Branding and Packaging

Branding

Branding is defined as a continuous process, through which the marketer attempts to establish a long-term relationship with the customer, by identifying their changing needs and wants and supplying such products which satisfy them. Moreover, with the help of branding a product is easily identifiable.

Branding can be used as a marketing tool, which creates awareness about the product in the mind of the target customers, about the authenticity of the product and the satisfaction received by them through it.

For an active branding, the marketer should create brand value to the customers, i.e. the consumers must be convinced that there are substantial differences between products offered by different brands, only then they are going to buy it. A brand conscious customer usually goes for a brand he/she trusts and hardly makes any effort to switch to another brand.

Packaging

Packaging, as the name suggests, is the process of designing and producing an attractive packet, wrapper, or cover, in which the product is going to be sold to the customer. It includes all the activities involved in creating a container, for containing, handling and protecting the product.

A good packaging not only draws the attention of the consumers but also makes the product ready for transport and sale, and also prevents any damage or pilferage. It is the first thing that a customer encounters. The main object of packaging is:

• Brand identification
• Communicate information, both descriptive and persuasive.
• Ensure safe transportation
• Act as five-second commercial, at the point of purchase.

Packaging is made up of three layers:

1. Primary packaging: Immediate packing of a product, for instance: glass bottle of cough syrup.
2. Secondary packaging: Extra packaging given to ensure the protection of the product. For instance: cardboard box to keep the glass bottle of cough syrup.
3. Transportation packaging: It is also called as final packaging that is given for proper storage and transportation, for instance: cardboard cartons in which the cough syrup is transported.

Key Differences between Branding and Packaging

The points presented below are substantial so far as the difference between branding and packaging is concerned:

1. Branding is the marketing strategy, in which the marketer uses a name, mark or symbol of a product, to make it easily identifiable by the customer, from the products offered by other competitors in the market. On the other hand, packaging refers to all the activities involved in designing and creating a cover or wrapper for the product to make it ready for sale and transport.
2. Branding focuses on identification and thus differentiates the product from other products in the market. Conversely, packaging aims at promoting the product at the point of purchase and also ensuring protection, during transit.
3. Branding is all about the colour, symbol, slogan and visual imagery of the product. As against, packaging integrates components such as the colour, design, description, fonts, logo and so forth.
4. Branding is helpful in retaining and increasing consumer loyalty, as well as introducing a new product under the similar brand. In contrast, the packaging is helpful in drawing customer’s attention, with its design.

To promote the brands, all the companies often develop a different ‘look and feel’ of the product packaging which draws the attention of the customer and makes comfortable with the presentation itself, to pick their product above other products in the market.