The Importance of Packaging

Anyone who has purchased an iPod understands the power of packaging. While others have taken the route of wrapping their MP3 players in industrial strength plastic, Apple took a different route, one that has won awards for design.

The same thing holds true for gift wrap. As Springwise puts it, "one stylish, sumptuous wrap is worth more than 10 crappy presents." Retailers and venues should look at concepts like It's A Wrap and Soolip to see how they approach wrap: using the best material from around the world, whether it is Czech glass beads, Japanese silk paper, or handmade lokta from Nepal.

Once you start thinking about how consumers experience your brand, you realize there are only a few occasions where you have a chance to make a positive impression. This was the classic dilemma of the network operator: consumers only appreciate you for your negatives. People loved their MTV but hated cable outages. Shoppers love going to Ann Taylor but hate parking at the mall.   

Years ago we did a study of the telephone experience. The one occasion that made consumers feel good was voice mail. People loved knowing there were people out there that cared about them. All of the other services were "nice to have" but somehow lacked the same emotional punch. It's a good exercise to ask whether your interactive application is capable of generating the same goodwill.