"IMAGE IS EVERYTHING: BUSINESS BRANDING AND PACKAGING"
by
Austus Ofmat Nwanne(Mr.Tackle)
Of all the quotes and adages in the world, "never judge a book by its cover" is a quote that should not be mentioned anywhere business branding and packaging is being discussed, and this is because one cannot over-rule the importance of pictures/images when it comes to marketing of products. Hence, the use of good and clear pictures/images to brand and package our products and services is very crucial.
I'll take us through a series of expositions on how important branding and packaging are of good use to us and our businesses in this 21st century. Before we proceed, it's advisable we know what these terms{branding & packaging} means. "BRANDING has to do with the use of a name, term, symbol/design {or a combination of these} to identify goods and services of one seller/group/company, and to distinguish them from those of other sellers/groups/companies.". I'll reserve the definition of the latter {packaging} for now, so as to enable us focus more on the former{branding}.
No doubt, the branding of products and services started long ago, even before people knew that they were actually branding their products. In some countries in Western Africa, you'll see marks/symbols on items like yam, plantain, to name but two. Subsequently, branding became a necessarily thing, if at all one wanted his/her products to survive in the fast growing competitive market then. That was how branding crawled into the market world. Although, then, some sellers/manufactures were not branding their products, but, in our present 21st century highly competitive market, one cannot disregard the importance of branding.
Before I take us through the features of a good brand name, it's good we know why we even need to brand our products. Also, before the two earlier mentioned sub-topics, I'll quickly like to chip in the fact that we can brand anything. Be it products, services, and even human. Yes. You can brand yourself, depending on the nature of your job. Here, I'll like to use myself as a case study.I am Austus Ofmat Nwanne and my brand name is "MR. TACKLE". This brand name is what I'm called in the cooperate setting. Take a look at some musicians and comedians, many of us don't even know their real names, we only refer to them by their brand name. So, you see? You can brand yourself, depending on the nature of your job. Also, your real name can also be your brand name, and if at all you want your real name to be your brand name, it should not fail to meet up to the standards/features of a brand name I'll share soon.
Furthermore, I won't fail to mention the fact that there are what we call "FAMILY BRAND" and "INDIVIDUAL BRAND". Although, both has to deal with sellers/manufactures that produce more than one product, but family brand puts all the products/services produced/rendered under one umbrella name. Take "LG" as an example, they produce alot of things, but, under the family brand name, "LG". On the other hand, individual brand name deals with having a different brand name for each products produced by one firm. Take Coca-Cola, Fanta, Sprite as an example, all these have different brand names but, produced by one company, Coca-Cola Bottling Company. Individual brand name helps to an extent, by making sure that failure or collapse of one product would not mean the failure or collapse of other products produced by the company.
Now, let's take a micro-scopic look at the features/qualities of a good brand name:
1. Simple and not difficult to spell or pronounce.
2. Create a mental picture in the mind.
3. Clear, short and easy to remember.
4. Should not have alternative pronunciations.
5. Must not be old fashioned/out of date.
6. Not in use by another firm.
7. Not offensive, abusive or negative.
****PACKAGING****
Having discussed branding extensively, we shall now discuss PACKAGING. Although, one can define this term(packaging) as the use of wrappers, boxes, cans or bottles to enhance the physical qualities of one's product. Also, packaging does not necessarily mean products alone, it could be services, and one can also package himself/herself too.
I'll dwell briefly on "individual/self packaging" and "service packaging", before going into "product packaging". Individual/self packaging is very important, because in one way or the other, one is a product. So, package yourself with your dressing, manner of approach, physical appearance etc. On the other hand, service packaging deals with businesses that do not sell products, but render services instead, eg. Consulting, Law firms, etc.
"Product packaging" is the most important of them all, and it saddens my heart that many people don't know how important product packaging is to the survival of their business, because a better and well designed box, wrapper, can or bottle may even ensure the survival of a product in the market. Not only that, 3 crucial things are involved in "product packaging"
1. KNOW YOUR PRODUCT: Before one can successfully package his product, a good understanding of the product's size, volume, weight, texture, etc is required, so as to be able to choose the best
packaging design for the product.
2. KNOW YOUR FINAL CONSUMERS: A good knowledge of the group of people{age group, gender, etc} who the product is made for is also a determinant for packaging. It would be totally out of place to use a comic design wrapper for a product that would be consumed by old men/women.
3. KNOW ALMOST ALL THE DELIVERY METHODS FOR YOUR PRODUCT: No doubt, if one does not want damaged products getting into the hands of the final consumers, one should consider the durability of what would be used to package a product. Imagine beers in
sachets, or bread in a paper wrapper. Indisputably, the product determines the type of packaging.
Finally, I would add that packaging requires creativity, uniqueness and innovative ideas, this is because people don't really go with "old fashioned" things. So, once your style of packaging becomes out of date, it reduces the strength of your product to compete in the market, which may inturn lead to the falling of your business.
Having elaborated on business branding and packaging, I'll like to sum up this 3 days exposition by stating the fact that "branding and packaging is an area of contemporary discuss which has lost it's wings and feathers, and without which businesses would not survive in our present competitive market"
Although, many don't know the importance/contribution of branding and packaging towards the growth/development of their businesses, but the success of businesses who know the importance of branding and packaging speaks. So, are you losing in the market competition? Is your products/services almost out of market? Then, what you need is BUSINESS BRANDING AND PACKAGING.
For comments and questions, feel free to drop it under this post, and you can as well reach me via
+2348072970850{Whatsapp and call} or 22600ce0{BBM}
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