Wooing Women With Packaging

Wooing Women With Packaging -
Packaging News You Can Use Tip Of The Week
Issue #1257 - September 7, 2006
Publisher: JoAnn Hinespackagingdiva@aol.com
http://www.packaginguniversity.com/
http://www.packagingdiva.com/
© Packaging News You Can Use
By JoAnn Hines The Packaging Diva

I'M HAPPY TO ANNOUNCE:
PackagingUniversity.com has been updated and PackagingDiva.com
is now live. So when you get a minute check them out there is lots of great packaging information and insights.

If you have a packaging blog send me the details. I'm creating a packaging blogroll on my blog at http://packaginguniversity.com/blog/

IN RESPONSE TO MY ARTICLES:
"The Packaging Of Sex Toys Goes Mainstream"
The First and Only Personal Lubricant Made From Carrageenan -- A ...PR Web (press release) - Ferndale,WA,USA... Kehoe is a widely acclaimed product development expert who has created many well-known consumer heath ... Carrageenan™ is a natural choice for women looking for ...

"Controversial Packaging Topics Make Great Media Fodder"
MarketWatch scribe Gerencher suggests tapping researchers as trend spotters for greater success when pitching national media outlets
http://www.bulldogreporter.com/.

FEATURE ARTICLE:
Wooing Women With Packaging by JoAnn Hines Packaging Diva

I've seen a host of recent articles about how to package products for women.
It's an interesting read about what consumers good companies think will appeal to 50% of the population. Duh!

From cute cuddly critters to pictures of exotic and glamorous movie stars or even basic pink product packaging the message is the same: We think this is what women want. But is it?

So what's the driver behind all these new offerings? Quite simply, it is the demographics. Women either make or influence 85% of the purchasing decision and companies are finally waking up to that fact. Unfortunately, just taking the man off the box and replacing it with a woman isn't the answer. Nor is it to use pink packaging or other feminine colors.

So what do women really want in their product packaging? What will entice them to pick your product off the shelf? What siren screams "buy me" as she walks down the isle? The answers are not what you might think. Women perceive products differently than their male counterparts. They have different expectations of products. Women say that they product manufactures don't understand their wants and needs either. In fact 59% of women feel misunderstood by food marketers.

This market segment accounts for 60-70 of all product packaging. So, how do you get this powerful consumer to connect with your packaging? First, see the product though the woman's eyes not the designer’s or brand manager’s. In my recent research, product attributes such as the shape and color were important to people in the packaging industry but not so important to the average consumer.

The mostly highly rated characteristics that both groups agreed upon were convenience, ease of storage, and female friendly elements such as the size of package and handles for carrying. Second, consider how and where the product will be purchased. External factors can influence the purchasing decision as to how and where a woman shops.

Recent studies show that women on average no longer make a big “stocking up trip" to the store. In fact they make numerous short trips to get the essentials for the moment. Today's shoppers are under tremendous time constraints and are willing to pay a premium for the privilege of more free time.

Finally, it is imperative to get noticed. How can you grab their attention? Make packaging simple, easy to read, and use. Get rid of the gimmicks and the hype. More than 89% of survey respondents said they would not purchase a product because it was endorsed by a celebrity, and those that did were embarrassed to admit it. Cause marketing also scored low on the scale of importance in influencing a purchase as did their concern for the environment.

So listen to your female buyers the next time you designee a new product, bond with them on an intrinsic level not through gimmicks or the current "in" celebrity. Make your product easy to read, use and time sensitive. By adhering to these fundamentals you will have garnered her attention.

For more insights on how to package products SHE will buy email me at PackagingDiva@aol.com

MEET AND GREET THE DIVA:
PROOF: Market Research & Development for Package Design conference is scheduled for Sept. 25-27, 2006 at The Drake Hotel in Chicago.

The Senior Factor: How To Motivate Them To Buy Your Products:
Every seven seconds, someone turns 50. With 76 million U.S. boomers in command of today’s buying decisions, the potential for profit and growth from this group is enormous. With 70% of all purchase decisions made in the store your product only has about 2.6 seconds to compel seniors to pick it up. (Or do they even want to be identified as seniors?)
This is your product's first moment of truth: your packaging.

Is it on target to capture the attention of the fastest growing and most affluent group of consumers – the Baby Boomers?
Do you know the right "hot buttons" on or in your packaging to compel this group to purchase your products?
Gain insights into the senior market and find out what packaging sells product, and the best ways for your packaging to connect with these lucrative underserved consumers.

4:30 The Packaging Diva’s Makeover Challenge
JoAnn Hines, Founder, Women in Packaging, Inc.
Enjoy a fun interactive session, facilitated by the “Packaging Diva.” This session has been formulated to link and validate everything you’ve learned throughout the day. The audience will be divided into teams, given a product and will be asked to critique and offer suggestions on improving its packaging based on a pre-assigned demographic. Learn additional techniques from an expert panel consisting of a researcher, brand strategist and designer on how to rebrand the package. Brainstorming is encouraged while you share ideas and get to know your peers. This session will motivate and challenge you with new strategies for reinventing the design process.
http://www.iirusa.com/packaging/1585.xml

THE DIVA'S PICKS OF THE WEEK:
Putting the ubiquitous paper coffee cup on the endangered listOttawa Business Journal - Ontario, Canada... "However, people are also realizing that green events offer a competitive advantage and an evolution is starting to happen in the way planners are packaging ...
http://www.ottawabusinessjournal.com/286926091557039.php

Plastics and paper industry fight over bag taxSolid Waste & Recycling - Toronto,Ontario,Canada... CPIA) and the second from the Paper & Paperboard Packaging Environmental Council ... Many seniors and disabled people rely on plastic shopping bags because the ...
http://www.solidwastemag.com/issues/ISArticle.asp?id=59158&issue=08152006