The power beauty offers brands.

Transforming a product without changing the product at all.

If you go on the App Store right now you’ll see one of the largest grossing apps of the moment is ustwo’s ‘Monument Valley’: a world of visual illusions, floating castles, and numerous industry awards. This game is a breath of fresh air within the category, not for an engrossing storyline or charming gameplay (although it can claim both these attributes too), but for its stunning visuals. Vibrant colours and fascinating forms delight even when paused, inducing critics to hail it ‘the most beautiful iPad game’.

There is no substitute for the seduction offered by beauty. It remains one of those ethereal attributes capable of mesmerising and enticing even the most insusceptible of consumers. And given visual appeal is often a brand’s first point of contact with the market, it’s vital for capturing imagination and intrigue. This awareness of aesthetics and attention to detail can add immeasurable amounts of value to a product without actually changing the product itself at all.

Suffolk’s Pump Street Bakery’s bean-to-bar chocolate focuses on ultra-high quality, both in product and packaging: the reseal-able paper composite pack adds a wonderful sense of authenticity while maintaining a luxurious look and feel. This simple and appropriate solution generates sufficient interest without so much of a glimpse of its contents, allowing the chocolate to purely focus on taste. The packaging is able to elevate its contents to heights far beyond the reach of the cacao bean alone, transforming perceptions and creating impactful on-shelf presence.

The interaction between consumer and pack has never been as fundamental to the success and overall user experience of a product as it is now: so packaging has some work to do.