Jessica Bernardo had a problem. The energetic founder and chief executive officer of Canna Bath was disappointed in the company’s sales volume and having difficulty getting her products into major retailers. Based on feedback from customers, she was convinced her products were terrific, but the packaging was bland, and the brand lacked sizzle.
Canna Bath produces wonderful CBD-infused bath products. However, despite the fact the product line is delightful, sales lagged and gaining distribution was a slogfest.
Determined to right the ship, Jessica set out to transform her brand. The first thing she did was consult with a leading cannabis-focused packaging company.
Jessica had a vision for her brand. She wanted her products to be sold in major retailers. She wanted her products to pop off the shelves. She wanted shoppers who passed by her display to be attracted by, engaged with, and enamored of her products. And she wanted the buyers for major retailers to feel her product line represents quality, distinction, and merchantability. In short, she wanted to dramatically increase sales and distribution and knew the place to start was with her packaging.
Jessica is one smart cookie.
The packaging company’s team included designers, brand-builders, and printing experts who were well suited for the assignment. They were seasoned professionals who knew how to make brands pop, and they were experts in creating packaging that not only improves sales, but also looks fresh without being overly trendy so it will stand the test of time.
After intense research into the brand category and countless creative sessions, the team unveiled its new look for Canna Bath. The look included new packaging, a new logo, specially selected pastel colors, and carefully applied metallic inks and foils.
Jessica was thrilled and quickly moved the projects into production. After the printing process was completed, she took her freshly repackaged products to buyers at several top retailers. To say they were impressed would be an understatement. Orders came flooding in, and quickly Canna Bath was on the shelves at the very stores Jessica had targeted.
“The new packaging allowed us to get into prominent, luxury stores,” she said. “Our new look is attracting customers and retailers and has transformed our brand.”
More importantly, sales exploded.
“Our sales of bath salts and bombs have doubled since we rolled out the new packaging,” she said.
The last word
Packaging is the last communication brands have with consumers during the purchasing process. Packaging design is essential to a product’s success because it will influence the consumer’s mind at the precise decision-making moment.
“Business owners tend to focus on what goes inside the package,” Julia Gosnell, co-founder and chief operating officer of Hippo Premium Packaging, said. “They can get so passionate about the ingredients that branding is not always top of the mind.”
Moreover, many brand owners believe if the product is great, people will love it and word will spread. But a key component is missing from this hypothesis: How are you going to get people’s attention to try the product when it simply sits on the shelf?
Both branding and packaging need to be compelling enough to shout out, “Hey! Come try this!”
Buyers for major retailers know this better than anyone. These professionals know what consumers seek. They decide what goes onto their stores’ shelves. They understand the product needs to stand on its own without the package being opened or the product being sampled. In other words, the packaging needs to be enticing enough for customers to pick it up and put it in their cart.
Product packaging matters…perhaps much more than you may think. And that’s true for any brand.
Just ask Jessica.
Kary Radestock brings more than 20 years of award-winning print and packaging expertise to some of the top brands in the world. She launched Hippo Premium Packaging in order to fill a need for professional, compliant packaging, brand development, and graphic design for the emerging cannabis industry.
