Before we discuss the elements of brand identity and how packaging can be more important than many realize, let’s define brand identity. This is the aspirational way the company views the brand and wants to be seen by consumers versus brand image, which is how the consumer views the brand. Brand elements include the name you choose for a brand, symbols, slogans, logos, characters, colors, fonts, etc. In this article, we will focus on one element in particular: PACKAGING!!! This may not sound exciting to some marketers, but this is sometimes an overlooked opportunity to personalize our products for customers. In her branding article for Looka, Elly Strang writes, “Branded packaging is a point of difference in a competitive market” and “reinforces your brand identity.”
Chewy
Chewy will always be a top-of-mind brand when talking about great marketing, and today, we will talk about the packaging of their shipping boxes as a prime example. They offer auto-shipments and delivery of their products straight to their customer’s door, and you can’t miss that blue box with their logo on the side. Even pets recognize their boxes, which they made sure to showcase in a fun way in this commercial, showing two pups, Georgia and Ralph, talking to each other about what’s inside the Chewy box! One recognizes it as the “peanut butter box,” while the other pup knows it’s from Chewy’s pharmacy and has their medications. It’s a cute, fun way to showcase that their packages are recognizable by the pet parents and their beloved companions. As a marketer, I also see this as an opportunity for neighbors to see the Chewy box being delivered and remember that they, too, need to reorder food or products for their pets and have these things conveniently delivered to their door.
BarkBox
BarkBox delivers monthly dog toys and treats to your door with a new monthly theme. Sometimes it’s Star Wars, other times it’s Scooby Doo, and sometimes it’s outer space. I never know who is more excited to see the new theme each month, myself or my pets. They know how to keep the excitement going when the BarkBox delivery arrives, and customers see that logo on the side and know today is the day they will find out. They have an easy-to-recognize “Bark Box” written in a fun font on the side, and many pet influencers have shared unboxing videos of their pets and how excited they are to open these boxes of fun upon arrival. Some content creators do this monthly to share each month’s exciting new theme with their audience, as AGeekyGuydid on his YouTube channel.
Blue Buffalo
Many pet owners recognize Blue Buffalo’s logo and packaging when they walk the aisles of their favorite pet store. They have a signature blue color that is prominent on all their packaging, and they use high-quality images of different animals to help distinguish between their brands, like Blue Life Protection Formula, Blue Wilderness, and more. They even put thought into ensuring pet owners can keep their pet food fresh every time with their resealable bags. They also know pet parents are caring more and more about what is going into their pets’ food, so they display the primary natural ingredients on the bag to align with this consumer demand.
Pet industry brands like these have realized that their packaging is often the first point of interaction between their brand and their potential customers. As we all know, it’s important to make a great first impression, so making sure that logos, fonts, colors, and images help captivate our target audience and inspire them to shop with our brands is essential! Packaging can help us communicate brand values and better develop brand positioning, inform and educate pet parents on ingredients, and health or functional benefits they may not have initially realized. Allowing customers to recognize our brand through packaging allows us to appeal to target demographics and highlight unique selling points that help with brand differentiation, which will enable us to connect emotionally with customers and develop brand loyalty. As we can see, packaging is more than just a marketing and promotional tool. When used correctly, it can be exciting and establish true connections with our customers!
Did you enjoy this post? Read about “Chewy’s Successful Strategy For Brand Positioning” in my last post!”
