Innovative use of packaging and on-pack labelling is a key asset for building unwavering consumer loyalty for brands. This notion is supported by Timothy Beattie, Pyrotec PackMedia’s general manager. "To unleash the power of on-pack marketing to build loyalty, you first need to rethink the concept of loyalty. Brand loyalty is not just about establishing habitual long-term repeat purchases of products but also about the relationship a consumer establishes with a brand over time."
For consumers, buying into brands involves a process of getting to know more about the brand. "Knowledge about a company is highly valuable to consumers – just consider the key purchasing drivers for millennials and Gen Z, for example. The company’s ethics, its business conduct, and its supply chain for sourcing raw materials and ingredients all add up to enhancing the consumer’s perceived value of the brand and can increase brand loyalty," notes Beattie.
The ‘did-you-know’ and ‘how-to’ type information allows brands to show the company’s ethos and ethics, how much care is taken to produce its products, and why these are better than their competing products. This information is easy to share using innovative on-pack labelling.
"Devices such as The Story Behind Our Wine label, a sleek multipage on-pack label that does the job of a brochure, informs consumers about the estate’s wines, its facilities, its history, recipes and other products," explains Beattie. This device not only creates differentiation on shelf but also establishes a relationship between the brand and the consumer.
Brand loyalty can also be enhanced by pre-empting consumer needs and desires. "While it might seem obvious, consumers may not know the full spectrum of a brand’s capabilities," says Beattie. If foodies are a brand’s target market, for example, they may be looking for ways in which to use a product or options of something different to try. Pyrotec PackMedia’s Fix-a-Form® booklet labels – a multi-page leaflet label that offers unrestricted label real estate – is ideal in this instance as a practical method of communicating user information such as recipes, cross-promotional marketing, and instructions.
"Pre-empting consumer needs by providing useful information helps to create perceived value and trust for brands. It’s a demonstration that your brand offers more and takes less," Beattie maintains.
"Building loyalty is also about adding value for consumers rather than getting them to buy more product. Customers want to know that they’re buying into a quality brand and are willing to pay a premium if they believe in the brand’s perceived quality." Value-adds such as collectable stickers or money-off coupons are an indication of brands giving back to consumers. "This shows that a brand is loyal to its customers and that it cares. If brand loyalty is a relationship with consumers, then thoughtful demonstrations of value-adds will create affable relationships," Beattie adds.
Brand owners and managers should think of brand loyalty as a reciprocal long-term relationship between the brand and the consumer. "Communicating with consumers and anticipating their needs and desires will earn brand commitment," Beattie concludes.
