The concept of promotion of production encompasses the entity of those means with the help of which the producer (seller) deals with the market informing about his/her activity or production, and it is also the last stage to influence the consumer market. Promotion of production is one of the most important elements of marketing, strategy, especially in case of consumer goods. During this process, parallel to informing the consumers, attention should be paid to the integration of modifications and differences of the goods, to the advertisement of the product, to the positive presentation of the producer՝s image. Broadly speaking, promotion of production may be defined as an activity encompassing a number of processes, such as activation of sells, advertisement, packing, science of commodities, and formation of public opinion.

Promotion of Production and Packing

Packing plays an important role in the process of promotion of production, one of the characteristic features of market economy. The interconnection between it and promotion of production may be demonstrated if market is viewed as consisting of three stages: pre-deal, the deal itself and post-deal. Advertisement is a most important factor in the pre-deal stage. It is supposed to give an idea of the product to the potential consumer, raise interest and positive attitude towards it, and in the end, incline the buyer to make a final decision of buying the product, i.e. bring to the stage of the deal itself. Packing is of great importance at this stage which gives an opportunity to pass to the next stage smoothly as the potential buyer identifies the product of the advertisement with the packing almost completely. Before meeting at the place of shopping, the packing, makes it possible to carry out visual comparison with the product. Packing plays quite a significant role at the stage of the deal itself trying to incline the customer to buy the product. At present, traditional forms of influencing the customer are losing their modernity. With the development of self-service form of sells “the living“ seller was replaced by the “speechless” seller – packing. For the packing to carry out functions of a seller it must attract customers՝ attention, create positive image and carry information with favourable impression on the customer to buy the article. Practically, packing must play the role of advertisement at the point of sell. At the post-deal period advertisement serves to convince the customer in the usefulness of buying the article, and the packing may essentially affect the degree of satisfaction from the use of the article. Thus, packing plays a triple role in the strategy of promotion of production: as an advertisement, for enlivening trade and formation of public opinion.

Role of Packing in the Atrategy of Advertisement

For the positive effect of the selling strategy on the way from the producer to the customer, it is necessary to realize an integration of advertising methods. It is understood as making packing in compliance with advertising and vice versa. This means that both packing and advertising must bear the same information. Most advertisement influences in places far from shopping spots. For instance, radio, press and television may raise a wish to buy some article but the consumer cannot react immediately. Sometimes it happens so that at the shop the only available information for the customer is what the article, better to say packing is; in this sense it is essential that both packing and advertisement convey the same information. If vast differences between packing and advertisement are revealed, then large sums invested in advertisement will be lost as all efforts to bring success, i.e. to sell, the last ring of the chain designed to deal with the market – packing, will be left to work alone. It is well known that most trade in supermarkets is made thanks to impulsive shopping, and customers at the last moment change their preference towards trade mark. Customers are open to new ideas, advertisements and attractive shopping, in spite of preference towards a definite trade mark. Uniting all these factors in one and the same strategy may predetermine the success of the article. Packing and advertising may use one and the same visual elements: slogans, trade marks, colours, mottoes, name marks and symbols. One of the most obvious means is inserting the packing pattern in the advertisement. This requires comparatively high flexibility of the packing project, which as a bearer of advertisement will look good both on a shop shelf and at the home of the consumer. Although packing and advertisement use the same means to convey information: words, patterns and symbols, they do not advertise the article in the same way, though they are directed at the same consumers. In this sense advertisement and packing must be simultaneous. However, both advertisement and packing use different tactics and techniques. For instance, advertising repeats the main motto of the campaign, but to avoid repetitions, changes attitude. For example, the same actress presents bleaching means Ace but in various places and various situations. Advertisement and packing use symbols in different ways. To make the image of the article firmer in the minds of consumers, advertisement sometimes seeks for moving symbols. And packing uses symbols in a more delicate way. The contents of advertisement aims at the feelings of consumers, and the contents of packing aims at conveying information to the consumers, at advising them and at explaining how the article is used, but this doesn՝t mean that the contents of packing shouldn՝t be interesting and attractive.

Thus, the use of marketing means ֊ advertising and packing, enable to get more profit from the sums invested in promotion of production.

Packing as a Means of Advertisement

At present, packing is one of the cheapest ways of advertisement. It is considered a powerful means for three reasons: the range of its influence is wider than may be achieved during any advertising campaign, it is the cheapest form of advertising (compared with the range of influence its scope and expenses are minimal), is potentially considered to be the most effective means of advertising as it is in the point of sale when a possible group of buyers is making a decision about a purchase. A buyer meets packing every time he enters the shop. It is considered to be the visual hall, i.e. a customer can see every packing when he is in the shop. But it is supposed that he can also notice some definite packing. And as a means of advertising the influence of packing is undoubtedly obvious for some articles. Thus, besides a wide range and little expenses, packing has one more advantage, which is being in place at the moment when a customer intends to make purchases.

Besides, packing should be planned so that it could survive in the market for a long time. It must create loyalty for the article and be attractive at the consumer՝s home as well as at the point of sale.

Packing as a Means of Trade

Although the role of packing as a means of trade has been acknowledged only in the 20th century, it was known long before. And even though the beginning of popularity of packing dates back long before the introduction of self-service system, it should be noted that the development of self-service system would be impossible without packing. To design packing for facilitating sells of a certain articles it was necessary to get acquainted with the behaviour of customers, especially to take into account women՝s behaviour at supermarkets. It was found out that such things as the time spent by a woman at a shop, whether the decision to buy something was made long before entering the shop or after, are very important. While designing a packing which is going to be a means of trade, it is necessary to discuss the following questions: should the packing be noticeable on the shop shelves; should it interweave with the surroundings; when it should be at the point of sale; how it should look ֊ calm or aggressive, how it should be presented – in an expensive or cheap way. Packing plays a really essential role connected with constant enlarging of self-service system. Unlike others elements of trade, packing has the feature of being straight (non-intermediated) which is characteristic of seller. Advertising and other forms of trade stimulators may influence at definite periods, space, and psychological distances, and this in case packing influences with the help of advertising, usage experience and available requirements. Packing presents the article at the last stage, that is at the moment when a decision about purchase is being made. So one of the main goals of packing is to favour a positive decision.

Packing plays a significant role in unforeseen purchases. It is well known that unforeseen purchases are made under the influence of memories and visual affect. That is, such purchase is made when seeing this article the buyer remembers that he needs it and, as a result, makes a purchase. Besides, unforeseen purchase is made also impulsively. Under such circumstances the article, packing, or the exhibit may cause the wish to buy the article. Moreover, unforeseen purchases have a decisive role in self-service, especially if the tendency of shopping without a list is taken into account. And in case of unforeseen purchases, packing has unlimited opportunities, although it plays exactly such a role, namely that of reminding the customers of their needs, i.e. it should convey correct information, should have attraction and capture the customer՝s attention. The role of packing in the strategy of promotion of production may be presented with the help of the role of comparison of a living seller and packing-seller. Besides giving information about available goods, prices, even quality, a seller may play a very important role by conveying some strategic information. He may adjust this information so that it corresponds to the needs of some customers and serve as n interchange between producer and market. Although the role of a seller is so important, in reality it may be restricted to some types of production (as in pharmacies where the presence of a seller is necessary). In case of other goods, and especially food, the work of a seller becomes not so important. Many goods are sold excellently in the system of self-service, where the buyer can freely touch, compare, choose and buy without consulting the seller (in this definite case the best example may be internet shop). Under these circumstances the responsibilities of a seller

are directly played by a “speechless seller”, i.e. packing. It may perform functions of trade

. … *

conveying characteristic as well as strategic information. But there is an essential difference

between the influence of a seller and the information conveyed by packing: specific individual relations with a living person are lost as packing cannot make so much impression on the customer as a person can. But, on the other hand, in retail shops this frees the buyer from meeting sometimes rude treatment of serving staff. The weakest feature of packing is that it cannot inform producers and sellers about the moods prevailing in the market, i.e. the retrospective connection is absent. The fact that packing cannot either adjust to the changing demands of customers, should also be mentioned. This situations bring the necessity of forming institutions that collect information about market by carrying out surveys among consumers.

Retail dealer also has certain requirements towards packing:

  • Packing should look interesting together with the article;
  • Packing should be easy to hold, carry and display;
  • Trade-time and efforts should be brought to the minimum.

Packing and Promotion of Production

Packing plays an immediate role also in activating trade. Some methods of activating trade are stated below.

Means Economy Offer – Money-off Pack

This is a popular and effective means of promotion of production, it is quite easy to realize, and the price of packing is changed only slightly. This offer is based on the necessity to obtain goods at prices lower than that of the market, which is seen on the label. Special, the so-called “flash”, type of labels is used to attract buyers՝ attention to the offer according to which the cost of packing doesn՝t differ from the one there used to be. The weak point of this strategy is the possibility of forgery by rivals, something that could weaken the loyalty of the good.

Purchase on an Occasion – Bonus Packs

In this case the price of standard packing is preserved, but its scope is enlarged. Extra­packing price may also be added but it is generally low. But this in case these changes don՝t bring to the necessity of large collapsible or transportation packing. In the sense of influencing the market this is like the previous method.

Packing by Coupons

In this strategy special coupons for packing are attached to the article. These are certificates that give their owners the right to get the privileges noted in them. Another form of this strategy is issue of securities, which make a part of the packing itself, for instance, labels. From the point of view of service these methods are comparatively expensive and laborious, but they bring huge profit: positive attitude towards the production increases, it prepares necessary grounds for an influx of a new product into market or becomes a reason for changing consumers՝ attitude. But these forms are less popular than strategies with immediate return of money (sales).

Presents Outside Packing

In this case presents are attached to packing. The positive side of this method is that packing needs no changes. And the fact that the present is from the outside, increases the possibility of the packing to be noticed, and thus to be successful. But the implementation of this method increases also payment for extra work (attaching the gift) and the possibility of the gift being stolen. Thermo­bandages used for these purposes have a positive impact on noticeability and scope of expenses.

Presents Inside Packing

This method is like the previous one with the difference that gifts are inserted inside packing. But some restrictions connected with the article and packing arise. The most effective is the offer concerning the use of article, for example, a sponge attached to the bottle of dish-washing liquid. The restricting factor is the compatibility of the gift with the article itself, especially if this is food.

Packing as a Gift

Packing itself can be a gift if it may be intended for multiple use. This is a very popular idea, which arises favourable attitude of the consumer towards the production. In the sense of constantly buying a certain product this method serves as a means of stimulation especially if the gifts (packing) make a series, for instance, various cups.

Packing as an Important Aspect of Image Making of the Firm

Formation of public opinion is the creation of positive image in the purposeful market. Methods connected with this, which are also conveyed through packing, are usually, restricted to trade mark-consumer contact. But as in case of advertising, in case of forming public opinion also, packing plays a significant role. Some space is marked out that is needed for the firm՝s trade mark, logo and stamp. Under the circumstances, packing is the bearer of the firm՝s features. And contrary to advertising, packing becomes transformer of the firm՝s positive image, which can be achieved by the corresponding use of symbols, colour, form and etc. And it is a fact that the correct comparison of these elements may create certain impression and pattern. Thus, after deciding the desirable features of the firm, packing may be planned and sent with the reflection of these features. For example, a firm wishing to create an image having concern about the environment, may make its packing out of secondary or recycled and twice used materials, informing about it on the packing.

Summary of Results

Summing up, one of marketing experts should be cited, “At present, passing in a shop by such a large number of packing, the customer has become so hypnotized, that can hardly differentiate between some exclusive positions. In this chaos, packing should have especially noticeable features that can attract the buyer՝s attention and start a joint influence on him which brings it to life in his hands, and achieves its aim, i.e. brings to purchase.”

 

“Packaging. Materials, Equipment, Technologies, News”

A.Martirosyan, CEO Media Holding «ANTARES»

MartirosyanA