One of the major smart packaging trends we’ve predicted for 2020 is couponing–we believe connected packaging is poised to have a major impact on the U.S.’s multi-billion dollar couponing industry. Connected packaging makes couponing more efficient, secure, and personalized, and there are 5 key ways in which we think connected packaging can enhance couponing: through customer loyalty points and rewards; collectability; gamified deals; product bundling; and opt-in mailers.
Connected packaging offers a uniquely effective way for customers to accrue loyalty points and redeem them for rewards.
For example, a personal care brand that wanted to reward customers who purchased ten toothbrushes could use Touchcode to put invisible conductive ink codes on toothbrush packages. Customers could tap the packaging to their mobile devices every time they purchased a new toothbrush and record loyalty points. The tenth tap could earn the customer a reward coupon, deliverable via a mobile app or website, for a free toothbrush.
Sneaker Con, which hosts sneaker trading shows around the world, embedded branded hang tags with connected packaging technology and collaborated with Blue Bite to create a digital mobile experience for show attendees. By touching the hang tabs to their mobile devices, attendees could participate in a sneaker giveaway; buy tickets for upcoming events; and access special content, like live social media feeds and a dynamic shoe release calendar.
Connected packaging also allows brands to reward users who collect multiple product cards or versions of a product. Touchcode ink is food grade safe, so it can be printed on children’s collectible items and packaging. When users touch the product or its package to their mobile devices, they can earn rewards and discounts that get better the more times they interact with the packaging.
For example, Disney added Touchcode to collectible cards for its Violetta brand. Touching the cards to a smartphone app unlocked dance tutorial videos, scenes from the Violetta show, and scrapbook tutorials, and an additional option could be the addition of coupons for discounts on additional cards or other Violetta branded products.
Likewise, Gormiti enhanced its trading cards with Touchcode, allowing customers to scan the code on each trading card with a mobile device and open video trailers, 3D animations, and collectible items. It would be easy to add a couponing component to collectibles like these.
Connected packaging makes it easy to gamify deals. A brand might create a digital scratch-off to unveil a customer’s next discount. Or, customers could spin a digital wheel to reveal a coupon for the product of the month. For children’s products, kids could unlock a game on their parent’s device, and the grown-ups could receive a discount coupon.
Little Musician music cards can be touched to the screen of an iPad or iPad mini to bring the Little Musician music app to life for children. It would be easy to take that a little farther and provide parents with coupons for additional Little Musician products.
Connected packaging allows brands to incentivize customers to buy multiple products together. If a customer taps their phone to shampoo packaging, for example, a message could pop up in an app, letting them know if they add conditioner, they’ll be rewarded with free coconut oil serum or free shipping.
Customers who interact with connected packaging can be given the opportunity to enter their email address after touching the connected packaging to their mobile device and opt-in to receive product discounts. Retail marketers would have the option to drive them to an online store or brick and mortar stores.
Connected packaging enables brands to offer their loyal customers digital loyalty points and rewards. The technology allows retail marketers to provide digital incentives to collect cards and products. It makes it possible to gamify deals. Product bundling–rewards for purchasing multiple products together at one time–is easy to encourage; and companies can come up with new ways to encourage customers to opt-in for mailings. With consumers increasingly willing to share personal data in exchange for personalized promotions, discounts or deals, according to a survey by YouGov, brands have new opportunities to use connected packaging for couponing.
Ready to learn how Touchcode’s connected packaging technology can create unique couponing opportunities for your customers? Contact us today.