Lisa Baer

How can you create packaging that engages consumers emotionally, especially through social media? S.W.I.M. (Savvy Women in Marketing) founder Ann Hoeger and I hosted an Influencer Salon in early October with some of Chicago’s top executives in branding and packaging to discuss their ideas on engaging consumers through virtual touch and sight. During this curated discussion we covered innovative ideas and emerging trends, along with sharing and learning from a peer group of experienced and talented senior industry executives.

Here are three takeaways from the “Brand Packaging that is Socially and Emotionally Engaging” Influencer Salon:

1. Cause marketing with customized product and digital packaging

The first example we discussed was the Doritos campaign entitled #BOLDANDBETTER. This recent campaign was a partnership in support of the non-profit It Gets Better Project. The organization’s mission is to communicate to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) youth around the world that acceptance in the world gets better, and to create and inspire the changes needed to make it better for them.

The integrated campaign was an innovative example of cause marketing that resonated across social media and demonstrated that social good is important to consumers. The campaign also highlighted a few trends:

Ecommerce: The campaign, which launched on social media and shipped bags direct to consumers after they made a donation, was a clever way for Doritos to test ecommerce waters. This unique, limited-time offering for a $10 donation did not disrupt the company’s in-store business. The Doritos chips were in a custom color mix of purple, blue, green, original Doritos color yellow and red, and were packaged in a custom white bag with a bold rainbow (see photo above).

Digital Printing: The differentiating design of the packaging was discussed as a potentially high performer on the retail shelf, too, (if offered in stores) as the striking white and bold rainbow graphics could potentially make an impact on shelf. This packaging was also a powerful example of the advancements and new marketing opportunities that digital printing provides consumer product marketers.

Cause Marketing: This integrated campaign was an impressive example of cause marketing that resonated across social media and ultimately drove brand sales by selling out in about two days.

NEXT: Packaging that impacts subscription services

2. Packaging that impacts subscription services

Another point of discussion was the role of packaging to engage customer experience for subscription services. Brands either take advantage or miss the opportunities to use packaging to enhance the total customer experience.

One example of a brand taking full advantage of the customer experience is dollarshaveclub.com. This service delivers monthly razors and shaving related products. With a smart and selective use of packaging, expressions of the brand are delivered at key consumer touch points: delivery into the home, bathroom-specific packaging and the entertaining bathroom minutes in a humorous tone that keeps customers engaged with the products beyond the day of delivery.

NEXT: Custom packaging--Minions!--that delivers an engaging experience

3. Custom packaging that delivers an engaging experience

One example of a recent custom packaging experience was the Minions boxes that were sent to amazon.com customers. These striking yellow boxes stood out in the lobby of one influencer’s building and she could quickly identified which box to claim.

This marketing deal from Universal Pictures and Amazon was a hit and we discussed the multiple exposures of the Minions as boxes travelled and arrived at their destinations. This Minions box truly doubled as a billboard.

The campaign also included the Twitter hashtag #minionsboxes and images of boxes are being shared daily with photos of kids, dogs and adults overjoyed with their box covered in Minions characters. Added engagement with customers, movie fans and kids across social media, in living rooms and on delivery trucks was a success for all brands as the sharing still continues.

These are just a few of the trends and ideas discussed at the “Brand Packaging that is Socially and Emotionally Engaging” Influencer Salon.

If you are interested in S.W.I.M. (Savvy Women in Marketing), a Chicago-based networking community of more than 700 executive women marketers, or want to know more about Influncer Salons and future events, please contact me at [email protected] or Ann Hoeger at [email protected]. In addition to being the founder of S.W.I.M., Hoeger is a consumer strategist who works with advertising agencies and innovation firms, leveraging consumer insights to develop new products, big idea platforms and marketing communication plans.

Lisa Baer is an experienced brand strategist and senior marketer who has created innovative brands, reinvented and leveraged products into new channels and categories in the food, beverage and consumer packaged goods industries. Her specialization is new product and packaging innovation. She is a results-oriented executive who has worked with Fortune 500 companies building cross-functional innovation teams to capture, champion and execute growth strategies.

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Passionate about packaging design? Learn about the latest developments in packaging innovation at SouthPack 2015, Nov. 18-19, in Orlando, FL.

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