When looking into how the brand Chanel packages it's products it became apparent that the overall ethos of the brand was to keep a sense of luxury and the wow factor when packaging all their products, even the more accessible products such as cosmetics.
For example I found this YouTube video of a customer unpacking her package that she had bought online from Chanel.
As you can see from the video the packaging seemed to be quite over the top, they had packaged one lipstick in the same large black and white box with embossed Chanel logo and tissue paper that they had for a box with a lot more products in it. The products were all placed securely and strategically in the box and were all facing the same direction and looked as though they had not moved since they had been placed in the box.
The purpose of packaging their products like this is not only just for the safety when delivering. The main aim of this is to give the 'Chanel experience' to every customer, even the ones who have not purchased products in store.
"We are a gift-giving business'' - Scott Widro, v.p. of materials management and manufacturing, Chanel. - packagedesignmag.com.
Chanel's aim as a brand is to create an experience around opening their products that consumers will want to experience again and again, when opening a Chanel product it is almost like a Christmas or birthday, this leading the consumer to feel spoilt and special.
''For instance, when a customer opens up a Chanel box, they see the product right away so they can experience it immediately. Does it really matter?'' "Yes, it really does, the experience of opening it up and saying 'wow' is what we want," - Widro.
The colours of the packaging:
Chanel products are packaged in the colours traditionally associated with the brand, this being black, white and gold. This is iconography at it's best as consumers will expect to see these colours on the packaging and therefore will be reminded of the brand.
"We try to keep it simple and but elegant at the same time, there are not a lot of colours in the Chanel world, aside from making the black as deeply black as possible, the Chanel palette rarely strays far from white, gold, beige, silver, and pink. Coco Chanel was definitely not a fan of heavy decoration, and believed that black and white, straight lines, and rectangular designs represented purity''- Widro.
Here are some examples of Chanel packaging.
Staff . (2016 ). Our Work . Available: http://ibcshell.com/. Last accessed 10th March 2016.
From how they have packaged the perfumes, you can see that they do indeed want consumers to see the product and experience the sight of it first. By placing the products in the box like this you immediately see them, you can see the name of the perfume, the bottle shape and the colour of the solution, all this appealing to the sense of sight.
Amy . (2011). Recommendations and Final Thoughts: Chanel Holiday 2011. Available: http://cafemakeup.com/2011/11/08/recommendations-and-final-thoughts-chanel-holiday-2011/. Last accessed 10th March 2016.
Devivre, J . (2015). Chanel Makeup Haul . Available: http://www.joeydevivre.com/chanel-makeup-haul/. Last accessed 10th March 2016.
Canning, A . (2013). Printemps Précieux de Chanel Spring 2013 | Joues Contraste Powder Blush in Frivole | Photos, Swatches, Review.Available: http://vanityrouge.com/printemps-precieux-de-chanel-spring-2013-joues-contraste-powder-blush-in-frivole-photos-swatches-review/. Last accessed 10th March 2016.
From this image you can see that opening a Chanel product resembles opening a present or gift. For example this palette would have come in a little box, and be inside this pouch and each will have to be opened to reveal the product. This will be creating anticipation and excitement about the consumer opening and getting to use their product, this all adding to the 'Chanel experience'.
Tavia . (2012). Chanel Spring 2013 Precieux Printemps de Chanel Collection – New Photos & Info. Available: http://chicprofile.com/chanel-spring-2013-precieux-printemps-de-chanel-collection-new-photos-info. Last accessed 10th March 2016.
Pixiwoo. (2011). CHANEL Blush Horizon de Chanel & Rouge Coco Baume (Spring 2012). Available: http://www.pixiwoo.com/2011/12/chanel-blush-horizon-de-chanel-rouge.html. Last accessed 10th March 2016.
Another element to the Chanel design and packaging would be the fact that each product has the brand name engraved or on the product. This means that if the label should wear off of the outer packaging the consumer is still able to know what their brand of lipstick or blush is, this is a clever way of branding the products as if someone was to see the owner get out this blush or lipstick the brand name will be on it and therefore is also a form of promoting the brand.
Chanel's packaging is successful as each product is packaged very consistently. This means that what a powder or foundation looks like in England, will look like in France or America, meaning that Chanel's iconography is worldwide.
Finally when packaging products, Chanel will often add instruction and 'tips and tricks' on how to apply the products and how to use the product. This furthermore adds to that 'Chanel experience' around the products they are so keen to achieve. Chanel as a brand understands the importance of the accessible elements that most consumers may be able to afford and therefore create a 'wow' factor around these that customers will want to experience again and again, therefore making the brand successful.
References:
Repta, R . (2013). A HISTORICAL GLIMPSE BEHIND LUXURY BRANDING & PACKAGING. Available: http://www.thedieline.com/blog/2013/10/16/a-historical-glimpse-behind-luxury-branding-packaging.html. Last accessed 10th March 2016.
Romanik, R . (2009). GLASS SINGULARLY COCO: THE HOUSE OF CHANEL CONTROLS EVERY DETAIL FOR GLOBAL LAUNCHES OF CLASSIC AND REFINED PACKAGES. Available: http://www.packagedesignmag.com/content/singularly-coco-the-house-chanel-controls-every-detail-global-launches-classic-and-refined-p. Last accessed 10th March 2016
No comments:
Post a Comment