When it comes to packaging, so often the topic steers toward food and beverage. After all, packaging for these types of products accounts for over half of the packaging market. Each year, thousands of food and beverage SKUs are introduced—each vying for success in a crowded market. To do so, they need innovative packaging that stands out on the shelves.

However, this month BRANDPackaging takes an in-depth look at the packaging designed for higher-end products that extend beyond the necessities of life. Perfumes, spirits, jewelry, caviar, clothing. The list goes on. When people want to indulge themselves, they are willing to pay more for quality. Most would call these items a luxury.

Luxury goods come in luxury packaging. It’s just expected. Who wouldn’t be disappointed to find a new Rolex watch in a clear plastic case? Would you buy a rare cognac in a PET bottle? How about a designer perfume in a clamshell hanging on a store peg? All functional, but unlikely to demand notice.

As this month’s article authors point out, the packaging must make a statement and emotional connection. Otherwise, who will shell out the extra dollars? Luxury products are expected to deliver an aura of prestige and status.

The packaging must match or even exceed the quality of the product itself. While the product may be superb, the packaging design must elevate the brand, setting it apart. As designer Marc Rosen points out in his profile this month, luxury packaging must deliver a visual and tactile message that commands attention and compels shoppers to make that first purchase.

That's why it's enjoyable to consider the thinking behind luxury design. It takes us beyond the ordinary, turning everyday materials such as glass into works of art or metals into dispensers that connote wealth. See for yourself in this edition.
 

CONFERENCE WILL STIR YOUR CREATIVE JUICES

It’s only August, but already summer is starting to fade.  Businesses are gearing up for the holiday shopping season, just a couple months away. Companies are planning next year’s budgets as they consider new products and the machinery to manufacture those new lines. Autumn also becomes a busy season for industry events and conferences.

One event I hope you’ve marked on your calendar is the Packaging That Sells Conference, to be held Oct. 23-25 at Chicago’s Drake Hotel. Now in its 15th year, this conference brings together leading innovators and packaging designers. If you owe yourself a creative boost, you won’t want to miss this event.