March 30, 2012 10:07 1. Use a corrugated boxpreferably a new one.

When you reuse a box, it becomes less durable.

2. Do not overfill a box. Overfilling will direct pressure to the walls of

the box which could result in damage to both the box and your product. Many packers smash down paper or loose fill to close the box or fit more material inside. However, this compresses the material, making it less effective in protecting your products. More importantly, using excess packaging material means spending unnecessary money.

3. Do not underfill a box. Underfilling a box could result in possible damage to your
product. Make sure the product you are shipping is secure. If it feels loose in the box, either add more packaging material or double check to ensure that you have correctly wrapped the product.

4. The 2-inch rule: In most cases, use at least 2 inches of packaging

material around the product and be sure that the product is at least 2 inches from the walls of the box. This will help prevent both underfilling and overfilling, saving you time and money.
5. Properly close the box. This step is just as important as using proper cushioning.
Try to stay away from tapes such as: masking, cellophane and duct. Use strong tape such as pressure sensitive plastic tape. Two inches or more in width is recommended.

6. Effective packaging for your products. Different products require different methods of packaging. If you arent sure of the

most effective way to package your products, Ranpaks package engineers can help. We offer a custom pack design to any company who seeks our helpall at no cost to you.

Packaging was once the stepchild of marketing, simply thought of as the container for the product, a cost to be minimized as much as possible. These days, marketers recognize the value of packaging, understanding the vital role it can play in generating sales by connecting with shoppers at

the point-of-purchase. And the expense incurred in developing an effective package is seen as a worthwhile investment that provides a huge return. But with this higher profi le comes greater scrutiny and higher expectations. There is a need to establish criteria for effectiveness, and create metrics to determine if those criteria have been met. The fundamental criteria for effective packaging are:

To be seen on shelf To engage shoppers To communicate key messages/point-of-difference To close the sale.

In addition, the most effective packaging also provides functional benefi ts such as handling, storage, opening/re-closing, dispensing/usage and disposal/sustainability. Lets consider each of these aspects in more detail.

VISIBILITY
Unless the package is noticed on shelf, it cannot be selected for purchase fundamentally, unseen is unsold.

Even in todays very crowded store aisles, there are many ways that a package can be designed to get more visibility. The key is to create contrast against the surroundings. This can be achieved via: Shape: If the category norm is to use rectangular cartons (as in readyto-eat cereal) and the same shaped carton of every different brand blends together, then something different, such as an oval shaped carton (such as that of Archer Farms) will stand apart quite readily. Color: Creating a unifi ed block of color can provide visibility, especially if the brand has a limited number of facings. Pillsbury did so with its blue frozen breakfast packaging that had to compete with the more prominent sea of yellow established by Egg-O. And using color

consistently can help unify a brand across an array of categories as the white color of Walmarts Great Value packaging does.

Graphic element: Packaging can be made to stand out by using a strong visual element typography or device that is noticeable and distinctive, and especially if it can unite a line of products. Duane Reades recently introduced line of paper products does this brilliantly with the use of iconic New York City-scapes created in a unique black and white style

ENGAGEMENT
Of course, while a package cannot be purchased if it is not seen, creating visibility alone does not guarantee purchase. After all, train wrecks attract attention, but not in a good way. Once it has managed to catch the shoppers attention, the package must then draw the shopper in and get her to spend some of her precious time looking at it in more detail. The fastest and most effective way to do this is by using a visual. A picture truly is worth a thousand words, as it acts quickly, holds attention and is highly credible. No one needs to be told how delicious a slice of cake will be if it looks rich, moist and fl avorful. On the other hand, no amount of words will convince someone that a piece of cake that appears dry, chalky and stale will be worth tasting. But while seeing is believing, feeling is convincing. Having a positive emotional reaction to a package (like with most things), is more likely to result in a desire to engage with it. And often times, there are elements on a package that we have a reaction to which we are not aware of, or cannot easily articulate.

COMMUNICATION
The next step on the path toward purchase is to convey a meaningful message to the shopper. This can be done with an attention-getting announcement about this being a new product, that the product has been

changed (now with Beta-carotene) or that it is selling for a lower price (10 percent off). It can also be a compelling claim about the product ingredients (All Natural), its place of manufacture (U.S.A.), or the outcome of using it (cholesterol lowering). There also are functional messages such as form and fl avor descriptions that are critical to the shopping process and must be executed effectively. When developing the packaging for a brand line containing a range of types, there is an important balance to strike between creating a strong family look, and also clearly differentiating the different varieties within the line. Otherwise, the shopper will either miss the brand, or struggle to find a particular item being sought. In addition to the content of the message, the visual execution is an important factor impacting how engaging the message will be. Just as creating contrast helps a package stand out from its surroundings, so too, a message will stand out if it contrasts against its surroundings. The tools here are size, color, shape and placement. Importantly, placing a message at the top of the package is not always best, nor is making it the largest element the only effective treatment. It is most important to consider the hierarchy of communication because a shopper can only process two to three messages and will ignore the rest. It is critical, therefore, to determine which messages are the most vital and be sure that these are the ones that are emphasized.

FUNCTIONALITY
Structural packaging can provide an effective way for a brand to stand out on shelf, or create meaningful consumer benefi ts that set a brand apart. The Go-Gurt brand was created by creating a new delivery mechanism for yogurt, a squeezable tube. And the lightweight, shatterproof squeezable bottle for ketchup, mustard and most recently mayonnaise, has provided

tremendous consumer benefi ts in terms of dispensing these ubiquitous products that had long been the source of considerable user frustration. Targets proprietary bottles for prescription medication created new paradigms by providing packaging that could actually save lives by being easy to comprehend, use and distinguish.

CLOSING SALES
Much of what makes a package more effective can add to the products cost of goods, and is sometimes resisted by the manufacturer. This can include higher quality packaging materials, better printing, more attractive photography, etc. But just because these add to the production cost, that doesnt mean that the bottom line will be adversely affected. In fact, better packaging can result in higher sales, or the ability to charge more as shoppers believe the product is worth more. But how do I know if my package is effective? While knowing what makes a package effective in general is useful, its even more important to know if the investment made to make your brands package effective has paid off. Using consumer research as part of the design process is like taking out an insurance policy it costs a little bit, but the payoff is tremendous in both avoiding costly mistakes and ensuring that the optimal direction is pursued. There are many different techniques that can be employed and they can be used at various points in the process. In the early stages of designing the packaging, qualitative research can be very useful to determine if the designs are generally resonating if the communications are meaningful and the imagery is appropriate. Prior to introducing the package in the marketplace, it is useful to determine how the shopper will react to this offering in the context of a realistic shelf display that includes competitive products, pricing and merchandising

variables. Ideally, the technique will be quantitative in nature and include measures of shelf impact, package viewing and emotional response. Specifi cally, one must determine if the package is:

Visible: In the few seconds that a shopper glances at the aisle, does she even notice your package among the vast array shes faced with? Communicating: If shoppers are confused about what theyre seeing (is it still my brand, whats the benefit of this one, will it taste as good/perform as well?), they may resort to purchasing a competitive offering. Compelling: Even if seen on shelf and clearly understood, the proposition must be suffi ciently meaningful, amidst all of the other options available, to actually be purchased. Simply hearing people pay lip service to how wonderful the idea is can be dangerously misleading.

Our firms shopping exercises reveal both impulse and planned buying behavior at shelf that can be expected from a given package design. These measures have been validated as being highly indicative of in-market performance and offer critical learning prior to introduction. Packaging is one of the most cost-effective weapons in a marketers arsenal. It requires a relatively modest investment, lasts a long time, and is encountered by a tremendous number of shoppers (in promotions, at the point-of-purchase and during use). Applying a few fundamental principles to its creation, and employing appropriate consumer research prior to launching, can ensure that this valuable tool provides a very high return-oninvestment for many years.