Brands gain a share of both the consumer’s mind-set and wallet when stay ahead of the pack on their shelf. One way to do that is through continuous innovation of the product or the package, or both. When brand owners do that, their competitors either must make a counter investment to join them or risk having their own products fall behind in consumer perceptions of quality and value.
PepsiCo is one company that recognizes the value of continuous innovation. According to a post on Trading Markets.com, PepsiCo has introduced a proprietary “grip” pack for 600-mL bottles of Mountain Dew that it markets in India. The company plans to expand the new package design, developed in India, to other global markets.
PepsiCo did not release details about either the packaging or the scope of its marketing plans regarding the grip bottles, but did say the grip is globally patented and makes handling of individual bottles easier on hands.
“Consumers are now continuously looking for more excitement and thrills in the soft drink space,” PepsiCo India Executive Vice President Alpana Titus said in the posting. “So it is important for us to continually innovate in the way we offer, and through our new packaging design, we are refreshing the overall look of the product.”
PepsiCo isn’t the only consumer packaged goods company that recognizes the imperative for continuous innovation. Henkel (Dial), Method Products, Unilever, and even 7-Eleven make design a core strength of their marketing programs, and package design innovation (and where to find the inspiration for it) will be among topics covered in-depth at Shelf Impact!’s Package Design Workshops in 2010.
