Brand consultants have been preaching for some time that above all, a product has to be trustworthy to remain in shoppers’ consideration set. Brands that are authentic, in both product and packaging, have the best chance of retaining loyal consumers.
But as the Harford Courant reports, some branding teams still aren’t heeding the message. The newspaper quotes the Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) as saying that half of 52 frozen seafood products it inspected failed its packaging truth test. Jerry Farrell Jr., DCP commissioner, says packages that failed the test contained less product in weight than what was reported on the label and that excess ice made up the weight difference.
The 26 products that failed the review have been pulled from store shelves, and the brand owners might face fines.
It’s worth considering what James Gilmore and B. Joseph Pine state in their book “Authenticity: What Consumers Really Want.” Consumers are drawn to the “appeal of real.” That includes branding communication that accurately reflects what’s inside the package.
