Christmas Wrapping

It’s that time of year again when we are scurrying about to get those gifts all sorted, and like it or not they all need to be wrapped.

Personally the act of wrapping is a most arduous chore that I would rather not have to deal with, however I understand the importance of the wrapping just like the importance of the packaging and design of the gift itself.

It is a simple fact that has been proven time and time again that people will choose a more attractive item than one that is less attractive and the outward appearance is the generator of this emotion.

Think of all those gifts sitting under the tree, as any parent knows, young children always want the biggest and brightest wrapped present to be theirs because they equate size and dazzle to having more value.

The kids can’t wait to rip into them and find out what is inside, as wrapping has the ability to create a sense of mystery. It is like digging for buried treasure, the excitement builds and then, like the opening of the chest lid the glittering prize is revealed in all its glory.

Packaging can be designed to create the same experience, a journey that piece by piece reveals a magical object that will fill our every desire. No longer is packaging simply about protecting and transporting an item.

The look of the packaging and product calls to our human nature, and this I believe is: that at the end of the day we all like to have nice things, from the clothes we wear to the sofa we relax on in our home. This doesn’t mean we have to spend loads of money to have nice things.

Of course there are many more drivers that influence our choices and speaking of money, status is one example of these. Does that Louie Vutton handbag under the tree say you have loads of cash, will her peers think that when she walks around town with it under her arm she is wealthy?

The fact is perceptions can be created in the appearance of products along with their packaging. Therefore rightly or wrongly appearances are key drivers to the items we end up choosing from the market shelf, be it online or instore.