Packaging Research Revisited

My Views of June 2, 1996 on Packaging Research resulted in a number of calls, all positive with some very good ideas and thoughtful questions. I enjoy getting calls from readers. They always stimulate interesting discussions about solutions to current problems. These calls pointed out that packaging goes well beyond the nine factors in the write-up.

One of the calls this past week was from a person I had not heard from in over three years. She was asking about research pertaining to the evaluation of pre-built displays, shelf inserts and complete wall displays. I consider pre-built displays to be a form of packaging which can come in many forms, giving us numerous opportunities to stimulate share growth and shelf space. My advice to her was by all means, evaluate these displays in the actual locations where they will ultimately be used, in other words, "Assessment in Context." Experience has shown that location can have a dramatic effect on the test results. Her concern was that we could not get into supermarkets and discount centers. I mentioned two companies that I have worked with and knew they could do this type of assessment for her.

Actually on Saturday, June 8, I was with Mr. Herb Sorensen, President of Sorensen Associates Inc, auditing two In-Store studies. One of the studies involved a new product in three versions and evaluated in three different locations in the store. Based only on a very limited number of interviews, it looked like the location had a profound effect on the acceptance of the new product, especially as it related to the value assessment. I will be looking forward to seeing the complete data. If this observation turns out to be factual, it will be just another case demonstrating the importance of In-Store assessment. Herb, thanks for taking me out on your auditing trip. It was the first time I have been in the field since retiring from P&G over five years ago. Things have not changed much, same old challenges.

Two other calls were interesting in that the callers were extending the principle of packaging beyond the obvious. As one person pointed out, in their product category (pharmaceuticals), the product has actually three packages: the shipping case, the display carton and the bottle in the display carton. Each of the three packages have multiple purposes and therefore, multiple opportunities for brand differentiation. In the other call, a very good friend in the computer industry pointed out that his product has two main containers: the shipping container which contains copy about the product and manufacturer, and the actual housing of the computer. He looks at the computer housing as a package, and rightfully so. The computer is the components inside the housing and the housing is the packaging which appears on display in the retail outlets and therefore, deserves not only the appearance and ergonomic assessment, but also communication evaluation.