Unit 8: The Marketing Mix as a Business Strategy

Lesson 6: Product Packaging

Contents
Engage 1
Introduction 1
Objectives 1

Explore 2

Explain and Elaborate 3

Product Packaging in Marketing Mix 3
Elements of Product Packaging 4
Functions of Packaging 6
Packaging as a Marketing Tool 7

Extend 7
Activity 7

Evaluate 8

Wrap Up 11

Bibliography 12
Unit 8.6: Product Packaging

Engage

Introduction

Fig. 1. Product Packaging

When making any purchase decision, the external features of any product can make a big
impact on the consumers. Although sometimes, product packaging becomes an
underappreciated aspect in that marketing plan of a business. As a marketing tool,
packaging plays an essential role in the sales performance of any business. Find out the key
takeaways from this another element of the marketing mix as you engage yourself
throughout this lesson.

Objectives
In this lesson, you should be able to do the following:
● Identify the functions of product packaging.
● Understand the role of product packaging in the marketing mix.

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DepEd Competencies
● Recognize the importance of marketing mix in the development of marketing
strategy. (CS_EP11/12ENTREP-0h-j-10)
● Describe the Marketing Mix (7Ps) in relation to the business opportunity vis-à- vis
packaging. (CS_EP11/12ENTREP-0h-j-10)

Explore

10 minutes
Guide Questions
Answer the following questions briefly and coherently:

1. How important is product packaging to you when you make purchase decisions?

2. Do you easily get persuaded to buying products that have aesthetic packaging?

3. What is your stand on the use of eco-friendly packaging materials?

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Explain and Elaborate

Product Packaging in Marketing Mix

Fig. 2. Product Packaging

The art of packaging involves more than just placing a product in a box or any material. This
additional element of the marketing mix contributes to the marketability and success of a
business. With the right combination of packaging and proper branding, a positive image
may be instilled in the minds of the consumers.

Packaging can make or break the success and growth of a business, so it is important to
innovate packaging that fulfills its essential functions. It must be designed in such a way that
it will bring impact to the consumer at the point of purchase as well as during the point of
handling and using the product. All these mentioned factors play an important role in the
reinforcement of product value and consumer satisfaction.

What definite role does packaging play in marketing, then? For a typical shopper in a
supermarket, the only way for consumers to notice any product is through store displays,
shelves, point-of-purchase displays, and product packaging. A great deal of making
purchase decisions is allotted to color testing and psychological manipulation. In short,
some consumers are easily influenced by the external features of a product. This is precisely
the role of packaging in marketing—it can be used as a tool to encourage or persuade
consumers to purchase a product.

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Unit 8.6: Product Packaging

Why do you think product packaging plays a vital

role in marketing?

Elements of Product Packaging

A packaging that is well-designed allows a product to be marketed to the consumers easily.
Because of this, it is important to carefully scrutinize all the elements that make up a
product packaging.

Visual elements
During the process of package designing, it must be remembered that consumers assess
product packaging in their own different ways. One major component of this element is
graphics, which include image layout and typography. Graphics refers to the visual
representation of a product packaging in the form of artwork or design. When consumers
recognize a product in the supermarket, the positioning of a packaging’s graphics may be a
vital factor in helping them make a purchase decision.

Color combinations
Color combinations are also part of a packaging’s visual elements. Color is a key element of
design because it is an important consideration in brand awareness and recognition. An
excellent color combination has the ability to make a product stand out from the
competition. In the case of food packaging, color may likewise influence the perceptions of
consumers toward any product.

Informational elements
The inclusion of necessary product information is also important in product packaging. This
has to be communicated to the consumers to help them in making the right purchase
decision.

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Example: Informational element of product packaging

Fig. 3. A beverage with nutrition facts

The “healthy lifestyle” bandwagon is becoming more rampant each day as people and
businesses continue to develop healthier food alternatives. Because of this, the trend of
consuming healthy food has expanded the importance of including the product’s nutritional
information in its packaging.

Another key component of information elements is technology image. The technology is

vital to the creation and designing processes of any product packaging. Its role is to be able
to meet the required specifications of the consumers. Technology image, as a
communication element, should be transmitted to the consumers visually to activate their
attention toward the product.

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Unit 8.6: Product Packaging

Functions of Packaging
Packaging performs different functions in several aspects:

1. Protection - One of the main reasons why a product is always wrapped or bottled is to
protect it from external and environmental factors. Packaging performs a big role, most
especially in the logistics aspect. It aims to protect the product from moisture, light,
temperature, and other external conditions.

2. Information - The packaging must contain essential pieces of information about the
product, such as nutrition content, usage directions, ingredients, and storage instructions.

3. Convenience - Part of the normal operations of a business is to store, transport, and

distribute its products to the end consumers. These products will be handled in different
ways by several intermediaries. A product that is well-packaged will surely provide
convenience to the end consumers.

4. Security - A product that is sealed perfectly has higher chances of being bought by a
consumer. To make sure that products are stored in excellent condition, packaging must be
taken into consideration. Apart from the fact it prevents the occurrence of pilferage,
products that are secured will be free from any kind of alteration. Moreover, packaging also
acts as a deterrent to any act of tampering.

Review
The following are the functions of product packaging:
● to protect the product
● to inform the consumer
● to provide convenience
● to secure the product

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Packaging as a Marketing Tool

Product packaging can serve as a useful tool in the marketing strategies of a business. A
good packaging strategy will enable the business to persuade the consumers to buy the
product. A purchase decision of a customer usually comes in a split second impulse if he
finds a product with striking packaging. The following can be the results if the product
packaging is used as a marketing tool:

1. Brand recognition - The proper combination of color themes and well-designed graphics
in product packaging is deemed to be effective in keeping a product in the limelight. Amidst
a store’s typical approach of storing identical products in the same row, good product
packaging will help any product stand out from the competition. To succeed, the number
one objective of any business when it comes to packaging must be to grab the attention of a
consumer.

2. Product Identification - Sticking to packaging that represents the main colors of a brand
will help the customers identify the product when shopping at their favorite store. Packaging
helps buyers quickly identify the product, enabling them to adopt a repeat purchase
behavior.

Extend

Activity
Based on your personal experiences as a consumer, give three other functions of product
packaging along with a brief explanation.

Functions Explanation

1.

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Functions Explanation

2.

3.

Guide
● The functions of a product packaging refer to its roles, benefits, or uses in the aspect
of a consumer’s behavior and purchase decisions.
● You have to give three examples of roles or functions that a product packaging plays
in your life as a consumer.

Evaluate

A. Answer the following questions briefly and coherently:

1. How do you define product packaging?

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2. What specific role does product packaging play in the marketing mix?

3. What are the two essential elements in creating product packaging?

4. What is the primary aim of having well-designed product packaging?

5. What do informational elements entail?

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B. Read the situationer below, then follow the instructions

given.

You are the product manager of a business that caters to

healthy meals delivery services within Metro Manila. Your
products are home-cooked meals that need to be delivered
to your customers every morning.

Come up with an essay that details your strategies or approaches that you will follow in
making your business a successful one. Take into consideration the following guide
questions that will help you in your product packaging strategies:

1. How would you describe the product packaging of your food products?
2. Will you consider opting for eco-friendly product packaging? Why or why not?
3. What information will you include in your product packaging?
4. How will you emphasize on the visual elements of your product packaging?
5. Apart from a delivery service, what other ways or methods can you think of in order
for your food products to reach customers outside Metro Manila?

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Wrap Up
___________________________________________________________________________________________

● The role of packaging in marketing is to be used as a tool in encouraging or

persuading consumers to purchase a product.
● The elements of product packaging are visual elements, color combinations, and
informational elements.
● The following are the functions of product packaging:
○ to protect the product,
○ to inform the consumer,
○ to provide convenience, and
○ to secure the product.

Product Packaging

___________________________________________________________________________________________

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Bibliography

Calder, Bobby J., and Steven Dupuis. “Packaging and Brand Design.” Wiley International
Encyclopedia of Marketing, 2010. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781444316568.wiem04024.

Koh, S. C. L., and Stuart Maguire. Information and Communication Technologies Management
in Turbulent Business Environments. Hershey, PA: Information Science Reference,
2009.

Longenecker, Justin G., and Carlos W. Moore. Small Business Management: An Entrepreneurial
Emphasis. Cincinnati: College Division, South-Western Publishing, 1991.

Rundh, Bo. “The Multi‐Faceted Dimension of Packaging.” British Food Journal 107, no. 9
(2005): 670–84. https://doi.org/10.1108/00070700510615053.

Wagner, Marcus. Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Sustainability. Sheffield: Greenleaf

Publishing, 2012.

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