Strategic Direction

Packaging power: The effects of package design throughout the supply chain

Article information:
To cite this document:
, (2010),"Packaging power", Strategic Direction, Vol. 26 Iss 5 pp. 10 - 11
Permanent link to this document:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/02580541011035393
Downloaded on: 25 November 2014, At: 11:05 (PT)
References: this document contains references to 1 other documents.
To copy this document: permissions@emeraldinsight.com
The fulltext of this document has been downloaded 2958 times since 2010*

Downloaded by Royal Holloway University of London At 11:05 25 November 2014 (PT)

Users who downloaded this article also downloaded:

Bo Rundh, (2009),"Packaging design: creating competitive advantage with product packaging", British Food Journal, Vol. 111 Iss 9 pp.
988-1002 http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/00070700910992880
Olga Ampuero, Natalia Vila, (2006),"Consumer perceptions of product packaging", Journal of Consumer Marketing, Vol. 23 Iss 2 pp.
100-112
Bo Rundh, (2013),"Linking packaging to marketing: how packaging is influencing the marketing strategy", British Food Journal, Vol. 115 Iss
11 pp. 1547-1563 http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/BFJ-12-2011-0297

Access to this document was granted through an Emerald subscription provided by 446254 []

For Authors
If you would like to write for this, or any other Emerald publication, then please use our Emerald for Authors service information about
how to choose which publication to write for and submission guidelines are available for all. Please visit www.emeraldinsight.com/
authors for more information.

About Emerald www.emeraldinsight.com

Emerald is a global publisher linking research and practice to the benefit of society. The company manages a portfolio of more than
290 journals and over 2,350 books and book series volumes, as well as providing an extensive range of online products and additional
customer resources and services.
Emerald is both COUNTER 4 and TRANSFER compliant. The organization is a partner of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and
also works with Portico and the LOCKSS initiative for digital archive preservation.
*Related content and download information correct at time of download.

Packaging power

Downloaded by Royal Holloway University of London At 11:05 25 November 2014 (PT)

The effects of package design throughout the supply chain

eres an interesting fact for marketeers. A 2005 study conducted by the Paperboard
Packaging Alliance showed that in the minds of consumers, product and package
are one and the same. Whatever a package says to a shopper through words,
graphics, material, size is exactly what its contents become, be they a bottle of perfume or
a bottle of milk. An interesting fact for distributors: choosing the right size and material for
your packaging could cut your logistical costs considerably. Wherever you are in the supply
chain, your department needs to think hard about packaging: an under-discussed but
increasingly important factor in commercial success.

In her paper investigating product packaging, Bo Rundh lists the external influences on
package design that show it to be a continuously developing part of business. Over the past
decade, changes in consumer behaviour, environmental concerns, globalization,
distribution, marketing and technology have turned effective packaging design into a fine
art. Designers must now be aware, for instance, of current cultural opinions on healthy living
and lifestyle choices, of the latest policies on green business practice, and on local
preferences in the different regions they sell to. They must also consider unit costs, as well as
the durability of packaging materials for the purposes of shipping and handling. Balancing
these considerations carefully is central in establishing competitive advantage.
It is important that businesses do not just equate packaging with branding, although any
successful marketing department will be well aware of this valuable link. Packaging needs to
be thought through from every angle of the supply chain, and each department should share
their concerns throughout the business to find a design that meets all expectations. The
packaging supplier, for example, will be most concerned about how easy it is to produce
and how cheaply it can be done, whereas the marketeer, coming to the problem with ideas of
brand competitiveness, novelty and luxury, might have ideas that create a conflict of
interests. Packagers, fillers and distributors will need to think about the durability of the
package, whether it can cope with hot and cold products and whether it can be filled quickly
and easily. For retailers, the shelf space needed per item will be an important consideration,
as will a package design that resists tampering and wear and tear. The consumers, at the
end of the chain, will want to be convinced that a package will keep a product fresh, that it is
light and easy to carry, and that it communicates brand values that speak to them. Getting
packaging just right, then, can be a more complicated business than it may seem.
Rundh briefly discusses five corporate stories that illustrate effective packaging. Common
to them all is an active effort to understand and appeal to the consumer in a crowded
marketplace. Understanding that cost is less of an issue with their customers than it once
was, but that quality and brand experience have become more important, Chokladfabriken
in Stockholm developed packaging that equated their chocolates with the refined tastes of

PAGE 10

STRATEGIC DIRECTION

VOL. 26 NO. 5 2010, pp. 10-11, Q Emerald Group Publishing Limited, ISSN 0258-0543

DOI 10.1108/02580541011035393

 Packaging needs to be thought through from every angle of

the supply chain.

Downloaded by Royal Holloway University of London At 11:05 25 November 2014 (PT)

the wine connoisseur. Simple brown board suggested a natural and authentic product, and
extra flaps with tasting notes tacitly complimented the purchaser on their discerning tastes.
At Ballantine Whiskey in Scotland, different packages have been created to appeal to the
distinct demographics of alcohol purchasers. A contemporary, graphic design appeals to
the younger market, whereas traditional packaging still wins the favor of the middle-aged
consumer. For the top of their range, materials, embossing and text are all reconsidered to
suggest luxury, and no consideration is overlooked. Recognizing the fact that a slightly
damaged package on a shelf damages the impression of luxury, for example, a more
durable board was chosen for the most expensive bottles. Ballantine is, then, an example of
a company that understands that one size rarely fits all.
Seasonal packaging is another possible area through which savvy designers can win
commercial advantage. At entrepreneur Lars Larsdens Jysk Nordic stores, for instance, the
observation that sales of bedding go up in December led to the design of novel and
eye-catching Christmas boxes. Consumers were attracted to buying the bedding that was
already wrapped and presented as an attractive gift. The success of the idea showed that
customers react well when packaging understands why they are buying and that they
appreciate the additional aesthetic experience.
Rundhs papers follows some preliminary studies of package design, offering observations
to inspire further research and discussion. Considering the importance of packaging, there
is relatively little literature on it, and Rundh suggests further opportunities for study that
include the role of graphics on sales and packagings relationship to marketing strategy.
From the point of view of the executive, there is enough evidence in this paper to suggest
packaging should be a key point of discussion across the business. It is, after all, the last
chance to influence the consumer before the decision is made.

Comment

Keywords:
Marketing strategy,
Packaging,
Food packaging,
Product design,
Competitive advantage

This is a review of Packaging design: creating competitive advantage with product

packaging by Bo Rundh. The paper addresses how packaging design can be used to
meet new challenges within a supply chain. The author poses two research questions: Which
are the main actors in the packaging design process of a product package? How can
packaging design contribute to fulfilling internal and external influences of a product
package? In answering them, Rundh mixes theory with empirical findings, using five case
studies from the food industry to help put forward a model for the design process. The paper
concludes with a discussion of the role of packaging in commercial success, as well as
suggestions for further research.

Reference
Rundh, B. (2009), Packaging design: creating competitive advantage with product packaging, British
Food Journal, Vol. 111 No. 9, pp. 988-1002.

To purchase reprints of this article please e-mail: reprints@emeraldinsight.com

Or visit our web site for further details: www.emeraldinsight.com/reprints

VOL. 26 NO. 5 2010 STRATEGIC DIRECTION PAGE 11