Product Packaging as Story Teller

There is something special in the physical act of reading a book that digital media can’t quite replicate. Both literary “packages” contain information that tells a story; however, holding a book and turning its pages provides a uniquely enriching, multi-sensory experience that reading online content cannot duplicate.

A recent study cited by the New York Times found that disadvantaged students who were given 12 books of their choosing to take home and read over the summer had significantly higher reading scores than other students. Numerous additional studies verify the power of owning and reading books. It also has been posited that reading books and building a home library can positively change the way students view themselves and foster a lifelong appreciation of learning.

The absorbing and beneficial relationship that children—and adults—have with books helps to explain the power of a brand’s packaging as storyteller. The tactile experience of holding a package while reading the words and story printed on it provides brands with a unique opportunity to establish a compelling relationship, encourage purchase, and build loyalty and advocacy. Every time a consumer glances at the cereal box on the breakfast table or reads a box of tea while waiting for a cup to brew presents a unique moment of brand-consumer connection.

Storytelling on a package
Communicating your brand’s story strategically and effectively on-pack and off requires achieving balance across four storytelling themes: