Importance of Packing in Marketing Communication

Marketing Essay
Introduction
Today the consumers are becoming more aware regarding the products packaging available
to them. In market setting, packaging plays a very significant role in communicating the
unique values of the products to the consumers (Underwood, Klein and Burke 2001). It helps
targeted market to differentiate the similar products based on its package design, which
ultimately stimulates consumer’s behavior (Wells 2007). An affluent market is target
consumers with higher income levels and readiness to buy the product frequently (Jones
2019). Throughout the essay will explain how the elements of packaging such as color,
symbolism, graphic design, contrast effect and surprise become the foundations of customer
attraction towards a new premium chocolate bar as the product.
Color
Using new colours for the new premium chocolate bar can create competitive advantage and
increase the potential achievement. Color is one of the most significant characters that may
influence the customers more directly and that will create consumer mind-sets, excite their
emotion and impact the direct consumer perception (Ciotti 2020). This perception is a
concept of marketing that incorporates with a consumer’s awareness and impression about
the product (LaMarco 2018). Statistical survey has indicated that more than 80% of visual
information is identified with colour and it gives consumers the advantage in decision making
on the products differentiation (Adam 2017). The utilization of colours in marketing evokes a
series of diverse emotions, response and attitudes and it also depends on the impact that each
color applies on every characteristic (Prasad 2017). For example, consumers categorize the

products’ quality and price based on the colours. For example black or grey are normally
recognized as valuable and expensive products. While white colours are usually perceived as
cheap products. Colour is the first part that consumer see on the product packaging. Colour
can create a sustainable consumer perception. Therefore, markets use specific colours to
attract consumers’ minds and provoke engagement through product packaging.
Symbolism
In order to increase sales for a new premium chocolate bar, the marketers need to understand
the clear the role of symbolism in consumer buying behavior. It is a known fact that
consumers might purchase a product for a particular reason other than the product’s essentials
functional purpose. Therefore, it is really important to understand symbolism in packaging as
it motivates the consumers to buy a product based on what it represents to themselves and to
others (Leigh and Gabel 2015). Normally consumers express their self-image or
communicate a particular lifestyle to others based on the symbolism design on the product
(O’Cass and Frost 2002). It gives positive impacts on the consumer perception of the
product .For example; symbolism of colors in the packaging presents some particular cultural
meaning. Underwood (2003) provided some example like bright colors are represents clean,
gold symbolize prestige, wealth and green as it relates to the environmental. The consumers
use this type of symbolism to relate it to their identity and express their image. More
precisely symbolism design on the product helps in connecting the product with the
consumers (Brunner 2016).

Graphic design
A good graphic design makes a good first impression and the new premium chocolate should
design its packaging according to the consumers want (Rajey 2018). A research by Forbes
(2016) shows that 76% of the purchase decision is made in stores, therefore it’s important to
design the product that can catch the consumer attention straight away. The whole purpose of
graphic design is to make the product stand out, not just the looks of the product but also
every element that entirety tries to convey itself to the customers (Rajey 2018). Visual parts
of product such as choice of colours, the message, the design and others elements of
packaging need to be accordance with the message that the product is going to deliver to the
customers (Rajey 2018). For example, for the new premium chocolate bar, the package
design should create a sense of luxury, including colours like black, brown and golden that
can attract consumer. By creating attractive graphic design, it will have the advantage in
decision making of the consumer, which will result in product being purchased.
Contrast effect
Colours are really important in consumer behaviour however lack of contrast is often effected
which results in difficulty in drawing consumers’ attention. Contrast effects allows to display
clear text and colour combination that please the consumers’ eye which will help in rising
the marketing value and overall success of the product. The new premium chocolate bar has
low brand awareness and is new to the market, therefore marketer’s needs to increase
product’s effect on the shelf that jump out at consumers. This is where contrast effect become
really important, color choice that reflect on the product helps in making it appealing to the
consumer even from a distance. Using complimentary colours with light background and
dark text makes it stand out which is visually appealing to see. For example, Vegemite
packaging design has a dramatic contrast which uses bright yellow sticker, which helps in
presenting the product and make it standout on the shelf and the consumers can see it directly

even from distance. Contrast effects are really important for consumers to form their
perception on the new premium chocolate bar.
Surprise
Using surprise element in packaging is also a powerful technique to change consumer
behaviour on the product. Surprise changes the consumer’s buying behaviour through
learning and experiences about the product (Deal 2018). In order to boost the new premium
chocolate bar, the surprise factor is a great tool to use in its packaging. It will give consumers
a memorable moment that will make them feel that something has occurred unexpectedly,
that will blew consumer’s mind (Scmitz 2012). Because surprise is something that is
considered as an operant conditioning where consumers get rewards which results buying
behaviour. For example: for surprise on a new premium chocolate bar, there could be a when
consumer will open the package and it will have a special message inside or a bonus gift such
as coupon code, sticker and etc. (Deal 2018). These types of surprises or rewards give the
consumer a great experience and learning which leads to changing their buying behaviour.
Conclusion
Overall, it can be concluded that packaging is a really important element in marketing
communication as it influences the consumer’s behaviour which helps in differentiating their
purchase. The packaging components such as color, symbolism, graphic design, contrast
effect and surprises demonstrate how important they are in order to attract the consumers to
the new premium chocolate bar. Each of these elements have their own role in packaging,
therefor it’s important for markers to consider the things carefully while designing the

packaging in order to make it more appealing to the customers and to make an impact on
the consumers buying behaviours.