Is Packaging Innovation The Chicken Or The Egg?

It's a long-standing quandary, which came first theeverything from less packaging to "wrap rage"
chicken or the egg? It's sort of like that withinduced by product packaging. They took the time
consumer product packaging innovation. Let's faceto express their opinions.
it. We are all in advertising overload. We seeSo to what do we attribute this dichotomy of
nearly 3,000 marketing messages a day. Soopinions? Package professionals are involved in the
what's a poor packaging professional supposed tothird largest industry in the US. It is "packaging"
do? Develop the product then the package orand we are confident that we know what the
vice versa. No matter the answer, it's evidentconsumer needs (or so we think).
that conventional packaging doesn't sell productsUninformed consumers are unhappy, outraged,
or at the very least it produces flat sales.dissatisfied and just plain angry with the packaging
According to some of my latest research, theindustry and it's our fault. Our industry has done
packaging may not sell the product at all in thevery little to educate the consumer about why
future.they need packaging and what role it has to play
In preparation for a presentation on packagingin modern society. What about the consumer
innovation, I decided to poll my network aboutperceptions? These are sadly going downhill. With
what they believe to be new in packagingthe holidays, we get a flurry of editors writing
innovation for consumer products. I posed theseabout "wrap rage." In addition with the "green
questions to my audience:movement" we are getting protest of
What is your definition of packaging innovation forenvironmentally unfriendly, excess packaging and
consumer products?so on.
Have you seen any recent packaging examplesBut the truth is consumers need packaging
that you consider truly different and why areinnovation. They need all of the benefits it has to
they unique? If you could invent it what newoffer with threats such as product integrity and
types of new product packaging would you likesecurity, country of origin issues and so on.
develop?So who is going to answer these dilemmas?
Big mistake! Maybe I should say it was a trueSmart packaging professionals who will use
learning experience. You think I could havepackaging innovation to the consumers' benefit.
anticipated some of the responses. Remember, IThey will educate and inform consumers that the
have been researching packaging as a marketingpackage is a whole lot more than what it seems
tool for years. Most of the responses I receivedto be -- on the surface.
were not favorable to the packaging community.To answer the age old chicken or egg quandary.
One thing is clear. Our beloved "packaging" isPackaging has a perception problem which has to
under attack by the consumer. They just don'tbe resolved now. It is imperative that we
understand it."connect" with the consumer before the egg or
A couple of surprising points came from thisthe chicken are either conceived or hatched.
exercise.Otherwise, packaging will continue to face
1) The packaging professionals didn't seem at alldetractors and complainers and reinforce the
concerned about this topic or for the most partnegative consumer perceptions.
wouldn't share their insights (non confidential ofNeed to know whose got the latest concepts in
course) about the topic. I wonder if they are justpackaging innovation? I know that's what I
too busy or they simply didn't care aboutdo-track packaging trends and innovation and how
packaging innovation.it is going to impact your business. Get connected
2) The consumer (those people not in thewith me JoAnn Hines Packaging Diva via phone
packaging industry) registered loud and clear. They1-678-594 6872.
gave me the skinny on their dissatisfaction on