The package is becoming essential in marketing, and a good brief invites critical thinking earlier from those with packaging savvy.

The packaging brief—some call it a design brief—is a proven tool that can benefit brand management and product development by integrating packaging into the thought process earlier. A well-designed brief delivers more effective and efficient winning product launches.

Brand managers know that in the consumer’s mind, their brand is equal to the Product + Package + Equity + Services. At the point of purchase, all the shopper typically sees is the package. The package can also influence the repurchase decision. Yet, in the concept and product development process, the package is too often not considered or is thought about far too late. A packaging brief is a simple tool that marketing departments should use to assure that packaging is considered up front and as an integral component throughout their development process.

While packaging always has been a critical component of branded products, during the last two years branding experts have recognized that it has not always been appreciated as marketing has transitioned from trying to reach the masses through television advertising to a more consumer-focused,
point-of-purchase, and word-of-mouth method.

The packaging brief is a document within a product/marketing brief that contains critical consumer, channel, product, and brand information. It can be incorporated into a marketing brief, and it has some important criteria:

1. High-level sponsorship.

2. Complete packaging information.

3. Financial/budget/profit-and-loss information.

4. Consumer-relevant criteria.

5. A means for easily identifying the packaging section of the brief, or creating an add-on packaging brief for the packaging department’s use.

6. Cross-functional input.

Packaging suppliers play an important role in creating a packaging brief. Packaging professionals may leverage suppliers, and to do this effectively, sharing the packaging brief early allows suppliers to evaluate and deliver more options directly aimed at marketing’s target. The alternative is that marketing or packaging professionals (usually a single person) develop options from their limited experience/portfolio.

Allowing suppliers early involvement in the creative process will expand the range of options open to consideration. (Read the 2005 special report that appeared in Shelf Impact! on the Integrated Value Chain Model.)

What does a packaging brief look like? It should be simple and not create a lot of additional work for the person completing it. Some components of a packaging brief are listed in the accompanying table.

Read more of Brian Wagner’s thoughts on integrated development and packaging briefs.

By Brian Wagner, Vice President, Packaging & Technology Integrated Solutions