Brand and Packaging
The Power of Packaging
Alice Louw & Michelle Kimber
The Customer Equity Company*
In recent years packaging has developed well beyond its original function as merely a means of product protection and now plays a key marketing role in developing on shelf appeal, providing product information and establishing brand image and awareness. As packaging’s role in the marketing mix gains momentum, so research into this arena becomes increasingly important. Given the potential for packaging to successfully achieve marketing goals; does research into packaging truly reflects its value within the marketing mix? Do we fully understand the role that packaging plays in a marketing environment and how best to leverage this tool to influence consumers? If packaging is so important, what is the best way to measure its effectiveness?
*
The Customer Equity Company is a wholly owned subsidiary of TNS (UK) which has been set up
to develop the marketing sciences and support brand equity and Commitment modelling worldwide.
1
What is packaging?
The definitions of ‘packaging’ vary and range from being simple and functionallyfocused to more extensive, holistic interpretations. Packaging can be defined quite simply as an extrinsic element of the product (Olson and Jacoby (1972)) - an attribute that is related to the product but does not form part of the physical product itself. “Packaging is the container for a product – encompassing the physical appearance of the container and including the design, color, shape, labeling and materials used” (Arens, 1996). Most marketing textbooks consider packaging to be an integral part of the “product” component of the 4 P’s of marketing: product, price, place and promotion (Cateora and Graham, 2002, pg 358-360). Some argue that that packaging serves as a promotional tool rather than merely an extension of the product: Keller (1998) considers packaging to be an attribute that is not related to the product. For him it is one of the
Alice Louw & Michelle Kimber
The Customer Equity Company*
In recent years packaging has developed well beyond its original function as merely a means of product protection and now plays a key marketing role in developing on shelf appeal, providing product information and establishing brand image and awareness. As packaging’s role in the marketing mix gains momentum, so research into this arena becomes increasingly important. Given the potential for packaging to successfully achieve marketing goals; does research into packaging truly reflects its value within the marketing mix? Do we fully understand the role that packaging plays in a marketing environment and how best to leverage this tool to influence consumers? If packaging is so important, what is the best way to measure its effectiveness?
*
The Customer Equity Company is a wholly owned subsidiary of TNS (UK) which has been set up
to develop the marketing sciences and support brand equity and Commitment modelling worldwide.
1
What is packaging?
The definitions of ‘packaging’ vary and range from being simple and functionallyfocused to more extensive, holistic interpretations. Packaging can be defined quite simply as an extrinsic element of the product (Olson and Jacoby (1972)) - an attribute that is related to the product but does not form part of the physical product itself. “Packaging is the container for a product – encompassing the physical appearance of the container and including the design, color, shape, labeling and materials used” (Arens, 1996). Most marketing textbooks consider packaging to be an integral part of the “product” component of the 4 P’s of marketing: product, price, place and promotion (Cateora and Graham, 2002, pg 358-360). Some argue that that packaging serves as a promotional tool rather than merely an extension of the product: Keller (1998) considers packaging to be an attribute that is not related to the product. For him it is one of the
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