There are two things people tend to do if they don’t feel they are being heard. They repeat themselves over and over, and/or they raise their voice. Many people hold the erroneous belief: If I yell at you, then you will hear me.
Brands that struggle to be seen on the retail floor behave in a similar fashion. They crank up their packaging spend to create overly eye-catching gift sets, erroneously believing their heavily designed sets will make shoppers turn their heads and look at them. The reality is that more often than not, sales of these gift sets are disappointing.
4 pillars of success
After more than 20 years of delivering award-winning luxury packaging for the cosmetics sector, we have identified 4 pillars of success that are guaranteed to convert shoppers into brand advocates.
ONE – Appeal to the senses
This may be an obvious place to start, but materials are at the heart of any luxury shopping experience. We are constantly on the look-out for innovative materials and technological advances that deliver tactile experiences and leave long-lasting impressions.
Our 2017 ELEMIS Gift range was born out of a need to communicate a delicate balance between their brand values of luxury and purity. To amplify the luxury essence of their award-winning products, we used top-grade textured craft papers and matt lamination to give a soft premium feel to the box.
To highlight the purity of the brand and to provide a desirable and memorable gifting product, decoration on the box was limited to a single hand-embossed foil.
TWO – Add value through innovation
Innovation has become a key strategy in the packaging sector. But innovation has to extend beyond the actual pack if it’s to deliver true value. Charlotte’s Dreamy Box Of Magic from luxe brand Charlotte Tilbury is a great example of how innovation can be used to add an extra dimension of luxury to the brand.
Their first gift set constructed from wood, Charlotte’s Dreamy Box of Magic takes cues from the world’s most expensive jewellery and watch boxes to deliver a “treasure chest” experience like no other.
One of the key drivers behind the innovative design features of the box was the ‘reveal’ moment – that instant when the box is opened and its contents displayed. In the case of Charlotte’s Dreamy Box of Magic, the ‘wow’ moment is achieved by the tilting effect of fully opening the front flap. The result is perfect showcasing of the exquisite, stunning products within.
THREE – Create timeless design
It’s no secret that shelf presence is key. But as is the case with personal communication, shouting the loudest will not necessarily get you heard over the noise.
Our experience has shown us that the secret to successful luxury packaging is to favour discreet, timeless designs that look good on their own and on the shelves.
Shelf appearance is particularly key for limited-edition packs, such as Christmas or Valentine’s Day, when the expectation for pleasing décor is at its highest. In the case of Charlotte’s Lip Masterclass lip kit, for example, the pack style is such that a “library-like” array of gift sets can be arranged on the shelf to create a dramatic effect of block colour and visual impact.
FOUR – Information
For many years now, we have made the point of maximising the luxury value that product Information carries. Instead of giving it a different design or finish treatment, we believe displaying information in an aesthetically pleasing fashion has the power to help brands showcase their expertise and demonstrate their passion for what they do.
Beautiful product wording in sharp, detailed foil, and hand-finished to perfection to make the product information easy and pleasant to read, goes a long way in communicating luxury. This is illustrated by our award-winning Elemis gifting ranges, which year after year earn the accolade of critics, industry experts and shoppers alike.
Hunter has a proven track record of delivering award-winning luxury packaging solutions that are guaranteed to convert shoppers into brand advocates. If you have any inquiries or want to know more, please contact Jo at jo@hunterluxury.com
