What is connected packaging?

Gone are the days when packaging meant just cartons, bottles, and boxes. As we enter the era of the Internet of Things, where so many consumer products are "smart" and interconnected, the possibilities for inventive, smart packaging are numerous – and growing.

There are three main varieties of smart packaging:



1. Active packaging, where the packaging improves the product's shelf life.
2. Intelligent packaging, where attributes like temperature and freshness are visible on the packaging.
3. Connected packaging.

It's this last innovation that we're going to take a look at.

Connected packaging harnesses QR codes and near field communication (NFC) tags to transform a simple package into a digital portal. This portal could lead anywhere from information about the product, to brand storytelling, to AR (augmented reality).

Any consumer with a smartphone can scan these codes and tags and engage with the brand – an innovative and immediate way of deepening customer engagement.

And there's an appetite for it. SharpEnd's Connected Experience Report 2021 revealed that 69% of consumers would scan a product to discover more about the brand.

Packaging is a touchpoint for consumers – one that can function as a flyer or advert for your brand. Connected packaging takes this further, providing new marketing opportunities both in-store and when purchasing online.

How can connected packaging make for better marketing?

To understand how connected packaging can make for better marketing, let's take a look at a few examples. As you'll see, it's a way for brands to tell their stories, share more information about their products and personalise the customer experience – all in a discreet and user-friendly way that doesn't clutter up the packaging.

1. Yeo Valley

Dairy company Yeo Valley has placed SKU-specific QR codes on all its products. These are combined with calls to action in order to direct customers to interactive content.

This includes recipes, information about the brand's green strategy, recycling tips and facts and figures about the product. It's tied in with the company's loyalty scheme, which awards redeemable "Yeokens" on purchase. The content offered to customers changes according to the number of loyalty points they've collected.

Moreover, this NFC engagement is a tool for collecting data on customer preferences – a way of supplementing more traditional forms of market research.

2. Uncle Ben's

In 2019, Uncle Ben's introduced thousands of products featuring a special Google Lens sticker. Upon scanning, Google Lens enabled access to content including ingredient lists, nutritional advice, recipes, and how-to cooking videos – all of which were personalised via individual customer data.

By providing this content in-store, Uncle Ben's aimed to create a more personalised experience for the customer as a way of driving sales.

3. Malibu rum

In 2016, Malibu rum placed NFC tags on bottle caps and QR codes on the bottleneck. Customers who tapped and scanned were directed to detailed information about what they were drinking, exclusive cocktail recipes and chances to enter competitions. What's more, the NFC pointed users in the direction of the nearest venue that served Malibu.

The company says that its connected packaging "had quite good conversion" into sales and that it furnished them with data more effectively than consumer research.

4. Levi's, in collaboration with Ganni

This isn't specifically an example of packaging, but it shows the possibilities of these technologies in driving business-to-customer engagement.

In 2020, Levi's teamed up with a Danish fashion store named Ganni. They launched a series of rental-only jeans featuring items of clothes with NFC-enabled size patches.

This collaboration encouraged consumer engagement by getting renters to upload a "love letter" to the rental experience once it had come to an end. These paeans were supplemented with user content about when and where users wore them, along with exclusive photos and fashion guides from Levi's x Ganni. It also encouraged users to engage with the brands' social media accounts.

What's next?

On the vanguard of connected packaging is AR (augmented reality). This is where you point your phone at a product and it superimposes visuals over it – as, for example, in this collaboration between the Shazam app and Bombay Sapphire gin:

[Please embed this YouTube video if possible: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qcoPlvhi_LI]

As with QR codes and NFC tags, companies can use AR to offer recipes, coupons, brand narratives and personalised content – all in exchange for user data which informs future marketing strategies.

How Stowsafe can help you

Whatever stage your business is at, there's a plethora of funky and creative ways to package your products. These range from the high-tech smart technologies we've been talking about to more traditional methods.

When you partner with us, we take charge of order fulfilment, giving you the time and headspace to focus on the things that really matter – and we can also help you up your packaging game.

As we pack up your orders, we provide the option of slipping in flyers and other marketing materials – product catalogues, let's say, or information about promotions, or even a friendly "thank you" note. Added to this, we can do the printing for you.

Another option is "kitting". This is when you bundle together different SKUs into one gift package which can be sold at a reduced price.

Finally, we offer custom labelling and relabelling. Let's say you're shipping your products to Amazon or eBay or another large eCommerce platform. This differs from shipping to customers directly, where you're in charge of choosing where to place barcodes and labels. This can quickly turn into a hassle – but at Stowsafe it can form part of a bespoke fulfilment package.

We pride ourselves on adding value to your products' packaging, and our fulfilment plans are super-flexible and customisable.

If you're looking for an eCommerce fulfilment provider, why not get in touch to talk over your requirements?