Nestle: playing on emotional appeal
Published:01-April-2009
By Datamonitor staff writer
Nestle is aiming to utilize the Japanese design principle Kansei, a way of translating emotions and impressions into physical design, in order to boost the appeal of its products. As packaging is an integral part of what attracts a consumer to a product, Nestle hopes that incorporating emotions into packaging designs will enhance the overall product experience and increase its sales.
Nestle is to create an in-house global design network based on a Japanese design philosophy called Kansei, meaning sensibility. During the Pro2Pac show in London, Ben Mortimer, a senior designer at Nestle, said that the aim was to "design emotion into products" so that emotional appeals such as style and quality are reflected in a product's packaging. He cited the recently re-launched Nestle Black Magic box as an example, as its shape, color, font and texture are all intended to appeal to key consumer emotions.
Nestle hopes that tapping into the sentimental side of a product could help to humanize the brand and provide consumers with a holistic experience of the product offering, from purchasing to consuming. Rather than simply making the offering attractive, it reinforces the perceived image of a product, or even a brand, encouraging consumers to experience the product with all five senses.
In Japan, Nestle has already launched a KitKat with packaging based on the concept of "connection", combining the Kansei philosophy with practicality. Nestle KitKat Kit Mail, launched in 2008, incorporated the concept of a greeting card into the package design; it has space for writing messages, and consumers can simply put stamps on the box and post it like a greeting card. Another variety, Nestle KitKat Kit Omoi Todoku [you realize my feelings], was launched in early 2009 in time for Valentine's Day. The box, which also has space for writing messages, has a unique design as it can be separated into two. The lemon flavor chocolate wafer snack has a sweet and tangy taste that is intended to resemble the relationship between lovers.
Packaging is the first aspect of a product that consumers see while shopping and should therefore be considered as an integral part of the image of the brand and the product. The Datamonitor New Consumer Survey conducted in August 2008 found that 20.3% of consumers across 15 countries believe that "packaging" has a very high/high amount of influence on their choice of food and beverage purchases. The percentage is comparatively lower than brand name/image (30.8%) and habit/preferred brand (53.2%). This indicates that although good packaging alone will not guarantee a purchase, when incorporated as part of the product development and brand image, it could be an important element in persuading consumers to make the purchase.
Ultimately, a good package design can help to build a desirable brand/product image and reinforce the motivation to purchase. Viewing package design as part of the physical realization of a product concept could help to provide consumers with a comprehensive and harmonized experience of the offering. Japanese auto players including Toyota and Mazda have already adopted the Kansei concept to tap into consumers' emotions, and Nestle hopes that following suit could be the key to increased sales, particularly as confectioneries are constantly linked with feelings.
