Coca-Cola Stays Fresh With Innovative Packaging

(Photo: “Coca cola dorps,” by Flickr user Omar Bariffi, via Attribution 2.0  License)

According to a recent study, package design influences consumers’ buying behavior. A product’s exterior is usually the first or second interaction consumers have with the brand, so it’s only natural that the physical appearance would impact judgment. Essentially the package not only speaks for the brand, but also contributes to its sales — that is, if it’s easier to pick up than its competitors.

Coca-Cola understands this research better than anyone else. For a century now Coke’s classic “contour” bottle shape has been recognized around the world. The company has been able to continually deliver its brand through a shape that’s easy to hold and pour.

Beyond the brand’s classic shape, Coke has been able to adapt its packaging design over the years and still remain an iconic image. A notable example of Coke’s packaging change is with the hugely successful “Share a Coke” campaign that featured popular names on the labels. Another example is with the recent campaign launched in Israel for Diet Coke to personalize each bottle with a unique label design. This embodies the brand’s fun message of individuality. Both examples show innovative ideas in package design that pushed the brand to stand apart from its competitors.

The most striking example of Coke’s package design ability is with the “Friendly Twist” campaign where it designed bottle tops that required another bottle to open it. You had to actually match up your bottle with another person’s coke bottle in order to open it. This was a unique idea that delivered on the brand’s “opening happiness” slogan.

Clearly, Coke understands the importance of the package. From the bottle shape and label design, to the consumer interaction, Coke has been able to transform its exterior cover and see the positive results from these innovations. So why not take a lesson from Coke’s design genius? When you are selling a product, be sure to plan out the design details, even all the way down to the bottle. Make it so that the next time a consumer shops in the supermarket, he or she will be automatically drawn in to your product.