Packaging - Planning for a User's Expectations

If you've ever read Steve Krug's book Don't Make Me Think you may have discovered the concept that customers (or web site users) expect to be lead, and not put much brain-power behind their actions.

This is not to say that customers (or users) are ignorant or lazy, but rather creatures of habit. A project I'm working on right now for a university requires some vigorous debate on what we're going to label a navigation element; do we call it "tuition and fees" or "financial aid" or "costs and aid" and the like. Why such a big debate? It's all about what potential students are familiar with. If most other higher education institution web sites have a "standard" of what they call things, then a potential student on our site will most likely try and find similar words, phrases and call-outs.

It's not that we're not making the customer / user think, but rather making it easier so that they don't have to think. Customers want familiarity, and gravitate to things they know. This applies to icons, words, images, placement (as in geographic placement) and actions.

So why do we make it so difficult for our target audiences? Why does Steve have to write a book about the subject? Why have we not learned?

Awhile back I wrote an article about how Tropicana orange juice suddenly changed its packaging, and sales dropped like a rock. Why? People were expecting to find their familiar container with the big orange with a straw in it. With all of the hue-and-cry from the marketplace, they relented and got the "old" packaging back on the shelves quickly. They learned to not surprise their customer base; and they learned it in their wallet.

But now, they're back to their old tricks:


You can see (from left) their original packaging, the failed "new design" that was quickly taken off the shelves, and now the "new" bottle that replaces the familiar carton. My wife was staring right at it in the store the other day, and she said repeatedly, "... they're out of my Tropicana."

Here's another example. Cleansing agent Bon-Ami suddenly changed its look and label, with no warning. To add insult to injury, the new design looks cheaper and more like a discount brand:

The "new" design is on the left. Doesn't it look like something you would find at the dollar store?

I have to wonder what the research and rationale was for such drastic moves when it comes to one of their most important marketing tools (the package, the design)?

But, in fairness, I have to tell you about a company that is doing it right. Barilla pasta is actually telling its customers to expect a change:


If you look in the right corner you see the call-out "new look" and even a photo of the new box design! They want their loyal customers to be aware of the coming change, and to place a bug in their ear that maybe next time they're at the store they'll be looking for a brown box. In fact, they've made quite a bit of noise about their change, with a full-panel campaign on the back of the old boxes:


Why is this important? As a smart marketer, they're taking a proactive step in changing their package design. They know that customers are creatures of habit, and if they don't find "the familiar" they may select a competitive brand, and be blind to the change (as my wife apparently was with Tropicana). In a way, this is a page out of Don't Make Me Think by including the customer in the decision chain. They have been made part of the change itself; and as an added benefit, if they hear a lot of advance negative feedback from customers, they may choose to do more research on their objections, and either alter the design or refrain from any changes at all.

It's a lesson we thought Tropicana had learned, but as of now, apparently not.

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© 2011 Bob Chernet - View all of Bob's articles at: Bob Chernet's Marketing Best Practices . Reproduction of Bob Chernet's Marketing Insights in any manner is unlawful, without the written permission of the author.