“And they lived happily ever after”: if that’s all you know about storytelling, it’s time to learn more about how storytelling can become an important part of your brand strategy and increase customer loyalty.
In this article, you can learn more about storytelling through packaging, its benefits and 6 tips for using packaging to tell a story about your brand.
Storytelling is a skill that was originally used in artistic fields such as literature and film. But when used in marketing communication, storytelling is about telling a story about a brand. The basis of storytelling is the use of narrative elements to transform information about a product or brand into memorable experiences for target audiences.
Storytelling therefore involves:
- Playing on the emotions generated by the product or brand.
- Personalising the brand or product into a memorable character.
- Solving a problem for the target audience, in the same way that a well-told fairy tale offers a solution to a problem.
Why is storytelling and packaging a winning combination?
Including storytelling in your packaging is a communication strategy with great benefits.
By using your packaging for storytelling, you will:
- Stand out from the competition. Putting a little extra into your packaging is a great way to differentiate yourself from many other companies, who generally see packaging as “just a package”.
- Generate emotion around your brand. It’s a well-known fact that appealing to emotions promotes brand recognition.
- Improve customer loyalty. This benefit is a consequence of the previous one – and it’s very important, especially in e-commerce since you don’t have physical stores where you can promote the customer experience.
And the good news is that you don’t have to be a graphic or packaging designer to include a hint of storytelling in your packaging.
6 techniques for using packaging for storytelling
Here are six tips to help you turn your packaging into a visual communication tool that can create emotion and build customer loyalty.
1. Take care of the visual identity of the packaging
First and foremost, remember that the colours, shapes, materials and textures, as well as the font used on your packaging, tell a story about your brand – whether you realise it or not!
So, while respecting your brand’s graphic identity, choose them carefully when customising or creating bespoke packaging.
This advice can be applied in a very simple way, without having to design 100% bespoke packaging. For example, you can personalise the packing tape, or the labels you use to mark the boxes. There are many small details that can make a big difference.
2. Get customers to notice clear information
Attracting attention is a great tip you should utilise on your packaging. It’s not just about printing your logo on the packaging: you can continue the story on the packaging itself!
For example, be sure to emphasise information about your product or brand image by using a slogan printed right on the packaging, or labels that stand out as soon as the customer receives the package.
3. Emphasise the values of your brand right on the packaging
This involves emphasising the brand values or value proposition of your product. In short, you need to think of a way to visually emphasise what underpins your brand identity.
For example, you might choose to:
- Print elements of your company values right on the packaging, using differentiating slogans.
- Choose packaging that is visibly eco-friendly, with easily recognisable labelling showing that the packaging is recycled and/or recyclable, to showcase your corporate social responsibility.
4. Emotional appeal
As mentioned earlier, graphic design can evoke emotions in your customers. Use it to reinforce your brand!
For example, you can play on nostalgia by choosing packaging with a simple design, made from solid, untreated cardboard. Or you can personalise a package with a colour that creates a strong emotional connection with your customer (for example, a red package to highlight the excitement of receiving a product).
Also, remember to pay close attention to every word that appears on and in your packaging. The slogans you include need to be well-crafted and encourage curiosity to open the packaging and discover your product.
5. Play with the inside and outside of the packaging
The goal here is to create a “wow” effect by taking care of the inside of the packaging.
There are several ways to do this:
- Print on the inside of the box
- Choose a personalised filling material (such as coloured paper strips or tissue paper in the brand’s colours)
- Include creative small gifts in your parcels
To find out more, read our article on unboxing.
6. Use your packaging to enhance the customer experience
What if your packaging was the customer’s first step towards a better experience with your brand? That’s what this last tip suggests.
First of all, you can turn your packaging into a digital communication medium by printing a QR code on it. By scanning this code with their smartphone, your customers can access a webpage or video (a format that’s great for storytelling!) that tells the story of your brand or product. It’s a simple and effective way to enrich your customer’s experience when they receive their parcel.
Do you have a goal to get started with more customised packaging? At RAJA, our specialists in customisation and printed packaging will support you from A to Z.
To find out more about our solutions visit RAJA’s webshop.