The Importance of Branded Packaging for Holiday Gifts
A memorable holiday season is rich in sensory experiences, and most often the ones we have cherished through generations. The aroma of cinnamon fills every corner of the house, the twinkling lights across the street, the whistling of the wind, the merry sound of carols- and most importantly, beautifully wrapped gift boxes are sure to make every heart feel full.
The holiday season is also, without a doubt, one of the most lucrative times of the year for businesses. Businesses can experience up to 80% boost in their profits if only they target the right audience with the right branding strategy.
For any retail players especially, the holiday season means people spending on themselves, their houses and their family & friends. Whether it is Halloween or Christmas, the holiday seasons offer a great opportunity to connect and influence your existing and new customers. A retail study from 2022 shows that the estimate spent on festive gift shopping was $936 billion in the USA alone, and with a 5.3% growth, this whopping figure still fell short of the National Retail Federation’s forecast for the period.
So what is the secret to this?
Well, people love spending on themselves and their loved ones as a show of appreciation and care. Amongst various elements that explain this type of spending, customized holiday gift boxes are a forerunning factor.
Custom gift boxes not only delight recipients but also reinforce brand identity and consequently, boost sales. As brands look to differentiate themselves, exploring various aspects of festive gift boxes—through materials, festive designs luxury inserts and most of all, budget-friendly options are becoming more and more essential.
And coming down to where we started from, the festive season is all about creating relatable sensory experiences so let’s dive into the magic of festive packaging and discover how to make it truly special.
Why Do Customized Festive Gift Boxes Work?
Because they add value.
The entire concept of gifting revolves around making another person feel “valued”. The gesture itself costs effort, time and money which in return makes the recipient feel valued and loved.
The perception of quality goes beyond mere wrapping when it comes to festive gift shopping. Branded gift boxes make buyers feel like they are making a purchase that is worth their time, effort and money.
Holiday Packaging & How to Get Started with It
The first thing to do when it comes to holiday gift boxes is to determine your primary objective. Is it to increase sales, promote a new product line, or enhance brand loyalty?
Decide whether you want to increase your brand visibility through unique packaging designs or simply get customers to buy your product.
Conceptualize Packaging Designs
Once you have the objectives figured out, it’s time to get to the real work. And that starts with the design.
Choose a seasonal theme that aligns with your brand identity. For example, think about holiday motifs like winter wonderlands, festive celebrations, or cosy home vibes. Or you can experiment with your brand elements, and make them look more festive. Create several mock-ups and apply different color schemes to really visualize the most impactful design. Having an in-house designer can be a massive help in this but if that doesn’t work for you, The Mailer Box’s team of super-skilled graphic designers are always here for free design support.
For example, this customized advent calendar box for Lindt Chocolate was designed by the Mailer Box packaging using their trademark element: The Teddy.
It was given a festive look with hot foil stamping that beautifully complimented the holiday-themed colorful illustrations inside the Advent Calendar.
The 2024 packaging industry has surprisingly shifted from Minimalism to Maximalism.
“Abstract shapes, vibrant colors and vivid festive patterns is what we see to be trending now this festive season. The old classics from the 90s are resurfacing with designers playing around with quirky illustrations and brighter colors”, says Zeeshan, Founder & Packaging Expert at The Mailer Box.
Incorporating pop culture references, playful illustrations, and bright color schemes that feels fun and approachable is what you should be leveraging on this holiday season.
Tap into retro holiday vibes, incorporating vintage typography, retro patterns, and old-school holiday imagery like reindeer, snow globes, and old-fashioned sleighs. This creates a warm, nostalgic feeling that consumers can connect with emotionally.
Minimal yet Interactive Box Structure
Easy-to-open boxes are far from generic.
They are designed keeping the user experience in mind. Gift boxes that don’t open easily are hardly as joyful as the ones that an excited receiver can dig into easily.
Remember the holiday gift receiver is also a consumer and a brand perceiver. Well-structured and engineered boxes have a huge impact on consumer’s unboxing experience and eventually their loyalty.
Holiday gift boxes with features like easy-pull tabs, magnetic closure, and tear strips make it simpler for the user to engage with the packaging and make the unboxing experience more delightful.
Similarly, packaging that can be repurposed and is not destroyed during unboxing is always a hot trend.
For instance, a beautifully designed and durable holiday gift box, that can be repurposed by the consumer for another gifting opportunity is a great tactic for the brand to stay top-of-the-mind.
Additionally, introducing layers, such as tissue paper, wrapping paper, and boxes within the main gift box, enhances the experience. Each layer or box is perceived as a separate gift by the receiver and therefore keeps adding the wow factor. All these elements can be customized with brand colors or messaging, further reinforcing brand identity.
Creative Material Selection
One of the best things about custom packaging is that you can get creative with the materials. The foundation of any great gift is its material. The choice of material affects not only the aesthetics but also the functionality and sustainability of your packaging. Here are some popular options:
- Personalized Paperboard
Paperboard is a popular packaging choice, and rightfully so. Being versatile and high-resistant, it allows you to customize it according to your vision and aesthetics. Whether it is high-quality and vibrant printing or decorative effects such as lamination and foil stamping, paper boards allow you to get as creative as possible.
2. Sustainable Materials
Sustainability has been a leading industry trend for the last several years and it is here to stay. With customers becoming more and more aware of the importance of environmentally friendly materials, it poses a great opportunity for brands to demonstrate their commitment to eco-friendly packaging and sustainability. Some of the popular choices for festive packaging include:
- Eco-Friendly Kraft Paper: Using recycled or eco-friendly Kraft paper not only gives a natural, rustic look but also aligns with the increasing consumer demand for sustainable options. It resonates with brands promoting environmental consciousness.
- Recycled Plastics: You can use recycled plastics for transparent window boxes, offering visibility while maintaining eco-friendly credentials. This is particularly effective for showcasing festive treats or gifts.
- Biodegradable Films: Instead of traditional plastic wraps, using biodegradable films or bags is a great option for your product if you want to emphasize your commitment to sustainability.
- Hemp Paper: Another excellent option for durability and extra strength in sustainable packaging. Hemp paper can be utilized for budget-friendly packaging as inserts or labels.
A successful campaign- with a lasting impact
One of the most important things to understand when it comes to branding during the festive is the “holiday mindset” of the customers and the value your brand or product will add to the life and relationships of your customers.
It is about the emotions you can stir and for how long.
A great example of this is the “Share a Coke” campaign by Coca-Cola started in 2011 in Australia.
The goal of this campaign was to boost brand engagement during the holiday season and make Coca-Cola a part of family and social gatherings, which then of course would end in increased sales as customers would personalize bottles as gifts.
Coca-Cola replaced its iconic logo on bottles with popular names or festive terms like “Santa,” “Bestie,” and “Family.” This encouraged consumers to search for and share the bottles with their loved ones.
Key Highlights of Packaging
Interactive Elements: To make the packaging more engaging, Coca-Cola also introduced scannable codes that linked to holiday-themed content, such as personalized videos or social media filters, further enhancing the consumer experience.
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Sustainable Packaging: Coca-Cola began transitioning to more sustainable materials, including recyclable labels and bottles, to align with growing consumer demand for eco-friendly packaging, even during the festive season.
Image Source: http://www.gretchenchern.com/2011/06/coca-cola-packaging/
The festive packaging evoked nostalgia while making the brand feel relevant to a younger audience. The campaign capitalized on the holiday spirit of giving and sharing, fostering a positive emotional connection with the product. Special holiday packaging featuring festive elements like snowflakes, polar bears (Coca-Cola’s long-time holiday mascot), and Santa Claus was introduced.
The design had a nostalgic feel but was adapted to modern tastes with sleek, contemporary typography and bright colors.
The personalized bottles became viral across social media, encouraging consumers to post photos and videos of their holiday experiences with Coca-Cola therefore making it a household brand during the festive season.
Next Steps: Collaborate with an Expert Packaging Supplier
When it comes to bringing together a perfect festive gift box, you need an expert who understands the different dynamics of packaging and materials.
This is where The Mailer Box comes in.
Let our awesome team know if we can help you spread some joy as we bid goodbye to the year 2024.
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Ayesha Khubaib
Ayesha has a diverse experience in areas of marketing and management. Over the years, Ayesha has been involved in the packaging sector in various capacities and now aims to share packaging market insights with her readers
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