Connected packaging is packaging activated by technologies such as QR Codes, Serialisation and Watermarks. Connected packaging has many benefits, one of which is to help brands communicate information to consumers and increase engagement. Connected packaging extends consumer interactions beyond just the packaging. Whether it’s to establish product and supply chain transparency, share the brand’s story, or increase consumer engagement, connected packaging acts as the bridge between brands and consumers helping to build stronger relationships.

Tell your brand’s story

The retail landscape is crowded and brands are under more pressure to come up with creative ways to reach their audience and stand out from their competitors. Rather than relying on static messaging such as statistics, product-related facts, and customer testimonials, brands can use storytelling to evoke their customer’s emotions, allowing them to engage with the brand through a relatable connection.

Brands can leverage connected packaging as a marketing strategy to share their story with consumers. By embedding scannable codes into product packaging designs brands can share their story through engaging videos or landing pages that capture the audience’s attention. This additional medium for driving consumer engagement results in higher initial sales, repeated purchases, and brand loyalty.

Create Augmented Reality Experiences

Augmented reality (AR) technology is becoming more popular as a marketing tool particularly when it comes to product packaging. AR is a great way to enhance consumer engagement allowing shoppers to interact with digital elements while still being present in the physical store. Higher levels of engagement lead to better brand experiences, which therefore leads to a spike in sales and ROI.

By placing watermarks in their packaging designs brands can link to a multitude of AR experiences including 3D augmentations, digital games or call to action leading to the online shop to name just a few. After downloading a dedicated app, consumers simply have to scan the product with their smart device to see digital augmentations appearing around the package. Whether they want to increase brand awareness, encourage engagement or simply entertain their target audience, brands can tailor their AR content depending on their business goals.

Promote Customer Loyalty

With over 83% of the world’s population owning a smartphone, it makes sense for brands to digitize their customer loyalty programmes. Connected packaging has the ability to change loyalty programs as we know them. With a single scan, a consumer can instantly become a loyalty program member. Whether it’s a tier-based or point-based program, consumers will make more repeated purchases to climb the loyalty ladder and reap more rewards.

By integrating serialised QR codes on product packaging, brands enable their customers to instantly become loyalty programme members with a single scan. Additionally, since digital loyalty programs are easy to use and activate, consumers will be more willing to become members.

Collect Customer Feedback

Traditional paper surveys have become outdated since the rise of mobile devices. The way forward for brands is to digitize their customer feedback process to make it a more efficient process and increase response rates. Allowing consumers to take the survey from the convenience of their mobile device it drastically reduces any effort from their end, leading to higher levels of satisfaction.

By adding dynamic QR codes to your product packaging, brands can optimise the customer feedback communication channel, directing consumers to online, mobile-first feedback forms. The use of QR codes gives brands insight into consumer behaviour, helping them to understand how many consumers have scanned the code, their location, and the mobile device they used. Access to this data can help brands further optimise the feedback process to achieve better response rates.

Drive Social Engagement

With over 3.96 billion users worldwide, social media is a viable channel for consumer engagement. Compared to traditional customer touchpoints, social media is free, widespread and extremely influential. As consumers become more connected, brands should shift their approach, viewing packaging as a valuable owned media channel used to drive social media engagement.

Scannable codes are a great way to leverage connected packaging to get consumers to engage with your brand on social media. A single scan can redirect to a brand’s social media profiles, where consumers can view and like social media content as well as publish a review. Additionally, social media enables customers to acquire more information and better understand a brand’s online presence. This leads to stronger relationships and fosters brand loyalty.

prismiq™

Recently Sealed Air launched their latest power brand, prismiq™, which represents the move from purely functional to connected packaging. By integrating smart packaging with digital print and graphic services, brands can rethink the possibilities of packaging to create a truly transformative, connected package. The prismiq brand offers a portfolio of solutions for design services including custom graphics, digital printing and smart packaging for enhanced customer engagement. Find out more about the possibilities of packaging at sealedair.com

If your brand is looking to invest in quality packaging, our team will guide you through the entire process, providing recommendations on increased sustainability, helping to improve efficiencies and adding expert and award-winning value to your end product.