Package Research

Recently I was asked to give a presentation on package research. While I have designed and executed a considerable number of packaging projects, I had not pulled together my thoughts on the particular subject. The following outlines my approach to the development of the presentation.

My first step was to go to Webster for a starting point. Webster says a package is "a container in which something is packed." The next step involved the classification of the uses of the package, namely: appeal, functionality, and communication. From that point of view, I classified the different purposes for the package across its life. The following not only gives us a better description of a package, but it outlines the areas of required research:

Container/Transporter     Distribution
Protector                 Product, Public and Environment
Eye Catcher               Attractive/Intrusive
Communicator              What it is/Who it is/Reason for being
Facilitator               Ease of use, transportation, handling, opening, 
                          dispensing, closing, storage, etc.
Instructor                How to use
Educator                  Specific information about the product, such as 
                          volume, ingredients, manufacturer, caution, etc.
Reminder                  When to purchase more/What to purchase
Secondary Uses            Other uses/Recycling

The package is much more than a container. It can play a major role in the success of your brand. As an important element of the brand, maximizing just one of the above attributes can result in a major tie breaker in the consumer's choice of brands. One of the main areas frequently overlooked by package researchers is the concept that a package is your "Billboard at the Point of Purchase." One of Sorensen Associates Inc specialties is package assessment at the Point of Purchase.