How to Package A Cause To Sell More Products

Packaging News You Can Use
Tip Of The Week
Issue #1253 - August 10, 2006
Publisher: JoAnn Hinespackagingdiva@aol.com , <<http://www.packaginguniversity.com/>>
© Packaging News You Can Use
By JoAnn Hines The Packaging Diva

FROM THE DIVA'S READERS:Remember Tyrone from South Africa? Tyrone will be giving a presentation "New Trends In Flexible Packaging" with the help of Moi. Contact Tyrone Voller Creative Director- Astraflex at tyrone@astraflexkzn.co.za for more details.


DIVA'S QUESTION OF THE WEEK:I know a lot of people have been on vacation. So I am reposting last weeks question.We are still sorting out the issue whether Walmart will require suppliers to submit their product packaging for approval. Can anyone enlighten the readers on this issue? Email me and I'll compile the answers.

INTERVIEW WITH THE DIVA:I just did an interview with the LA times for their small business section for a CA based company. I'll let the name be a surprise. Let's just say they have something to do with "green" packaging. Be on the lookout for this article. BONUS: If you find me (Packaging Diva) anywhere in the news please let me know. I'll make it worth your time.


IN RESPONSE TO: "The Power Of The Package"McKinsey Study Predicts Continuing Decline in TV Selling PowerCites 50% Drop in Viewers, 40% Hike in Prime-Time Ad Spend Over Last Decade NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- A study is about to give Madison Avenue a fresh pummeling: McKinsey & Co. is telling a host of major marketers that by 2010, traditional TV advertising will be only one-third as effective as it was in 1990. According to the report, real ad spending on prime-time broadcast TV has increased over last decade by about 40% even as viewers have dropped almost 50%. Paying more for less translates into a much higher cost-per-viewer-reached.

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Don't wait. Several Diva Dream Team Members are already on board.Sign up at <<http://host415.ipowerweb.com/~packagi1/dream_team.htm>>
Also, remember to contact The Packaging Diva for experts to interview, article ideas, news, hot topics, or quotes, opinions, and insights from prestigious sources.

FEATURE ARTICLE: How to Package A Cause To Sell More Products
by JoAnn Hines Packaging Diva

What is “cause marketing” anyway? I think it is a misunderstood concept for the vast majority of people. The definition for this type of campaign came from the Cause Marketing Forum. "Cause marketing (also known as cause-related marketing) is an umbrella term that covers a rich range of marketing activity. Central to its definition is the idea of a marketing partnership between a business and nonprofit entity for mutual benefit." Note: It is not the endorsement of a product by a celebrity to sell more products. We will touch more on celebrity marketing and product packaging in a future issue.

When I spoke at the M2W conference about cause marketing to women, I was surprised to find other speakers talking about the same issue. The problem was that all of us used the same example of supporting a cause (breast cancer) in marketing to women. I know breast cancer is an important issue and companies like Yoplait and Eveready have done an excellent job in using this as a marketing tool. Unfortunately, it’s really sad when experts use the same example to illustrate cause marketing. This begs that there are a lot of missed cause marketing opportunities out there.

There are many excellent causes that make great opportunities for enhancing your packaging's “sale appeal” too. I found a very interesting example from Celestial Seasonings tea packaging. The graphics on packs of two new teas feature woman wearing a designer style red dress icon and provide educational information about women’s risk of heart disease. Additionally, Celestial Seasonings pledges a portion of the proceeds from the sale of new teas to WomenHeart. They also donate up to $100,000 generated from the Red Dress pin offer featured on 17 million tea boxes. In addition, they expanded on the theme with other media events.

What about the message on bottled water? "Buy Water, Help Children." Does it work for you? Their founders hope so because that's the idea behind Ethos bottled water. In a crowded marketplace -- there are more than 800 different brands of bottled water -- Ethos sets itself apart through its social mission. Can this product connect though its product packaging?

Two weeks ago I wrote “The Power of the Package” and discussed how mainstream marketers are losing out with conventional advertising. I offered information on the importance of how your packaging needs to Engage, Evoke, and Engross the consumer with the right marketing message.

Just this week Ad Age reported that a new book reports that 37% of all advertising is wasted. The book by marketing industry veterans, Greg Stuart and Rex Briggs, details a five year research project that tracked $1 billion in ad spending by 36 major marketers and concluded that 37% of all advertising spending is wasted.

I agree that it is wasted. I have been studying this issue for a while and looking at advertising marketing messages (especially on the packaging). I wonder every time I see a new campaign at whom is it aimed. Most the time it’s totally unclear to whom the product is aimed. Despite all that is being written about marketing to various demographic groups, they still don’t get it in the advertising messages. Major demographic markets are overlooked. In fact, I will be speaking about some important demographics at two upcoming conferences. See <<http://packagingcoach.com/keynotesworkshops.htm>>

So think about causes that your company can identify with. Consider causes where there is synergy between the message and the product. Don't just pick a cause for a marketing gimmick. It needs to complement and expand your brand.

How can you integrate the cause into your product packaging? Can you successfully create a compelling message? Will the "cause" and the manner in which it is portrayed on your product packaging ENGAGE the consumer and get them to pick your product up off the shelf?

Cause marketing is a valuable and innovative marketing tool. Successfully utilized it can get expanded media coverage at different times during the year. Go back and read my article "How to Make Your Product Packaging Newsworthy." If you don't still have it you can order it at <http://packagingcoach.com/articles.htm>

So, think about the causes that make sense for your product. Integrate them into your marketing plan. Look at the calendar for 07 and see where you can capitalize on your product packaging with branded cause campaigns and plan your marketing accordingly.
If you don't know where to start, I can help. Build your product packaging cause campaign with my expertise. Contact me via phone at 678-594-6872 or via email at PackagingDiva@aol.com

MEET AND GREET THE DIVA:Why Boomers? They have money that they want to spend and no one markets to them. The Packaging Diva knows what works and what doesn't.
Find out how to reach the largest underserved demographic Boomers at HBA Health & Beauty America.
Session M16 BOOMERS: A BOOMING BUSINESS
Moderator: Alisa Marie Beyer, President, The Benchmarking Co., afb@benchmarkingco.com
Panel: JoAnn Hines, Packaging Diva, packagingdiva@aol.com , "WHY BOOMERS?" '
Susan Taggart, CEO, Ad Infinitum and Women's Marketing Group, sue@adinfinitumny.com , "TALKING THE BOOMER WOMAN TALK"
Steve French, Managing Partner, NMI, info@nmisolutions.com , "MARKETING STRATEGIES FOR TODAY'S BABY BOOMER PERSONAL CARE CONSUMER"
Date: Wednesday, September 13, 2006
Time: 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM
The Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, New York City
For more information: <<http://www.hbaexpo.com/ >>

THE DIVA'S PICKS OF THE WEEK:In "Smart Consumer Vs Dumb Packaging." I mentioned the fact that consumers are reading labels to find out what's inside. Don't take my word for it.... Consumers Want to Know What's Sweetening Their Foods... Survey ... Yahoo! News (press release) - USA... sweetener on the front of the packaging when a ... This survey shows that consumers are not aware of ... is a trade organization representing the nation's cane growers ... <http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/060718/dctu033.html?.v=58>

Remember I sent out this casting call a while back, now its a reality. Canadian Couple To Be Featured On McDonald's(R) Global Packaging ... Canada NewsWire (press release) - Canada... Beginning March/April of 2007, these 25 people will be featured on McDonald's most prominent packaging - cups and bags - and seen by more than 50 million ... <http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/August2006/09/c4507.html>

Nanotechnology passes first toxicity hurdleFoodProductionDaily-USA - Montpellier,France... Concerns that the use of nanotechnology in food packaging products could harm consumers has spurred scientists from the Advanced Materials Department at IPICyT ... <http://www.foodproductiondaily-usa.com/news/ng.asp?n=69557-nanotechnology-nanotubes-toxicity>

Regards:
JoAnn HinesPackaging Diva
Integrating Packaging With Consumers Wants And Needs
PackagingDiva@aol.com 4290 Bells Ferry Road STE 106-17Kennesaw, GA 30144678-594-6872
<http://www.packaginguniversity.com/>
<">http://www.packagingcoach.com>