Packaging is billboards on steroids

Packaging is billboards on steroids

Can you remember the last Coca-Cola TV commercial you saw? What was it about? Who was in it? Who was it for? What was the tagline?

If, like me, you can’t answer these questions, don’t worry, I’ve got another one for you:

Have you seen their new ‘one brand’ packaging? Can you remember what it looks like? Can you describe it?

OK the image above gives a hint, but the point is Coke’s new packaging is far more memorable than their last decade of advertising! Their giant marketing leap to ‘one brand’ has been communicated in a myriad of different channels but the most impactful of all is their packaging. Just as they did with the award-winning Share a Coke campaign, Coca-Cola have returned to their primary owned asset to launch their biggest shift in marketing strategy in decades.

Why is packaging such an effective communication channel?

  • It is in your loyal customer’s hands regularly
  • It is the physical embodiment of the brand
  • It is savoured, consumed, noticed, time & time again
  • It can act as a retention and an acquisition tool
  • It can target people anywhere, in-home, in-store or out-of-home

On top of all this Coke are now seeing their packaging as an in-store billboard. One of the main reasons they made this change was due to their multi-coloured sub-brands not standing out in-store. The ‘one brand’ packaging ingeniously creates an impactful presence in the supermarket aisle which previously wasn’t there.

Packaging is one of the most powerful communication tools out there and it is grossly undervalued. So we encourage you to consider how you can utilise your packaging as a communication channel in your next big marketing campaign.