The Role of Packaging
The primary role of packaging is, to protect, to deliver and to differentiate or communicate its contents to the market. First of all, protect products from spoiling through oxidation or contamination. Aid in delivery, from producer to market shelves to consumer. To differentiated from the competition, to stand out from the crowd on busy shelves, communicating it brand values, ingredients and nutritional values. However, what is the role of luxury secondary packaging? Why is it important and what sustainable approach is needed today?
The Value of Luxury Secondary Packaging?
Some may say, it’s generally not needed. However we would argue it plays a very important role in life today. That role being the business of ‘Value Creation’. We believe ‘Value Creation’ is created through delivering ‘Purpose and Meaning’ to people.
We like to describe it, as ‘Useful Magic’. If a Brand can in fact deliver ‘Useful Magic’, it will be adding personal and intrinsic value to peoples lives. And the knock on effect, is financial value to businesses and the economy as a whole. All delivered simply through the universally accepted interaction and act of giving and receiving gifts to others and ourselves. Because when we give or exchange gifts there’s a value exchange happening.
We’ve been giving and receiving gifts for thousands of years now, it’s a valuable human behaviour just like our curiosity. It binds our society together, it builds friendships and shapes relationships. It’s the act of creating something and connecting with someone. Thousands of years ago this may have been a shell horn, a warriors knife or a valued herb or spice. Today it’s a leather bag, a bottle of whisky or valuable jewellery.
How might we make Luxury Secondary Packaging more Sustainable?
We noticed that consumers are looking for more from ‘Secondary Luxury Packaging’ experiences. Increasingly people are looking for ‘Uniquely Authentic’ experiences. Engaging experiences that stimulate their curiosity. Experiences that start and sustain a conversation with them on a personal level and ultimately experiences that are responsible/sustainable.
The original industry accepted 3R’s of sustainability are Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. This list has now grown to ten. It includes the addition of Refuse, Refill, Repurpose, Rot, Repair, Regift and Rethink. We think ‘Rethinking’ may be the best approach, rather than simply reducing and recycling.
Could we make Luxury Secondary Packaging more valuable to consumers? So valuable, they’re compelled to Reuse, Refill or Regift? The answer is quite simply yes we can.
Scarcity Value – Limited Editions
We can create ‘Useful Magic’ by creating limited editions. Uniquely different limited expressions we want to collect, because they are only made and released in small batches. The Absolute brand have been leaders in creating limited editions. By dressing their simple round shouldered bottle with ever-changing limited editions of couture each season.
Displayable Desire – Packaging as ART
We can create ‘Useful Magic’ by creating ‘Displayable Desire’. Beautifully hand crafted pieces that have ART like qualities and finishes. Secondary packaging pieces we want to keep, display with pride and ultimately reuse again and again. We helped create and craft a ‘Distillers One of One’ case for Old Pulteney. A case that would house two expressions and had the care, attention and build quality of a fine piece of furniture or cabinet.
Uniquely Useful
We can create ‘Useful Magic’ by creating ‘Uniquely Useful’ secondary packaging. Packaging created form identifiable consumer use insights. We created a couture inspired thermal bottle bag for Moët Chandon. A bag designed to hide clumsy security collars and aid their removal. Its female orientated handbag and jewellery inspired shape with gold ring handle makes it uniquely useful. An item designed around the insight that people tend to keep and reuse such items for special occasions. Or could refill and regift to that someone special.
Our 3R’s of Sustainable Luxury Packaging – Remarkable, Responsible, Reusable
‘A New Approach to Sustainable Luxury Packaging Design might be to increase its value, by focus on creating ‘Useful Magic’. ‘Useful Magic’ guided by three R’s.
Remarkable
Experiences that are remarkably authentic, unique, ownable and news worthy. Extraordinary magical experiences that will thrill and amaze us, demand our attention and compel us to share the delight with others.
Responsible
Create responsible, accepted and embraced secondary packaging experiences. Safe in the knowledge that they do no harm, to people, society, businesses, commerce and the planet as a whole.
Reusable
Ensuring that luxury secondary packing is crafted honestly and constructed appropriately. Designed with insight and understanding, to instigate, motivate and compel reuse.
