Optimizing Package Designs

The Importance of Package Testing in CPG

In the U.S., the amount of advertising spent on consumer packaged goods continues to rival the GDP of many countries. Digital spending alone was over $50 billion in 2025 by most preliminary estimates, continuing the shift to more effective targeting and measurable ROI.

There is also an increasing trend in point-of-purchase investment. Strategic product placement on apps for Amazon, Walmart and other retailers continues to gain importance in the scramble for consumer attention and purchase consideration. And, of course, AI is already having a monumental impact on how consumers become familiar with brands, receive messaging, and ultimately purchase products. But that’s a topic for another time.

As CPG brands compete on this ever-shifting battleground, it’s important to remember the original advertising channel—the product packaging itself. Whether it’s surfing Amazon or the store aisles, packaging remains a vital source of advertising and messaging.

Are brands paying enough attention to the packaging? For many, my anecdotal observations say “no.” Some brands tend to clutter their packaging with too many images and messages for today’s hurried shoppers, and too much to digest on a phone screen. Others are too sparse or use tired imagery and colors as we’ve evolved past the 1980’s (retro fads notwithstanding). Still others leave off unique attributes and messaging that could separate them from the field.

So how do we optimize package designs to take advantage of this ever-present source of effective advertising?

A good starting point is solid qualitative research and some familiar questions:

What drives consideration of a brand? What product attributes are sought out?
What makes the brand unique? What imagery or personality is associated with the brand?
What other packaging components are important, including the design, size, and colors used?
How should the packaging communicate product attributes? Big and bold or more subtle?

These and other questions can be explored with a variety of qualitative methods from depth interviews and focus groups to consumer shop-a-longs (either in-store or virtual). Indirect methods of evaluation, including imagery projection techniques, can be very effective in defining a brand’s “persona” and what makes it unique.

Once concepts (or concept fragments) are developed, quantitative testing can be used to optimize the packaging. My favorite tool is choice-based conjoint, which offers the advantage of simulated shopping experiences to test packaging variations against competitors. Variations are countless, and often include testing the relative importance of:

Specific messages and taglines
The number of messages present, and where they’re placed on the package
Packaging size, structure, and colors
Placement of important or required information (nutritional facts and ingredients)
Brand imagery

Using these evaluations within a competitive context, a simulation tool can be developed to play “what if” scenarios for any number of combinations of these attributes. Modeled estimates of demand and revenue for different scenarios offer the ROI that so resonates with the c-suite.

Another important quantitative tool is a thorough package concept test—often done before entering the arena of a choice study. In addition to gathering key metrics like overall package appeal, on-shelf attention, and uniqueness, a battery of diagnostics including message and personality attributes can not only validate qualitative insights but add confidence in where the package concept performs well, and where improvements need to be made.

As brands commit huge budgets and navigate the brave new world of CPG advertising, it’s important to remember the importance of packaging—the original vehicle for advertising and messaging.

Author

Mike Humphrey

Senior Vice President

Email Mike

Mike partners with clients to deliver timely and accurate insights to address business challenges and strategic questions. Throughout his career in marketing research, he has focused on delivering data-driven insights while keeping a focus on the voice of consumers and stakeholders. Mike's experience includes designing and managing advanced quantitative studies, in addition to qualitative initiatives.

Packaging Research Blog