The kleptomanic guide
to packaging design


The fast changing Indian retail scenario, has meant a sea change in the way Indian consumers choose, buy and use brands. From the ‘hidden-behind-the-counter’ packs at the kirana stores to the dazzling array of Indian and imported brands on the shelfs of the Modern Retail formats, he is swiftly moving from the word and trust of the community grocer to being self informed, an experimentalist and an adventurer.

The consumer is faced with a bewildering array of between 3000 to 20,000 SKU’s that he can reach out and touch at the super market and large format Hypermarts mushrooming in the country. Getting a new brand into the retail shelf is itself a challenge, and quite often dictated by the merchandisers ‘feel’ of whether the pack is attractive for his clientele.

Amidst this sea of colours, sizes, prices and offers, how does the consumer reach out and pick that one brand to the check out counter?

Never before has packaging design been more relevant and important than in this last decade. As the product themselves lie hidden behind the multi-coloured paper, cartons, poly lams, bottles and labels,  the consumer’s mind makes rapid decisions based on a number of factors –

Reflects my lifestyle/personality

Seems like a great deal

Just the solution to my problem

Seems interesting, must try

…. And so on.

Good packaging should communicate the core brand values clearly. The packaging itself needs to stand on its own merit and ‘sell itself’ to the consumer. At Scion we call it “Packaging Magnetism”. It’s a force that pulls you to see, believe and experience the product. Like any other force of attraction, it is subtle and powerful and affects your subconscious mind.  It seduces you. This is fundamental to effective packaging designing.  “Packaging Magnetism” is one of the most important aspects in today’s marketing success.

The first interaction with consumers is the packaging. When brands present their personalities through their pack (akin to the clothes that we wear)  - appearing cool or sophisticated, exciting or simple or old fashioned  or hi-tech, attracting a consumer to pick it up impulsively, the law of magnetism is at play.

A good packaging design should be something that should seduce a window shopper  to reach out and touch, a shopper to take home and try,  a kleptomaniac to steal. Advertising may nudge and provide credibility to a brand, but in a world of me-too products, it is the packaging presentation, that can make the final difference.

How does one get it right?

The crucial aspect, to achieve Packaging Magnetism is to clearly chalk out the “The DNA of the brand”.  The core values and the core promise. It has to be clearly defined and cast on stone.  It is also very important to ensure that integrity and the true reflection of the promise must exude through every aspect of the product and experience of the customer as well. It starts with the pack form, material used, the visuals, text and the typography. The combination of all these make up the real art and science of packaging design.

If marketers get this right, they wouldn’t need to spend millions on advertising and media budgets to entice a customer to pick it up.

Kapil Kansal

Executive Creative Director

www.scion.co.in