Surveys say that 70% of consumers make their buying decisions at the shelf* and that 68% of purchases are impulse driven.** These decisions are based on many factors, and in this economy price is usually close to the top of the list, but not always. I don’t know how many times I’ve found myself buying a product I know nothing about, just because I love the packaging. Consumers will often ignore a higher price tag if a product is “counter worthy”. “Counter worthy” meaning that a consumer would be more likely to leave the product on their counter as a kind of showcase or as part of the kitchen décor. That consumer is then more likely to use the product often and develop a relationship with it.

Another factor that comes into play “at the shelf” is functionality. We all want packaging and products that do what they’re supposed to do, and today the possibilities of what you can do with the design of package are endless. However, if it does not function properly, the consumer is more likely to move on to a competitor. On the flip side, if your packaging offers some kind of added benefit that others don’t, you’re already one step ahead. Some of the simplest examples of added benefits would be resealable packages or a ketchup bottle with the cap on the bottom. (more…)

A project we worked on for Solae excited me beyond belief.  I had never received a request from a business-to-business client to develop a consumer-facing website.  Poweredbysurpro.com markets Solae’s ‘Supro’ soy protein isolate to the body building community.   Promoted as ‘your ultimate protein nutrition resource’, Solae understood the importance protein plays in the bodybuilder’s diet.

In working with clients, we always establish an overall objective for websites coupled with performance goals that will be evaluated in the post-production phase.   For this web development, Solae wished to 1) communicate the value and benefit of soy protein and 2) debunk rumors in the body building community that claimed soy protein contributed to estrogen production in the body. (more…)