Mark Schlossman, executive vice president of sales and marketing at Accurate Box Company, was interviewed for a special edition in QSR Magazine about the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the quick-service industry. See below for an excerpt from the article called “Pack It Up” featured in the November 2020 edition of QSR Magazine.
Sending a Message
Your packaging is speaking to your guests – do you know what it’s saying?
Maybe there was a time when foodservice operators could tell themselves that packaging wasn’t a pivotal aspect of serving their guests. Maybe packaging was an area they tried to pinch pennies on so that they could focus on the food that they serve, but savvy and successful brands have long known that the two go hand-in-hand: A satisfying dining experience goes far beyond the tastebuds.
Besides, like most everything else in the industry, the idea that packaging was a place to save money has been turned upside down by COVID-19. As brands pivoted to off-premises only for months at a time, packaging became an even more integral part of brand messaging and the customer experience…
While Instagrammable packaging was a fun thing to think about prior to the pandemic, the surge of social media use and off-premises ordering means attractive, well-thought-out packaging is an absolute must now.
“Consumers are almost as interested in their experience as they are in the overall taste of the food, exhibited by their penchant for posting photos and videos all over social media,” says Mark Schlossman, executive vice president of sales and marketing at Accurate Box Company. “We have seen some great successes with consumers promoting their favorite foods or brands simply by sharing photos and or videos online. It is in these situations where the printing and branding on the packaging will go a long way in putting a brand on the map.”
Whether brands like it or not, the packaging they use is sending a message to their customers, and at times, even those following their customers on social media. During a time in which so much is out of an operator’s control, it stands to reason that brands should take control of those limited things that they can…
Brands simply cannot afford to allow consumers to be turned off in any way right now, and building an effective packaging strategy is something that should be top of mind. It’s no wonder that the top brands in the industry have long been tinkering with and perfecting their packaging—it’s imperative to the health of a brand, especially now. Packaging, more than ever, can make or break a brand.
Read the full QSR Magazine article, “Pack It Up”, here!
