Stephanie Spiteri
hnd2 graphic design
Contents Pg. 4. 8. 11. 12. 16. 19.
Title History of Packaging and Limited Editions Limited Edition Packaging What worked What did not work Marketing Strategies Conclusion 3
The effect that limited edition packaging design has on consumers
L
imited edition packaging is a type of packaging that as its name suggests, is limited in its production. These products are used to create an interest in the company’s product. Normally companies use a concept that is wildly popular during the time of production. To captivate the consumer’s interest even more, designers have to keep in mind their targeted age group; using a fine
art illustration would appeal to an older generation, while using anything that is popular (which would mainly be in the music or film industries), would appeal to the younger generation. In this essay there will be discussed what type of packaging has worked, and how designers made them work and those that did not work and didn’t make the sales companies imagined they would make.
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glass bottles
History of Packaging and Limited Editions
T
he first known packaging is nature’s own packaging; this packaging is known as a fruit’s own skin. In early history packaging that was man-made often used natural resources such as shells, gourds, and animal skins; again natural resources are being used. Later on we see more natural resources being used as packaging: reeds, grasses, logs, bark and animal parts. When then ores and
metals were discovered, man developed these materials to create several different ways of packaging. Some of these ways that have been found from several eras are wooden boxes ( found in Egyptian tombs), pottery, glass containers, (glass blowing was invented by the Phoenicians and the Syrians) and then paper and cellulose fibres (reducepackaging, n.d.).
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corrugated fibreboard boxes
paperboard cartons
Peter Behrens - AEG logo
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Peter Landor logo
Now in the past 1000 years there has been a lot of improvement and a lot of changes made where packaging is involved. These improvements were made due to the advancements in technology. In the early 19th century there was an important discovery: scientists found out that tin cans could be used for food packaging resulting in the food lasting longer. The invention and first uses of paper board cartons and corrugated fibre board boxes were seen in the late 19th century; these types of packaging are still widely used nowadays by huge and small companies alike. Although there has been a huge change from the beginning of history till now, most of the packaging used then is still being used now (Barny, 2013). When tin was discovered and started being used for packaging, there was also the need of labelling a product so as to identify one product from another. This type of packaging then leads to the label being designed; nowadays this task is left for a graphic designer. Labelling design is a task in which a lot of researching has to be done; designers have to create a design that will attract the consumer on an emotional level so as to buy the product (Ambrose and Harris, 2011). Peter Behrens is one of the most influential people in Graphic Design; Behrens was part of the Jugendstil movement. He wanted to incorporate design with daily life, like Futurists in Italy and the Constructivists in Russia did.
In 1907 he started working for Allgemeine Elektricitats Gesellschaft (AEG) for which he was employed as an architect and designer. Behrens designed their corporate identity, this featured the company’s trademark, differentiating it from other companies (Hollis (2001, pp. 29 – 30)). This is what lead into designing a brand’s identity in a graphical way. Walter Landor is a packaging designer who is best known for his talent for designing for something that was popular during his time. He has founded a company, Landor Associates, which today consult in branding all over the world. Landor stated that, “ Products are made in the factory, but brands are created in the mind,” this idea has lead into designing a variety of big brands such as : Del Monte, Levi’s, Cotton Inc., Marlboro, Tab , Dole, Coca Cola and Fuji Film; he has also designed corporate identities for commercial airlines. Landor was influenced in his early years by Bauhaus and Werkbund design movements (AIGA, n.d.). With limited edition packaging comes a new design for a product that already exists. This design being produced will be limited in its production. These limited edition packaging led to a lot of advertisement for the product, so as to be known by the consumers. Some of these products are made to be interesting enough to make people collect all possibilities of this limited edition.
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Limited edition packaging started off with the publishing industry, when they printed books of a limited edition, with new special design. This was then sold at a higher price for a limited quantity of books. Some companies, nowadays, still use this idea but not always at a higher price (MBA Knowledge, 2012). Although there could be an increase in
price for these products consumers still tend to buy these products. Thus this is why companies who want to boost their sales opt for this idea.
Limited Edition Packaging
M
any of us, at some point in time, have bought a product just because of its packaging. Probably the most eye-catching packaging design is that of a limited edition product. There are different ways in which a product could be a limited edition; a limited edition product can be so in itself, for example ‘Jubilee Edition M&Ms’, which consisted of white, blue and red M&Ms only so as to symbolise the British flag also its design reflected the same idea. On the other hand, a limited edition product can be limited only in its packaging design, for example seasonal Coca Cola, the only thing that changes is its packaging; unless its not a full limited edition like the Vanilla Coke was. Limited edition packaging is very eye-catching and leaves a great impression on the consumer even when they see the product being advertised. There could be a
lot of advertisement behind the product so as to increase sales; billboards could be used, online advertising and also working with other companies, actors or singers. Some companies that are creating limited edition packaging even create online promotions, were their product is available online before it is available on shelves. A limited edition product can be about anything, but mostly about events or characters that are popular during the time it comes out; some examples of events are: World Cup, Olympics, Christmas and Easter. These limited edition products could also be celebrating a certain event that happens only in one country, so the product is only available in that country; this includes ‘the Chinese New Year’ or the Queen’s Jubilee which happened in the United Kingdom. All of this connects the consumers on an
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Coca Cola Christmas Edition
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emotional level, which concludes in higher sales. According to Lorraine Carter, associating their brand with the ‘feel good and success factor’ ”, works best in connecting with consumers; this helps the consumer connect the product to a happy memory, thus being interested in buying the company’s product, since designers have to ‘re brand’ them, look of a higher quality than the usual product on sale. This makes the consumer feel like they are buying a unique product, something which will not be seen again and only a few will possess. Some companies have seen a huge increase in their sales when they come up with a limited
edition product; sometimes with this huge increase, the company decide to keep the limited edition as a regular, to keep increasing the sales with this popularity (Carter, 2013). Today’s consumers will buy a product according to how emotionally attracted he/she is to the product. So a designer has to keep in mind to connect emotionally in a good way with the consumer, so as to make more sales; this is what makes the consumer buy the product and not because they need it (Rancarelli and Ellicott, 2010).
What worked
T
hroughout the year we see a lot of different limited edition packaging. The most effective ones are without a doubt those during Christmas time, when a lot of consumers are doing Christmas shopping. During Christmas 2013, Kinnie in Malta came up with the Christmas limited edition 50cl bottle, which involves a full wrap around with Christmas themed illustrations (Cassar, 2013). To kick-start this production they built a Christmas tree, which then the next day gave out Kinnie bottles to passer-bys with the help of persons dressed up as elves (Kinnie Malta, 2013). Kinnie Christmas Edition
Some companies come up with the brilliant idea of associating prizes with their limited edition products. This is what Pepsi Malta has done in summer 2013 in collaboration with the worldwide pop star Beyonce and Sony. The product visualised Beyonce on its bottle and can packaging. These labels and cans also featured codes that would be entered on the Pepsi website and then indicating to the consumer of they have won a gift or not (Times of Malta, 2013). The fact that there could be prizes to be won will make the consumer want to buy the product to check if he/she won something; they will choose this product to
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another similar one just for the gifts. Another way of attracting attention to the limited edition product is using sustainable material; Nestle has done this in its seasonal packaging back in 2009. They removed the plastic and used only cardboard which came from recycled materials; this kept the design eye-catching but still sustainable (Sunrise Packaging, 2009). For designs to look good, the designer needs space on the product so the idea could come out more clear; if there is limited space the designer will be limited in creativity. Marks and Spencer came up with limited edition packaging for Halloween. This packaging has a lot of space for designers to put their illustrations and only a small part left for the logo. This brought out the ideas the designers had in mind more clearly. Designers also came up with ideas that could be re-used , which employs sustainability in the products produced (jkr, 21st October). Coca Cola has also come up with an idea that was used before with a new dynamic with an edge to it. They
came up with something different from their other limited edition products, where they started with a totally new design (jkr, 19th August). Re-using an old idea to make a bolder design could be a good idea to attract consumers – bold attracts the eyes ( a product that looks different from others on shelf). These design ideas could work in some cases and in some not. It all depends on every factor, design ideas, final design, advertisement, placement on shelves and being bought by consumers. In some cases a limited edition product, by popular demand, would be brought back to the market to stay. This happened with the Benna limited edition Prune yoghurt, which was recently one of the limited edition flavours Benna is currently producing (bennaadmin, 2014). Benna has also been producing various limited edition yoghurt which are very popular with consumers.
What did not work
I
f some of these factors don’t work, sales will not be any good for the company. There could be a lot of explanations of why a product didn’t have the sales that were expected by the company. If a limited edition product
looks like another one from the same company that is still on shelf, consumers would be confused. This mistake was done by Coca Cola; their design for the Christmas limited edition packaging looked just like the Diet Coke edition
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Diet Coke Limited Edition
Marks&Spencer Hallowe’en Packaging
Benna Limited Edition yogurt
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Diet Coke Limited Edition
Diet Coke Limited Edition
Blood Orange Kit Kat
MAC Wonder Woman Collection
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Vanilla Coke
(jkr, 8th December). This would confuse consumers, if they are looking for the same colour that was used before they would not notice the product and would not buy it. When a product is normally viewed as classy by most of its consumers, the new product shouldn’t break this and go out of the way from the wcompany’s other products. From the comments of consumers one will know if this product was well met or not. Some consumers who tend to keep to the things that are always the same, will not like new, innovative ideas to a company’s old, classy look. In the example of MAC’s limited edition make up that featured Wonder Woman from DC Comics, we see exactly this; consumers didn’t agree that MAC should change its classy look to one that looks cartoonish and makes the make up look as if they’re for little girls. These consumers would not buy this new product and consumers might even consider to avoid this product in the future (jkr, 2nd February). This could happen to any type of product being produced, be it food or anything else that comes with a packaging. A designer should keep in mind what consumers will expect of the product being produced; researching past products by the same company would help in creating a new design that is well met by consumers. Before creating a limited edition there has to be a lot of research; this has to start from who is the product targeted for. Designers have to keep this in mind so as not to create something that will
not sell. Also there has to be some sort of advertising to promote the company’s product; without any advertisement consumers will not know anything about the product. Advertisement is an important key to limited edition products; associating it with something popular would gain even more interest to buy the product. If an organisation doesn’t think that the product they will launch as a limited edition will not be well met by the public, they shouldn’t waste any money on it in the first place. There has been many instances where big companies like Nestle and Coca Cola, try to compete with rivals by producing a limited edition product and failed. For instance there was the ‘Blood Orange Kit Kat’ which didn’t make as much sales compared to other limited edition products produced by the same company (Marketing Week, 2007). Another limited edition failure was that made by Coca Cola when they produced the Vanilla Coke. Although at fist it looked like they were going to have success, later on they didn’t; this was probably because of its taste (MBA Knowledge, 2012). Another reason why this could have happened was because they prolonged the offer and consumers got fed up of its taste (Wikipedia, 2014). This is an example of why a limited edition product should be only for a limited time or else consumers will be fed up of the product.
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Marketing Strategies
P
eople will buy something which is a limited edition just for the fact that it is limited in production, this gives them the feeling that they have something that is one of a kind (a collectable). Consumers will be attracted to this limited edition product just because of its different design. There is a marketing strategy behind this which is called the Scarcity Strategy. Some consumers would pay any price just for the excitement of the limited time this product is available for. Certain consumers would want to keep a high profile in society which is why they purchase limited edition products (Wu, 2012). Consumers who would want to buy this product here to do as soon as the product is for sale since it is only for sale for a limited time or limited quantity. This gives the company a lot of sales in a short term. The reasons behind limited edition products could be various: seasonal, creating a promotion for one’s company, to boost sales for a dying company, promotion for actors, singers and fictional characters. Some of these limited edition
products could bring out a good sale or a bad one. If the expected result is not met consumers will not be willing to buy a product. Before launching a limited edition product the company has to make sure it will be worth the money that will be used on the project. Another factor for limited edition is exactly what its name says: if it is limited edition, it has to be limited. If the company cheats the consumer and keeps on going with the promotion a consumer would start thinking that he has been fooled into thinking the product was a limited edition; this would lower future sales for the company in question (MBA Knowledge, 2012). This limited edition strategy has been used over and over again, it all started with the printing of books, where limited edition ones had different features from the usual print and were limited to a few prints. To create a limited edition product its not just doing a design, there has to be a lot of marketing solutions being involved, so as to have a
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Kinnie Christmas Bus Shelter Advertisement
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Starburst British Collection
Fossil Limited Edition Packaging
Perrier Andy Warhol Edition
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Swan Limited Edition
positive feedback from consumers (Sharma, n.d.). Looking at different blogs about different limited edition products, gives the idea that consumers are willing to pay that extra money in order to get their hands on something that is visually unique. Depending on every factor that leads the product to be on sale, one can observe how their product will fare in the market. Even if the company does all its research and thinks it will be a success, it all depends if the consumers are willing to buy the product when its in the market. Once its on shelves there’s nothing more a
company can do if not more advertising for the product. Everything depends on what catches the consumer’s eye; also if the product after it is bought does not reach the level of expectancy by the consumer, he/she will not buy it again. So this is another factor companies that deal with producing food, have to keep in mind what the taste of their product is. With all of this, the design of a package is still important just to have a nice design to catch the consumer’s eyes.
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Conclusion
F
rom the results found by different bloggers about limited edition products, it is easily observed that limited edition products are found to be of interest; apart from the few products that did not have any success in the market or its sales went down after a few. This indicates that consumers are willing to pay those extra few Euros just to get their hands on a limited edition product. Some consumers even end up collecting all the possibilities that are available; some even end up bidding on the4se collectables on the internet just to get their hands on a certain limited edition. This shows that when a company
would be launching a limited edition product, it would be an intelligent idea to boost up sales for a short period of time. As long as companies follow all the research that would have been done before designing the actual product, they shouldn’t have a failure, although everything still depends on the consumers the product is targeted to and the advertisements made for the product. ◙
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