The Power of the First Impression and Why Your Packaging Matters

When you're fighting to stand out, you have literal seconds to prove yourself. That starts with packaging. See why the first impression is your best shot.

They say ‘don’t judge a book by its cover,’ but what about that bag of granola in your grocery store? The first thing you noticed was the color: Green-blue. So you stop — just for a split-second — and take further notice. You pick the bag up: it’s sturdy, but flexible; on it, a young woman is smiling while hiking. It feels good in your hands, and you drop it into your cart. 

You move further down Aisle 9 to the fruit snacks and crackers, satisfied with this somewhat impulsive decision. So, why did that bag of granola grab your fancy? 

When it comes to first impressions, your packaging matters. 

In the average supermarket, there are between 15,000 and 60,000 SKUs competing for shoppers’ attention. Since most shopping lists are shorter than that, competition is fierce.

Packaging Considerations

Packaging has two obligations to fulfill. First, it must protect your product along the supply chain and stand up to the rigors of both traveling and sitting on the shelf. Second, it needs to communicate to customers in a clear way that drives purchases. If you only focus on the first part, your packaging isn’t delivering to its full potential.

When developing your packaging, your design needs to consider both elements. Never forget: Packaging is marketing.

To that end, your packaging considerations should include:

• Material
• Dimensions
• Colorways
• Imagery & Logo
• Messaging

You likely have brand guidelines that inform your overall marketing—is your packaging aligned with the rest of your efforts?  

Packaging Purpose

Custom packaging delivers on the above considerations, but it requires a concerted push to bring everything together in a package that stands out on a busy shelf. Your packaging will need to quickly provide useful information about your product, including its benefits, application and how it’s different from the competition.

This doesn’t need to fall prey to wordiness, however. Simple colorways and logos can attract customers to pick up your package, while clean design can communicate your product’s benefits in a few words or symbols. 

Or, you can opt for packaging that evokes emotion (i.e. enjoying granola on a rewarding hike). 

Either way, figure that your potential customers don’t know anything about your product and plan your packaging with that in mind.

Putting It All Together

Clearly, custom packaging provides full flexibility to show your best self on a shelf, but that many variables invite risk, as well. If you miss the mark on your packaging, you can miss your customer base, too. Having the right packaging partner matters.

At Victory Packaging, our team of expert engineers and designers work directly with you to create custom solutions that meet your exact requirements. We not only have the tools and systems to develop packaging that delivers your messaging in a captivating way, but we also ensure that all packaging optimizes production costs and can withstand shipping so that it looks as good in-store as it does rolling off the production line. 

Victory Packaging Solutions

If you’re ready to upgrade your presence with custom packaging, Victory Packaging is ready to help. To learn more about our solutions, contact us today.