The Best Packages of 2014
While great packaging looks different for every brand, it's easy to agree that packages should be sturdy, cost effective and sharable. What makes unforgettable packaging, though? At Dotcom Distribution, we view the best packages as those that go beyond the simple parameters of shipping. We look for packages that aren't just packages, but experiences.
The five companies that have made our 2014 list have something in common: branded packaging. These brands have memorable personalities, and their packages do, too.
Bauble Bar: The Flirt
Started by Harvard graduates hoping to revamp the fashion jewelry market, the e-retailer specializes in affordable statement pieces. The high-profile combination of colors and prints has landed Bauble Bar spots in magazines such as Nylon and Harper's Bazaar, as well as a slew of celebrity endorsements.
Packaging: Fashion-forward boxes, studded with neon color and exuberant prints, replicate the wow factor of wearing any of Bauble Bar's signature pieces.
Harry's: The Modern Gentleman
Grown from the frustration of overpaying for a good shave, Harry's has transformed the clean shave into a modern convenience. The brand's razors are engineered with detailed craftsmanship, and 1 percent of sales and company time are donated to charity.
Packaging: Sleek boxes in simple colors reflect the brand's tradition of high-quality design, all with the effortless modernity to underscore a true gentleman's charm.
GlamGlow: The It Girl
This California cosmetics company specializes in just what its name says — glamour and glowing skin. In "Glamland," skin care is always camera-ready and leaves the legions of "Glamaholics" feeling sexy, innovative and fun.
Packaging: The metallic, polished box tells you exactly how the product inside is going to make you feel — sexy and blemish free.
ModCloth: The Peace Maker
Founded by high school sweethearts, ModCloth is an online retailer of indie clothing, accessories and décor that highlight the individual voice of its shoppers. This fresh approach to consumerism is fostered in the "ModCloth Community," where democracy and empowerment dictate fashion trends.
Packaging: ModCloth packages offer elegance, whimsical patterns and encouraging phrases that complement the unique styles of its over 7,000 independent designers, reflecting with sincerity the brand's appreciation for all body types.
BarkBox: The Loyal One
BarkBox sells pet toys, treats and hygiene products and offers a range of product choices based on dog size and desired plans. The content of each box is a surprise — just like owning a dog — and leaves both pets and owners begging for more.
Packaging: Durable, no-fuss boxes with automated month-to-month deliveries provide the reliability and strength that owning a pet requires.
As the success of these five companies demonstrates, branded packaging is a great avenue for consumer engagement. By mirroring values and products in packaging aesthetics, brands can earn a positive, lasting reputation — an opportunity that many businesses are currently missing out on.
As retailers make decisions for 2015, capitalizing on branded and personalized packaging strategies should be a priority. Retailers don't need complicated packaging options, but solutions that are personalized. Maybe your brand is the "flirt" or perhaps the "gentleman." What's important is figuring that out, then strategically incorporating that style to positively influence how consumers engage with and remember your brand. Your brand is obvious to you, but branded packaging can make it equally apparent to your customers.
- Companies:
- Dotcom Distribution
Maria Haggerty is CEO and one of the original founders of Dotcom Distribution, a premier provider of B2C and B2B fulfillment and distribution services. She received her Bachelor of Business Administration from University of Houston, C.T. Bauer College of Business with a concentration in Accounting. Maria plays an integral role in developing and defining all aspects of the business, including sales and marketing, operations, finance and IT. As CEO, she is responsible for providing strategic leadership, establishing long range goals, and developing strategies for the senior leadership team. Maria has developed the systemic and procedural infrastructure necessary to provide timely and accurate analysis of budgets, financial reports and financial trends in order to assist the Board, senior executives and clients in performing their responsibilities while achieving favorable results. She works closely with the leadership team to enhance, develop, and enforce procedures that will improve the overall operation and effectiveness of the corporation. During her tenure at the Dotcom, Maria has developed an environment of continual improvement by supporting the Senior Leadership Team and their department managers on continuous process, space labor, automation, and financial best practices. Prior to founding Dotcom, Maria was a CPA at Arthur Andersen and was later the CFO of GoodTimes Home Video where she helped grow the company’s distribution business. When Maria is not in the office, she enjoys traveling around the world and practicing her photography skills.
