9. Three Different Packing, All Different Sizes, Same Amount of Product
This illustration of different package sizes with same product quantities shows a sophisticated kind of marketing control. Though all carrying the same quantity of product, the maker displays three somewhat different sized packets, each generating different value perceptions through their physical proportions. Larger packaging naturally signals better value or more content, so this approach uses consumer psychology. The irony of the matter is that the maker seems to be using dishonest marketing techniques while yet trying to impart to consumers a lesson about appearances against truth. Apart from loss of resources, the varying container sizes provide needless uncertainty on the market. This strategy especially affects comparison shopping since consumers usually use package size as a rapid visual reference for product count. The extra expenses related to manufacturing several packaging sizes, expenses which are always passed on to the customer, highlight even more the cynical aspect of this marketing approach. Given the obviously profit-driven basis for such packaging decisions, the manufacturer’s attempt to present this as a moral lesson about appearances seems especially hypocritical.
10. This Pricey Spice Gets a Pricey Presentation
The example of the beautifully wrapped saffron shows the extreme end of misleading packaging in the luxury food industry. Already among the most costly spices in the world, saffron barely requires further marketing strategies to support its premium price range. At around $5,000 per pound. However, this packaging employs complex display techniques that eventually house a small quantity of the actual product, therefore taking needless luxury to new heights. The analogy to gorgeous people devoid of content is especially relevant as both situations highlight outward appearance above inner worth. Apart from adding needless expenses, the elaborate packaging shapes unrealistically high expectations regarding the saffron content. Given saffron’s already high pricing, this practice is particularly troublesome since it basically adds fake value through packaging instead of product quality. The manufacturer’s decision to spend more on ornate packaging than on the natural value proposition shows a misreading of their market: customers buying such a premium spice are probably more concerned in quality and authenticity than in elegant packaging.
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