Karaoke Packaging: how eye-catching multi-media packaging influences the customer experience

Since consumers have been able to download music, movies and games from the Internet quickly and conveniently thanks to digital download options, the packaging industry has had to rethink its approach. But – consumers by no means wish to forego multi-media packaging entirely, they rather seek the closest possible relation between content and packaging. The protective function for the contents is no longer centre stage here. However, this is just one of the new customer requirements that the packaging industry has to fulfil in this sector.

Special Editions, bonus tracks, luxurious boxes and premium materials: while the interest in standard packaging of CDs & Co. is dwindling the popularity of multi-media products in extraordinary packaging formats is rising. Unique record covers are sought-after design objects for collectors, and demand for unusual formats, extra gadgets and innovative materials is increasing across the board.

Special Editions, bonus tracks, luxurious boxes and premium materials: while the interest in standard packaging of CDs & Co. is dwindling the popularity of multi-media products in extraordinary packaging formats is rising. Unique record covers are sought-after design objects for collectors, and demand for unusual formats, extra gadgets and innovative materials is increasing across the board.

For online products this is more difficult to achieve. Here, too, packaging designers have come up with solutions that make gaming an experience even before you start with the first level. Like the new video game “Super Mario Odyssey” that invites gamers to sing along. Like with many record covers in the past the complete lyrics to the title song are printed on the packaging.

The lion’s share of global online shopping is accounted for by computers, games and the corresponding accessories. According to a current study of the companies Esko, Pantone, X-Rite and AVT, however, 34% of the shoppers polled return a high number of products – because of the packaging rather than the goods. A survey conducted by Belgian packaging specialist Esko shows that some 47% of the shoppers surveyed said they expected the packaging delivered to look precisely like the one displayed online. In physical retail this customer expectation for an optical match of the product is even as high as 61%. Only 9% of the shoppers accept the contents packaged in another colour or different format.

By accounts of the American Entertainment Software Association, women like to play video games just as much and often as men and account for over 40% of the total gaming community. These figures, however, are so far not reflected in packaging design. Featuring sharp edges and aggressive colouring it is currently targeting what we would consider more typically male tastes.

Microsoft placed special emphasis on gaming packaging for a unique project. For this project gaming enthusiasts with various physical impairments supported packaging designers of software giant Microsoft in developing the new Xbox for roughly a year. Now on the market since autumn 2018 the Xbox Adaptive Controller packaging is easy to open for people with disabilities. So far, the latter had to rely on third-party assistance or use their teeth for unboxing video games. With two big programmable buttons and 19 different switches the company realised a so far unique approach for barrier-free packaging. The box can be opened in various ways to ease handling for as many gamers with motor impairments as possible. Thanks to different access points, loops, levers and tapes complicated twist and turn movements are rendered superfluous.