Your supplement, OR one of 10,000 other choices? Amy (potential client) is at that online moment marketers spend billions to influence. She's just one click away from testing all of your meetings, studies, design and branding iterations.
So what is it that influences Amy’s decision? There are many, many factors as you know, but I think one vital question is often overlooked:
What’s the story behind your supplement line?
People want to connect with people, not with brands. So if we want people to connect with our supplement brands, we have to give our brands personality, which in turn makes them relatable. We do this by telling a story with the packaging -- the first thing Amy sees on Amazon amid a sea of choices. Consider the following example:
This is a fiber designed to support digestive health, with a myriad of benefits (yawn…). No, this is about a hip, fun, beautiful and well-educated girl who has a name (let’s say this is Amy from earlier) and wants to take care of herself. The packaging design focuses on this story more than the health benefits or scientific reasons why Sunfiber® is an awesome ingredient. All of these things are important, but only in the context of the larger story about the target audience: Amy, a girl who wants to be hip and healthy.
There are millions of stories to tell, and WHO you’re talking to will help determine which story is best. Regular Girl is all about the personality infused brand itself, which is why the logo is the most prominent feature on the packaging.
By contrast, what if the largest design feature were say, the product name itself (Whey Isolate Protein)? That’s another relevant story, but the emphasis and strategy shifts because now we’re talking to Molly, a crazy-busy mom who’s in a hurry and just wants the clear facts so she can get to the soccer game.
We heard Molly’s request, “Don’t tell me everything, just tell me what I need to know in .25 seconds, thank you.” BAM, here you go! Clean, focused information “We’re not hiding anything, these are just the facts” — that’s the relatable story, and that's part of why this product is wildly successful nationwide in both Wal-Mart and Target.
Whether it’s a packaging redesign, or you’re building a supplement line from the ground up, thinking through the relatable story behind your supplement is key. Focus on your target market and draft a story for him or her. End of story :)
Extra Credit: What's the story behind this packaging?
