Nerida Kelton
Packaging that stands out on the shelf in a sea of similar shapes and materials is usually "different" in a certain way. The packaging may optically have a lighter color, a different shape, an unusual size or an invitation to customer loyalty.
By Nerida Kelton, Executive Director of the Australian Institute of Packaging.
I often stop to take a break when I see a random package while strolling down a supermarket aisle.
One such package that caught my eye was the Monday hair care range from New Zealand. What made this pack stand out was the neutral shade of pink they chose and the shape of the bottle. The pack made me feel like a premium range at a supermarket price. I have to admit that I bought a set; although I don't use this brand of shampoo just because I liked the packaging.
Other packs that I've noticed lately are those that create customer loyalty and invite you to be part of their story.
Looking at the broad spectrum of finalists in the newly established Marketing Design of the Year category for the Australasian Packaging Innovation & Design (PIDA) Awards 2021, there are some innovative examples of how packaging is becoming one of the most powerful and important tools for marketing can product and brand.
Packaging should be seen as an opportunity to create strong and evocative messages with your consumers and build brand loyalty. This can include the functionality of the pack, the aesthetic design and the outstanding visual appearance that highlights the pack on the shelf, the high quality and gift-like design and / or unique and interactive communication tools on the pack.
Two unique and innovative examples among the finalists in the marketing category are Cutri Fruit 'Galaxy' peaches and the KitKat 'Recycle Me, Give the Planet A Break' wrappers.
Cutri Fruit Galaxy Fruits Saturn Peaches ’get space going
When designing the Galaxy Fruits "Saturn Peaches" packaging for Cutri Fruit, N.A.V.I. Co. Global breaking new ground, creating an intuitive and interactive brand for the consumer. For over 40 years, Cutri has only been supplying supermarkets with generic, unbranded products and for the first time decided to officially introduce its own brand to consumers. Cutri wanted the packaging to give a positive first impression that was unique and appealing and also functional for customers.
Cutri fruit
Cutri was looking for an exceptional listing for its uniquely shaped peaches and wanted the shelf packaging to make a difference.
Galaxy Fruits' Saturn Peaches branding is family friendly and uses bright colors and bold graphics, including interactive elements, to create an emotional connection and ultimately generate interest and awareness for this new strain. At the center of the attention-grabbing design is a window to reveal the unique flat, saturn-like peaches. The pack uses interactive pop-outs to create collectibles and encourage repeat purchases. The window can be used as a projection surface and can be used again and again by the children. Cutri wanted the interactive area to have activities for the kids like coloring to encourage creativity and mental stimulation.
The packaging has created its own version of augmented reality with the mobile phone projector, which brings space into living rooms across the country and acts as a channel for children to learn more about space, creativity and healthy eating.
Cutri integrated a QR code on the packaging so that consumers can learn more about the “Saturn Peaches” from Galaxy Fruits, and also used the packaging itself to include a variety of messages about the health benefits and origin.
KitKat wrappers “Recycle me, Give the Planet A Break” move the recycling message to the front of the pack
According to a recent survey by Nestle Australia, 80% of Australians show a strong desire to recycle properly, but nearly 48% of the nation just get it wrong and end up getting the packaging wrong.
To encourage and educate Australians to give the planet a break by properly recycling their soft plastics, KitKat took the bold step of temporarily having its logo on the iconic four-finger milk chocolate bar through an in-store call for recycling replace.
The limited edition bars feature a KitKat-inspired recycling symbol and an explicit call to action for everyone to actively dispose of the packaging in the REDcycle collection bins located in most major Australian supermarkets.
What's special about this pack is that the KitKat sleeve artwork design completely removes the KitKat branding on the front of the pack and replaces it with a Mobius ribbon, a symbol that consumers associate with recycling.
The use of the mobius loop symbol occupies the front of the packaging, is eye-catching and clearly conveys to consumers the importance of recyclable packaging.
The Mobius ribbon symbol is accompanied by the slogan "Recycle me, give the planet a break", which is also a play on the slogan "Have a break, have a KitKat". This links the Nestlé KitKat brand to its sustainability message and has a lasting impact on the consumer.
There is also an arrow on the front of the packaging design that points to a container labeled “Drop in in store”, which informs and educates consumers about the method of recycling soft plastics. The "Store Drop Off" declaration refers to the instructions from the Australasian Recycling Logo (ARL) to go to a REDcycle-participating dealer and to hand in soft plastic packaging in the collection bins.
On the shelf, the combinations of these front-of-pack designs can evoke a sustainability message that consumers can quickly connect to, while at the same time conveying informative messages about recycling.
In the past, sustainability messages for packaging were usually placed on the side or on the back of the packaging. Previous packaging design focused on the product or brand itself and not on the recyclability of the packaging.
This new KitKat design enables the sustainability of the packaging to be the main element of the packaging design without depriving the consumer of the ability to recognize the product. The central design elements of the KitKat brand – the red KitKat color, the iconic shape and the white oval background – are retained. Consumers can therefore quickly assign the product to the same KitKat that they love. In addition, the Mobius loop symbol is created using KitKat fingers and further links the product to the brand.
The next time you stroll down the aisles, keep an eye out for packaging that will stand out on the shelf and keep consumers engaged.
About Nerida Kelton MAIP
Nerida has been in the packaging industry for more than 23 years and is Executive Director of the Australian Institute of Packaging, Australasia's leading packaging training and education professional association. Nerida has a passion for sustainable and circular packaging design and the "Save Food Packaging Design" movement is the steering committee of the National Food Waste Strategy of the Environment. She invests her time educating the industry about the important role packaging plays in minimizing food waste and how the design of "Save Food Packaging" can make a difference.
Via the Australian Institute of Packaging
The Australian Institute of Packaging (AIP) is Australasia's premier packaging education and training organization helping shape the careers of generations of packaging professionals, from packaging technologists to international packaging executives, along with a wide variety of people in related disciplines such as Sales and marketing, purchasing, production and the environment.
The AIP was founded in 1963 in response to the need for packaging technologists to interact with one another and provide professional identities to individuals within the packaging industry. AIP has been in the industry for more than 55 years and is the only professional organization designed to provide professional and personal development at all levels of the packaging industry.
