses rely on product packaging to communicate information. Packaging provides ingredient information, instructions for use, features and benefits. Customer service information also appears on packaging, as a way to give consumers a way to contact companies and provide feedback or ask questions. An open-loop of communication between companies and their consumers helps businesses decide how to market their products, which benefits to highlight and when they need to make changes.

Product packaging features the branding elements companies work hard to keep consistent, such as logos, product characters and tag lines. Branding elements help consumers instantly recognize products on shelves and in advertising. Whether on shelves or in commercials, the branding that appears on product packaging plays a large role on how a product is marketed.