Enhancing consumer experience via packaging as story telling medium
By Felicia Nwosu
The marketing landscape has undergone remarkable transformations over the past decade, but the need to connect and engage with consumers still remains a key priority to generate sales and drive customer loyalty.
In recent times, customers’ expectations from brands have rapidly evolved especially with the rapid digital transformation.
Today’s consumer wants to optimise his purchase journeys from end-to-end to enjoy lifetime value. These include in pricing, packaging, value creation, affordability and availability of the products.
With this in mind, packaging has become a multifaceted tool in branding and marketing strategies for many brands in helping to enhance consumer experience and also deepen connection as a storytelling medium.
Globally, brands are investing heavily in packaging to ensure that it can seamlessly align with their values, mission, and brand story to create memorable customer experiences, as well as contribute to environmental sustainability.
This is with the foresight aspirations that go beyond wrapping a product, but telling a story, creating recognition, and enhancing the overall customer journey. It is a function of both physical distributions as well as advertising. Hence it is essential to use the latest techniques and materials for packaging.
According to a report from Mordor Intelligence, it projected that Nigeria’s packaging market size is growing rapidly with viability for more market penetration and expansion. It posted its previous growth at the value of USD0.86 billion in 2023 with an expectation to grow at USD1 billion by 2028, at a CAGR of 2.96%, which will last throughout the forecast period (2023-2028).
In its further statistics from the German Machinery Association, it revealed that in March 2022, Nigeria invested EUR 390 million (USD 410.11 million) in food and packaging technologies, surpassing South Africa, Algeria, and Morocco to become the continent’s second-largest investor in the field behind Egypt.
It said Nigeria also overtook South Africa as the continent’s top importer of plastics technology, adding that, packaging market in the nation is anticipated to increase positively fuelled by several factors.
It affirmed that the market players are forming strategic partnerships and collaborations to attract maximum market share in a developing economy as a survival tactic, especially for the fact that the landscape of the Nigerian Packaging Industry is both competitive and fragmented.
Today, successful brands understand that most profound elements such as packaging should not be underestimated in branding and marketing strategies as it helps to hold and reflect brand’s promise.
Some brands have further demonstrated their stand and commitment to sustainability and environmental responsibility through their packaging processes, as a subtle way to connect with customers deeply.
Apart from its primary roles in protecting and creating brand recognition, it is also a powerful tool that influences and stimulates customer perception and purchase decisions about a brand.
Several brands such as Coca-Cola, Milo, Martel alcoholic spirit, 7UP, Golden Penny and many others have over the years mastered the art and are leveraging it through various distinct shapes, colours and designs to win the hearts of consumers.
Across the globe, brands have the advantage of the power in packaging to make their brands top of the minds, with the believe that packaging serves as the first impression of any product, offering a visual representation of what’s inside and can significantly influence purchasing decisions.
To further deepen connection and engagement with consumers, lots of brands have added Quick Response Code, OR Code, instructions on how to use the product, contact information for customer support, and other additional resources with value addition that will boost consumers’ loyalty.
The onus now lies on brands to leverage this effective marketing tool as the unveiling power to their moment of truth as the most creative and appealing packaging will directly influence consumers’ decision making which will translate in their revenues.
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