“Magpie mentality”: Creating lasting impressions with attention-grabbing packaging designs

21 Aug 2020 --- Packaging design is integral to product differentiation in an ocean of supermarket abundance, piquing consumers’ curiosity and convincing them to make a purchase – all within a matter of seconds. These visual aesthetics and brand communication are crucial for this highly dynamic yet subconscious transaction to be successful. PackagingInsights speaks to packaging design experts on taking cues from the fashion industry for effective storytelling, rethinking sustainable packaging materials and what the future of the personalization trend spells out for industry.

The action of consumers engaging with a product before purchasing is essential. “It shouldn’t be a quick fix: Brands want consumers to pick up the product, turn it around and read the backside,” notes David Peters, Sustainability and Packaging Trends Consultant. 

Brand designs that appeal to the consumer by reeling them in with flashy attention-grabbing packaging is what Peters calls “magpie mentality.” “I always think consumers are magpies. It doesn’t matter [who you are] – if you are a consumer, you will look at shiny packaging on-shelf. You just have to pull in the attention in a specific way and then drive the message on-pack as soon as possible.”

In order to convey an effective messaging with elements of packaging aesthetic, brands have to be extremely aware of their target consumer group. Answers to questions such as “what do you want the consumer to do [with the packaging]” and “how do you want them to interact” must be agreed upon from the get-go. 

Packaging designs are taking cues from the fashion and cosmetics industries (Credit: Adidas).Nothing is new: All trends are stolen
What the product contains must be made obvious on the packaging, Peters continues. To do so, packaging designers are taking hints from the fashion and cosmetic industries. Nike, for example, is a “enormous trendsetter,” says Merle Mulleman, Independent Creative at MMDesign. “Analog, vintage, retro designs and patterns: Everything is coming back, we’re going back in time. You don’t have to reinvent anything.”

Ariane van Mancius, owner of packaging design agency NowNewNext, shares that fashion brands are increasingly collaborating with food and beverage companies to symbiotically expand brand awareness and recognition. Notably, Ben & Jerry’s has partnered with Nike SB for an ice cream-inspired Chunky Dunky shoes, while ice tea brand Arizona joined forces with Adidas to bring about a floral patterned sneaker brand with an 80s look.

Similarly to clothing and make-up, packaging trends are turning around quickly, requiring packaging to frequently “change its clothing” as well. The trick is to deliver something that appears to be new and unique while simultaneously tapping into a concept consumers are already familiar with – what Peters pegs as “different originality.”

“What always stands out is brand authenticity. What can you own that no one can take or steal? A coat of arms and designs? Scientists involved [in the production process] that no one else has access to?” he details. Determining that “different originality” from the start is instrumental in compelling storytelling, which Innova Market Insights crowned as its number one trend in the food and beverage industry this year.

Communicating brand story
The concept of storytelling isn’t new, Mulleman reminds us, but its role in brand cognition and guaranteeing purchase repeat has been elevated. For her, Tony’s Chocolonely is the most obvious example on the market. Although personally less convinced of the graphic design’s visual appeal, the fairtrade story the chocolate brand tells is indisputably effective, she says.

“They have illustrated this fairtrade story in a fun way and tell their story through fun typography and cheerful colors. They guide you through that story. It’s done playfully, in an adult way – it’s not childish.”

A more recent example of strong storytelling is Dutch coffee brand Wakuli, who takes an ultra-minimalist approach to its packaging design, bearing only the brand name on-pack. “[Their story] is that they want to make the [supply chain] as short as possible – so from the farmer to your doormat,” Mulleman continues.

“In addition, it can fit through the letterbox. What I miss is [more information about] the taste, smell [on-pack] and I think it is a bit of a ‘non-design.’ Some Millennials I spoke to find this attractive because it is simplistic and unique, with beautiful colors.” 

Storytelling goes beyond just the packaging. Social media campaigns play a huge role in this task (Credit: Wakuli).In this case, Wakuli goes beyond its packaging to tell its from-bean-to-cup provenance story. Mulleman sees packaging being expanded to websites, social media and online campaigns to interact with consumers. “You’re not just designing the packaging. You have to ‘think from the shelf out’ – can the story be made bigger? If you cannot expand your concept, if there is too little depth, [there won’t be] enough storytelling.

Reconceiving sustainability visuals
Care and consideration for the environment has reached unprecedented levels in terms of consumer demand for packaging materials. FMCG Innovation and Design Consultant Marc Pruijssers observes how packaging designs are increasingly using visual cues to make food propositions look less “branded” and industrial and more human, authentic and sustainable.

He pinpoints matt finishes, more graphic and less photographic visuals are contributing to more modest branding. On the color wheel, fewer colors and less saturated colors bring a more earthy vibe on-pack, as beige and pastel colors come to the fore. 

Van Mancius from NowNewNext also sees the ingredient provenance and “back to nature” themes playing into the sustainability trend. “Beautiful packaging can also be environmentally friendly. You don’t have to forsake [the magpie’s] ‘shiny shiny’,” notes Peters. 

Various materials can attract the magpie-consumer to the packaging. Pruijssers emphasizes that wood-based paper is a cheap production material for cartons. However, it is also possible to create cartons with upcycled fibrous sources of agricultural production, such as grass, tomato stems, beer brush or cocoa shells. “I see an increase in possibilities, at first for premium applications of course,” he notes.

With recycling pegged as an important cog in the circular economy wheel, mono-materials are on the rise. He foretells that the use of laminates, with ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH) or polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC) for instance, and metalized/coated plastics will be reduced. Increasing volumes of food grade recycled plastics will also become available. “This may compromise shelf life, hence shorter shelf life norms will be adopted. [This will not] be a problem, as modern logistics don’t require endless shelf lives anymore,” predicts Pruijssers.

The pandemic has redefined “special occasions,” meaning that consumers are more willing to seek out luxury packaging on a day-to-day basis.As circular economy targets loom on the horizon, Innova Market Insights pegged “Plastics come full circle” as its second-ranking packaging trend for 2020. The market researcher sees an overarching trend of “The Language of Environmental Sustainability” heightened. Ultimately, FMCG brands are fighting for their competitive advantage in more prominent on-pack communication of their packaging’s environmental sustainability credentials. 

“Treasuring” time brings about personalization trend
As the COVID-19 pandemic rages on, lockdown restrictions and health ailments have led to a major life reassessment. “The clock is ticking in life, we don’t know how much time we have in this world,” says Peters. This has pushed more and more consumers to celebrate “birth weeks” not birthdays and give a slow Wednesday evening a Friday night feeling. With this comes a greater willingness for consumers to experiment, not just with lifestyles and experiences, but also with products. 

To give more meaning to moments, the personalization trend is bound to take off. Mulleman highlights that online shopping and personal labeling designs are increasingly contributing to this trend. However, personalization doesn’t mean that packaging has to literally be customized for individual consumers, but just enough for them to think it is. Examples include popular names in different countries printed on Coca-Cola bottles and Nutella jars, she states.

“Premium and luxury [packaging] will trickle down into standard packaging, we will want beautiful things in everything we do, not just once a week. We don’t want to save things up for special occasions. We won’t want to wait,” Peters concludes. Life, itself, has become the special occasion.

By Anni Schleicher