Marvaco Insight seminar lead by Heming Rowland

Rowland Heming at the Marvaco Insight seminar

Marvaco has once again invited brand owners to listen to a top expert of the packaging industry in the Radisson Blu Royal hotel in Helsinki. This year, the guest expert was Rowland Heming, the multitalented English packaging industry expert, who has collaborated with international top brands, such as Unilever, Coca-Cola, and Kraft, during his 40-year career.

The theme of the day was The Selling Power of Packaging Design, with Heming emphasising the importance packaging has on building a brand and promoting sales. According to Heming, the relationship between the brand and the customer will remain, even if everything else, from the marketing team to the corporation structure, changes over time. The images and routines related to the brand are important: they create experiences and associations as a part of the customers’ everyday life for a long time, even for decades. 

Packaging design adds value

At its best, the packaging draws the attention, communicates and surprises at the shop’s shelf within a few seconds. Heming emphasised the importance of simplifying packaging design and clarifying the core message of the product, not forgetting the recognisability of the brand. 

For the packaging to be an efficient marketing device, the designer must realise that the packaging is a three-dimensional object, with each side telling a story. According to Heming’s examples, there is generally much to improve when it comes to utilising the different surfaces – including the bottom – of the packaging in marketing and communications. The message was, that the right experts should join the project from the start.

Heming relayed his knowledge and practical experience of the packaging industry by presenting illustrative case examples. At the end of the day, Heming summarised his comprehensive presentation by challenging the over hundred people in the audience to review what they had learned with a practical case example.

The Marvaco Insight events are tailored insights into the packaging industry’s core elements, directed at Marvaco’s current and future partners. This was the third consequential year of this event being organised. You can get more information about the events from Marvaco’s Solution Manager, Heidi Valkamo (heidi.valkamo@marvaco.fi).