What is a Brand Identity? The Case of Coca-Cola and Apple

Packaging has become key to the success of a product as proven by kellogg’s cereal, many alcohol brands, and almost as many toilet paper brands. Thomas Hine’s article What’s in a Package explains the reasoning behind packaging why it is an influential as it is. Without packaging most products would be nothing. Companies have learned how to appeal to human emotions in order to increase the sales of their products. These are things that the average person does not even realize catches them because it is done subconsciously. Without the amount of time that is put into designing packages most products would not be as informative as they are now. Customers would have to spend more time looking at things to figure out if that is really what they want. With the competitive atmosphere packaging has created it makes shopping that much quicker and rakes in more profits for the companies. Thomas Hine has given people an inside look at how important packaging really is and has shed a completely different like on consumerism

Catherine, W., Tat Pui, L. and Henrik, U. (2011) The Roles of Branding for a Brand Entering

In the essay, “What’s in a Package”, written by Thomas Hine, the author describes how we live in a world unaware of what’s right under our noses when it comes to consumers and buying items in packages. He explains the many ways packaging is relevant in our lives and how much of an impact it has on us without us even knowing. He illustrates packaging as something that has evolved and is still evolving over time and something that plays a huge role in why we buy the things we do. First, the author introduces how everyone has the desire of wanting to buy things, regardless of where it may be or what it is. He mentions that the businesses selling these items are not only getting you buy their product but also believe they they will benefit us in some way, shape or form.

In addition to its benefits in terms of reach, some marketers believe that packaging is actually more influential than advertising in influencing consumers, as it has a more direct impact on how they perceive and experience the product. “In most cases, our experience has been that pack designs are more likely to influence the consumer perception of the brand than advertising” (Hofmeyr and Rice, 2000, Commitment-led Marketing, pg 282). For products with low advertising support, packaging takes on an even more significant role as the key vehicle for communicating the brand positioning (Rudh, 2005, pg. 680). 4

Have you ever thought about how much research by the company has gone to make a package appeal to you? Chances are the packaging has gone through intense scrutiny from psychologists, experimental subjects, and government regulation, just so that you will want to buy their product over their competitors. In Thomas Hine’s essay, What’s in a Package, Hine discusses the great that packaging goes through before reaching the shelf, the importance of manufactures’ marketing campaign, the importance of packages depending on the culture, then finally to why designs will change over time. Walking down the aisle of a supermarket is how Thomas Hine begins his original argument on how packaging can evoke an involuntary emotional feelings or nostalgic responses. Instead of the old fashion market place where you would have people pitching their product to you, now their role is taken over by packaging that sells itself.

Packages have a tremendous power to us at home and in our daily lives. For example, packages can be designed to create a lasting protection for products that have done a considerable amount of traveling, and these packages can even be stimulating, by "assuring that an item arrives unspoiled, and they help those who use the item feel good about it." (Hine 114). Another striking point is that customers are often attracted to the most professional-appearing package. These kinds of packages create the environment in which even if products are mundane, they are still enticing and exciting to purchase because of the media behind

According to Keller(1993) the effective brand positioning gives a brand a competitive advantage or “unique selling proposition” that determines a reason why consumers are buying this product or service (Keller, 1993). Similarly, Kay (2004) argues that brand’s strength depends

“The post-war suburbanization, growth in families and income, the birth of national TV advertising, consolidation of consumer product companies, and the explosion of national retailers, all led to a single new development, the creation of brands to support these changes in consumer lifestyle (Shear, 2009).” Package design or brand creation was greatly influenced by this drastic change in consumer lifestyle (Shear, 2009). Designers started using enticing slogans such as “quick ‘n’ easy” or “heat ‘n’ serve” along with their products such as pump action bottles, ready-made packs etc. all to catch the eye of their would-be-buyer (Young & Young, 2004; pp.39 – 41). The actual product wasn’t that much different when it came to face value, that is why the packaging that held it would have to be recognisable and communicate to the consumer that the product they are about to buy is better than any competitor out there (Young & Young, 2004; pp.39 – 41).

Klein’s last paragraph in the essay continues to provide readers with more information and support. She uses more anecdotal examples to further the audience’s familiarity with the concept of branding. Klein speaks on the issue of the brand being dead and how virtually nothing is left unbranded (Klein 778). This gives readers a nice gateway into exploring more about the concepts of branding and

The essay reveals the concept about the importance of labeling and packaging in marketing. Packaging and labeling is the methodology of enfolding and savings the items from storage, shipping and for future utilization. Customer while purchasing the product consider the quality of the product, but apart from that also put attention

Packaging appearances act as a key element in brand communicators and play a dynamic part in purchase decision (1).

According to the American Marketing Association (AMA), a brand is a “name, term, sign, symbol, or design, or a combination of them intended to identify the goods and services of one seller or group of sellers and to differentiate them from those of competition”. However, as Keller highlights, a brand is also “something that has actually created a certain amount of awareness, reputation, prominence, and so on in the marketplace”. Therefore, a brand is an identity created to differentiate itself from the competitors and to be remembered in consumer’s mind.

Branding is a tool to make the goods of one producer different from another producer (Keller, 2003). Carroll (2008) asserts that branding is a sign of quality, and it is helpful to increase

Coca-Cola is the result of a patent medicine formulated in a small southern pharmacy over a hundred years ago. It has grown into a multibillion dollar international company. It also owns one of the most valuable brands in the world. Their Coca-Cola banner has won the world’s top brand 13 times on brand c-consulting firm Interbrand’s annual list (Fraser, 2012). In addition to its main product, Coke, the company owns over 3500 beverages. One of its core competencies is brand building. They have built their brand to have respectability and dependability. Their brand and logo are recognized all around the globe. It has actually become a new known on almost all households worldwide (RNWILKIN, 2009).

In recent times, branding has played a pivotal role in some brands’ success. This has been made possible through the ability of some marketers to capture the essence and minds of people (consumers), and put the trends and characteristics into the personality of a brand. Customers have always found ways to identify themselves with certain products, and on several occasions, branding campaigns