Steve Jobs once said, “Packaging can be a theatre, it can create a story.” Indeed it is true! Don’t we get super excited when we come across beautifully packaged articles? A gift, when packaged in the right way, becomes a source of immense happiness for the receiver. Good packaging ensures that an element of surprise remains until someone un-wraps a present. Similarly, when we make a purchase, we expect our goods delivered well packed, safe and sound. According to a study, 70 percent of consumers choose a product based on its style of packaging! That is quite a number.
On the other hand, from a seller’s perspective, the packaging is a key component of its marketing and branding strategy. It can create a brand’s quality in the eyes of the consumer. The right packaging attracts customers’ attention. Packaging also plays an important role in creating your brand value. It mainly serves three purposes – to contain the product, protect from external damage and communicate with consumers.
A bakery is no alien to the benefits of good packaging. Packaging for bakery products is a collaboration between art and science. So many factors like preservation, transit, storage etc. are chosen carefully with a lot of thought and consideration. Packaging protects the contents of bakery products from environmental damage too. Considering the perishable nature and fragility of products made in a bakery, packaging becomes an even more important aspect. In a bakery, usually, the products are kept either on shelves or behind glass enclosures under ambient conditions. Once consumers buy products of their choice, only then would packaging come into the picture. Therefore, we understand that packaging wouldn’t play a very significant role in the initial sales for a bakery. So, if not sales, then what purpose does it serve? Let’s discover:
Creating Brand Image
Customers tend to associate a brand’s image by how well the packaging of a product is. “What looks good from the outside must look even better from the inside” – a common belief! Good packaging holds a silent promise of a quality product.
Good packaging reflects a brand’s personality. Moreover, the packaging is an area where you can display your creativity as this can be an important opportunity to increase brand awareness. It is true that in the case of bakery products, packaging might not trigger initial sales. Yet it can make sure that your customers keep choosing your place over your competitors in future. For instance: Using high-quality odour free material is one small step towards giving this factor due consideration.
Free of cost advertising
Let’s admit – advertising your bakery products is no easy task. With all the competition, the need to stand out from the crowd is overwhelming. And you certainly wouldn’t want to lose any opportunity of advertising your bakery. Your packaging materials can help you with this task quite well – that too at no extra cost!
Your packaging material has your bakery’s logo or name on it. And everywhere they go, they advertise your business even long after the sale has been made. This also attracts any potential consumers.
Effective communication
Good packaging makes sure that the necessary information is easily available and accessible. Often, the packaging includes product description, ingredients, manufacturing and expiration dates and other valuable information. Inclusion of such data is helpful for consumers. This way, you can communicate with your consumers and create an experience which makes their life easier. Customers appreciate this kind of communication. They make your products look reliable and build a loyal customer base too.
Social media advantage
We already know that good packaging helps with marketing. In this era of digital marketing, creating a good image of a brand can sometimes take just a few moments. And the opposite is true as well. For instance: Food bloggers these days visit bakeries or eateries and post pictures with their reviews online. Trust me, a lot of people actually follow and consider those reviews. Sometimes customers also post pictures of aesthetically pleasing or unique packaging. If you are getting started with your bakery, and expect any such promotions to be happening, ensure you live up to it. Yes, the main products are essential. However, packaging techniques are equally important. Nowadays, when it is possible to create brand value based on some good reviews, why should you not take its benefit?
Affecting Consumer Behaviour:
Packaging design and colours have significant impact on customer behaviours concerning the kind of purchase they make. When the right typography and colors are incorporated in your bakery’s packaging, it attracts the right customers. Colors play a vital role in consumer psychology. They are directly responsible for the emotional connection developed between a brand and consumers. Similarly, the fonts in the text used on the packaging material are responsible for affecting how consumers would feel about your bakery.
Therefore, it is wise to choose the most appropriate characteristics according to your business. On some level, packaging is selling your consumers their next purchase!
Developing customer relations:
Packaging is an effective way to build a relationship with your consumers. Packaging makes sure that the right perceptions are created of your brand. A positive experience creates loyal customers. Consider this as an opportunity to connect with your consumers. The first impression that your packaging makes on consumers is very likely to stay with them forever.
Product safety:
Bakery products like muffins, cupcakes, bread etc. can be extremely fragile. Even if they aren’t, these are edible and perishable products and therefore before consumption. A lot of times, people prefer carrying them home. Having a packaging scheme that protects your products and retains their fresh aroma is always a good idea. If any of your bakery products get damaged while in transit, it certainly does not make a good impression on your customers. Remember, a damaged product can in turn damage your bakery’s perception in the eyes of your consumers. Also, the usage of right packaging techniques increases the shelf life of any product.
So we agree that packaging designs are a critical component for creating a brand image. Packaging offers unique opportunities to influence consumers and provide a competitive edge to your brand.This is one area that has practical as well as market implementation. So we have come up with a few tips and tricks that can help you grow your bakery and create its brand value through the use of appropriate packaging techniques:
Always display your logo
When designing packaging products, adding your bakery’s logo is a wonderful idea to slip into consumer’s conscience and create a place for your brand. When your logo is displayed on all packets, it gives an identity to the purchase made by your customers. And here is an added advantage to it. The more your logo printed packets are out there, the more your brand is getting recognized. This helps with potential new customers for sure. An Increase in visibility and reach is the goal here.
Material and size customization:
As a bakery, you would certainly have a long list of items on your menu. Each distinct in size, flavour and texture. So wouldn’t it be a great idea to create customized boxes or packets suitable to each of your products? Yes this might cost a little more as compared to standardized options. But the cost is nothing when compared to your bakery’s brand perception. Similarly, you may also opt for packaging made of different materials as per your requirement.There are numerous options – paper bags, zip pouches, metallic or plastic boxes, cardboard boxes, wrappers, shrink-wrapped boxes etc. This creates a professional image of your bakery. And the customers feel that you care enough to give packaging a thought. Baking may or may not be your passion, but this level of consideration is sure to create a positive image in your consumers’ eyes.
Easy to carry/transport:
Packing materials have a huge responsibility to fulfil. They need to make sure that all bakery products reach its destination safe and sound. There is a need to retain the flavours and aroma of the food products too. You must choose the packaging material that fulfils this requirement. Sometimes, the usage of wrong packaging materials ruins the product. Just the way your product’s quality must speak for itself, so should the packing’s. Nobody would prefer spoiled or leaking packets when it comes to food products. This can be a reason why consumers choose your bakery over your competitors. When we talk about quality management, it is not just confined to the product. The entire presentation is what matters, which eventually leads to your brand identity creation. It’s always those little things that matter –good quality paper, no leakage, secure lids and so on.
Color matters:
Well, can we ever undermine the significance of colors and their respective impact on consumers? As already mentioned, colors have the power to influence psychological instincts. Certain colors like yellow and red induce hunger, while grey and black suppress it. Warm tones like peach, pink, yellow etc. provide a feeling of comfort. How you imbibe color psychology in your packaging is a matter of creativity and knowledge of the impact of colors on the human brain. The good thing, however, is that is it possible to alter consumer behaviour by the usage of the right colors. So make sure to take advantage of it!
Impressions of products:
This phenomenon is, as we call it “The Impact of Product Imagery”.This is a great idea to print the images of lip-smacking baked goods on your packaging items.Images of food products attract customers, induces an urge to eat and this is scientifically proven. A lot of effort and analysis goes into determining how images printed on packaging affects consumers. Renowned brands always rely upon experts for such advice. Display of these photos also creates excitement for customers. They already have a picture in mind which is intriguing and they look forward to the product. These pictures are also visually communicating your bakery’s belief. However, be careful when choosing these images – the wrong ones can also have a negative effect.
Customization by name:
This technique is usually adopted in fast-paced environments such as coffee shops or fast food joints. When a customer places an order, his beverages or snacks are prepared, packed and handed over with their names written on the package. This is a simple thing to do, yet very impactful. This ensures right product gets handed over to the right person. Secondly, people feel that personal care has been taken while preparing their products. Now, this could be of some significance in a bakery too. Remember, we are dealing with food products here so the customer sentiments are similar.
Easy to use Design:
While designing packaging options for your bakery, pay attention to ease of use. Sometimes packaging very well protects any product even during transit. However, removing a product from its packaging might be a tough row to hoe. The packaging must be easy to remove or open. Extracting the product from packaging should also be user friendly. These things make for an improved customer experience. Moreover, this also reduces any chances of accidental spoilage of food.
Decorative and Durability potential:
This makes for one of the basic requirements of a bakery’s packaging material. They have to be a blend of durability coupled with a decorative finish. Both these components add to your bakery’s brand value in the eyes of consumers. Durability ensures that your brand is trusted by the masses whereas decorative component adds the much needed aesthetic appeal which is expected from a baker.
Successful bakers will strike a balance between these components and match the quality of packaging materials with their equally delicious products.
The packaging is considered a socio-scientific discipline which operates in society to ensure the delivery of products in the best and safest way. Good packaging represents a bakery’s image in a positive light, creates a brand value and triggers future sales. Now we realize that packaging and presentation are as important as the quality of the product itself. Our team has the required expertise and experience in the field of product branding and we are here to help you on your journey.
