Do you buy the package, or the product?

[Pat Coyle]

Pentragram--the powerhouse graphic design firm, with clients ranging from Fortune 500 companies all the way down to chic restaurants--has redesigned Grey Goose vodka's packaging. The redesign, led by John Rushworth and Daniel Weil, has given the premium vodka a more refined image.

According to the firm:
...the brand had to acquire other dimensions to accent its appeal to the U.S. high-end market. In essence, it had to express the international luxury aesthetic more succinctly and more broadly. To achieve this, a number of initiatives were proposed that would drive perceptions towards a cooler, more chic prospect.

On the one hand, this sounds like a lot of design drivel. But when you consider milk sales increased very little from the ubiquitous "Got Milk" campaign, but went through the roof when Dean's repackaged cow juice in the "chugs" bottle, you begin to get a sense for just how much we influential packaging can be.
This got us wondering...when you are deciding between two competing products, do you buy the one that looks prettier? Please share your thoughts here

[Karli Kujawa]

It is funny that you bring this up. I am a graphic designer so I definitely believe in the power of packaging and branding. Since I am not a wine connoisseur I still buy wine for parties based on which label I like the best.

[Michael R.]

For good wine help, seek out Greg @ 21st Amendment Liquors @ 86th & Ditch in Indy.

[Laura Frank]

I have a great example of this: Orbit gum. As soon as that gum came out in those little boxes, I started religiously chewing gum. I mean, the gum isn't really that much different than Trident! I am a sucker for great packaging.

@Karli, you mention wine. I am completely guilty of selecting a wine by it's label. Remember when wine in a box was considered "cheap"? Now that Target sells it in a little cube, it's all the rage again.

[Andrea Geiger]

Yes, I will admit that if the product is visually appealing it can sway me. Not in every instance. The major deciding factor for me is if there is a charitable organization benefiting from the purchase. I would much rather buy a Special K product since they support breast cancer. I strongly believe that the companies that decide to "Pay it Forward" will benefit the greatest.

[Cathy Myers]

I too will purchase a bottle of wine by the label. But this is mostly because I love to try new wine and an interesting label always makes a great conversation starter. I almost always enjoy the product as long as I stay with the type of wine I enjoy. Of course there isn't any as good as the wine from White Owl or Dr. Thomas.

[Gus Pearcy]

Packaging works to an extent. It can create a mood and or a desire to emulate, but if the product itself is no good, then no amount of packaging will make it worth buying.

Packaging's greatest contribution is when the product is about the same as other products. There was a time when generics were white boxes with a black stripe and black lettering. They were usually inferior to name brands but occasionally they were equal in quality. I avoided them because of what they said about me as a person. And isn't that the real purpose of packaging?

[Kristen Horton]

If I'm buying a product I've had before - I buy the product. If choosing a new product, I probably choose according to the package & brand familiarity.

[Bill Bean]

To get my attention the packaging is important. Once i'm comparing two items on the shelf I'm past the packaging. However, the look of the brand will have a cumulative effect over time so that I will reflexively associate it with the desired categories (high end, designer, luxury, premium, etc...)

[Johnnie Firari]

I was discussing this today actually, I will try to keep it short. Packaging is important but people tend to buy based on either reputation or cost. Reputation is a result of previous branding which is a result of the marketing efforts of the company. The more reputable a product the more it is going to cost but typically they have a better packaging and product. In the examples given about milk, the "chugs" and Grey Goose both items cost are higher compared to their competitors on the shelf. They spent the time building a reputation. My conclusions is, people do not pay for packaging but pay for the reputation of a product if cost is not a factor.

[Dick Davis]

I firmly believe that good design sells stuff. Whether it's the packaging or the item itself. Obviously it's more difficult to "design" milk or vodka than a radio, lamp, or kitchenware but if it looks and feels good, it will sell. In my opinion, the same goes for advertising. Last night I saw an incredible commercial, it was stunning to the eye in both color and its design elements it was almost a work of art. [Fritos and bean dip were the products]. It was followed by a very average typical fabric spot remover. I was drawn to the Fritos commercial.
Almost anything by Apple is compelling in its visual and tactile design. Even their attention to making their products "work" well is a critical part of design as well.
Price and brand equity sells a lot of cars, but great design will drive average cars into good sellers. Unless you are contracting your design to Michael Graves, your design should not be any greater an expense than it already is. Let your designers do what they do! I've seen "corporate" screw too many things up to allow them or the engineers to make aesthetic or marketing decisions.

[Michael R.]

Come on, Dick, nobody eats bean dip:)

[Bob Sullivan]

The appeal of the "Milk Chug" for me is the convenience of having milk in a plastic bottle similar to a soda pop or Gatorade or other "out of the fridge and sized to drink right now" convenience store product. Whereas the gallon of milk comes home with me, I never bought a (chocolate) Milk Chug that wasn't opened and consumed as soon as I stepped outside the store. If the milk were in the traditional cardboard container, I would not consider it an option for on-the-spot thirst quenching. I'm not sure how much the graphic design affected me, but the plastic bottle "repackaging" was a smart decision.

No design or redesign will make me come anywhere near vodka. :)