44 | Regulars / Branding and design below). What’s even more powerful is that 62 percent of people “Marketers can leverage an array watching unboxing videos are watching with the intent to purchase.So now the package is not only powerful when an initial of sensory elements, such as consumer buys it, but it takes on even more signifcance when shared online. Its value went not only from my engagement but shape, special effects, embossing, also to yours. And in the case of many Apple unboxing videos that debossing, foil stamping, and other have gone viral, the value is attributed not only to the owner of the package (and the video) but extends to millions of other people tactile embellishments and fnishes” who have viewed it and experienced an emotional connection. In one particular video with 15 million views, research shows that 9 million viewers watched as part of their research to purchase most marketers realize.their next iPhone. Marketers can leverage an array of sensory elements, such as What is it about touch that connects us with brands and how we shape, special effects, embossing, debossing, foil stamping, and experience a brand’s content? One theory is that the physicality of other tactile embellishments and fnishes. For example, embossing print and packaging has a powerful effect on the way we consume, activates our fngertip receptors. Signature shapes create memories comprehend and retain messages, as compared to digital mediums. and increase retention. Different and greater parts of your brain are active when reading Take the Toblerone chocolate bar, with its triangular shape on paper vs on a digital device. That creates more memories and inspired by the mountains of Switzerland. You could touch that stronger emotional connections, including happiness. Physical in the dark and know exactly what it is. And we can’t talk about objects make us happy because we can hold them and touch them. signature shapes without mentioning the Coca-Cola brand. A Coke It’s real, so we trust it. And trust is essential to building brand loyalty. bottle is perhaps the most recognized iconic shape in the world. It beckons you to hold it; its center curve is designed to ft your Psychological Ownership and the Endowment Effect hand perfectly. The thickness of the glass and the green hue speak You might not have given it much thought, but touching a package to its quality.is also very persuasive. Two phenomena occur: Psychological Other sensory marketing signature elements include color, Ownership, and the Endowment Effect. typeface, texture and coatings, (i.e. soft touch, grainy or super First, what is Psychological Ownership? It means that merely glossy). These signature elements are powerful in a way that touching a product increases our feeling of ownership. When we see transcends the product’s graphic design or logo. How do I know? something in a store and we pick it up, we start to feel as if it’s ours Because if those elements were not there, we would still associate – even before we’ve purchased it. That’s Psychological Ownership. that product with that particular brand. Brands can indeed ‘own’ a If you’ve ever been with a toddler who grabs something off the shape, texture, material, graphic style, or color palette.shelf in a store and immediately says, ‘Mine!’ you know what I’m At the beginning of this article, I asked you the question: why talking about. The adult brain feels the same way – we just express do we save packaging? The reasons vary, but clearly, packaging is it slightly more subtly. powerful to purchasing. In fact, 72 percent of American consumers You can imagine the impact on Psychological Ownership with say their purchasing decision is infuenced by the product’s graphics, tactile effects, embellishments and so on. If a package on packaging design.the shelf looks like it would feel good to touch it, and you pick up The most successful brands know this and continue to fnd and it does feel good, then you feel as if it’s already yours – well, powerful and unique ways to appeal to the haptic senses in our the next logical step is to put it in your shopping cart. That whole brains by creating packaging that: cognitive process happens in a matter of seconds. • Connects to more parts of our brain The second phenomenon, the Endowment Effect, links what we • Makes more memoriestouch to how much we value it. Once we feel as if we already own • Creates more emotional connectionsa product (Psychological Ownership), the Endowment Effect speaks • Develops trustto the fact that we attribute more value to it. • Triggers Psychological OwnershipAccording to a sensory marketing study by Martin Lindstrom • Elicits the endowment effectand Millward Brown, ‘the more sensory touch points consumers • Engages customers to touch the packagecan access when they’re thinking about buying a brand, the higher • Persuades them to buy the number of sensory memories are activated. And the higher • Builds brand loyaltythe number of sensory memories activated, the stronger the bond The physical, psychological and emotional connections we have between brand and consumer.’ toward packaging and objects that we can touch move us, engage If we connect all the concepts I’ve mentioned so far, the us, drive purchase intent, increase sales, create share-worthy extended consumer journey looks like this: Customer in store unboxing experiences and build brand loyalty. What value do you > touches packaging > better memories > stronger emotional place on a package that can do all that?connection > Psychological Ownership > stronger trust > Endowment Effect > increased value perception > sale / conversion / purchase > brand loyalty.Vicki Strull is a packaging designer and strategist who advises top-tier and emerging The power of packaging as it relates to the brand product brands on how to leverage the power of print and I’ve already shared a few studies showing that various graphics packaging within their omnichannel marketing and special effects can attract consumers initially and encourage strategies. Through MarketWise Academy them to pick a product off the shelf. Then touch can drive a sale Vicki teaches master classes on next-gen print and even impulse buys. But how does packaging infuence product + digital marketing strategies and techniques perception? Consider how you react to a bottle of wine with a cork for designers, marketers and brand leaders. Join versus a screw top, or a product in a sturdy box versus a fimsy fellow trendsetters at vickistrull.com, sign up for carton. The materials we touch infuence our perception of quality, a master class at marketwiseacademy.com, and are much more persuasive in the customer experience than or follow Vicki on LinkedIn @vickistrulllabelsandlabeling.com