Medical Device Link.

Originally Published PMPN October 2003

BRAND MATTERS

Packagers are playing an increasingly important role in product branding.

Martyn Tipping, TippingSprung LLC

Martyn Tipping.

Branding—the development and application of a company's personality and message—has shifted from a buzzword to a real discipline and way of looking at the work we do. No longer just "the logo" or "the name," the brand increasingly permeates many activities of the modern corporation, ranging from research (how is your brand perceived?) to training (do your colleagues properly represent the brand?).

The implications for packaging professionals are profound. Package designers and labeling professionals increasingly function as custodians of brand identities and architects of customer experiences. The way we talk about packaging has changed in the past few years because companies are finally beginning to understand the true potential that packaging has to build strong brands.

Whether it's a twist-top, no-drip paint can from Dutch Boy, a sculpted fragrance bottle from Jean Paul Gaultier, or an easy-to-use inhaler for Advair asthma medication, companies across industries are using packaging to create brand differentiation, drive brand loyalty, and communicate core brand values. In a recent survey by the Food Marketing Institute, nearly 50% of shoppers surveyed said that store-brand packaging makes them believe the product is inferior to national brands. This clearly shows that packaging is important to customers and has a major role to play in shaping their perceptions of a brand.

That same impetus is already driving design considerations in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology arena. Beyond addressing the technical specifications in packaging, package designers are increasingly expected to meet an equally rigorous set of branding specifications. Our traditional comfort zone has now been broadened to include more difficult and often abstract questions, like, "Is this package consistent with our brand personality?"

And what about the most basic label that goes on the package—the product name? Think of the brands that stay in your mind, and the world of associations they conjure out of thin air. Take Relenza, Zyrtec, Prozac, for instance—a good name today must not only be an appropriate vessel for the personality and promise of a product, it must also navigate the obstacle course of issues that include legal protectability and stringent regulatory approval. A robust name, in this global market, also must not offend consumers in any of the major markets worldwide. And, given the proliferation of brand names, it should fit logically and strategically into the array of names and product lines within an organization—a discipline called "naming architecture."

This is the first of a series of columns called Brand Matters, in which we look at news and insights from the world of branding with direct relevance to healthcare product packaging professionals. We will consider issues ranging from package design to naming and international and cross-cultural considerations such as:

• Ensuring cross-cultural appropriateness in package design.
• Designing for keeps: collectibility as a factor in package design.
• What good Web design can teach us about package design.
• Trademark law and protecting your name.
• What aspects of a design are legally protectable?
• Watching your Xs, Ys, and Zs: The Latest Trends in Pharma Naming.
• How great brand names can inspire great packaging.

In the meantime, if there are any branding topics you'd like to see covered, or if you have any questions about branding, please drop us a line at brandmatters@tippingsprung.com.

Martyn Tipping has been active in branding for more than a decade. TippingSprung LLC, based in New York City, offers brand consulting services, ranging from strategy, naming, and design, to translation and research. Visit us on the Web at www.tippingsprung.com.

Copyright ©2003 Pharmaceutical & Medical Packaging News