The traditional relationship between brands and packaging suppliers is undergoing a fundamental shift. No longer confined to cost negotiations and production specifications, packaging today is increasingly viewed as a strategic tool for brand building, consumer engagement and business growth.
At a panel discussion titled Beyond Procurement, moderated by packaging consultant and trainer at Nishtha Consultancy Services Prasad Iyer, brand leaders, designers and communication specialists argued that packaging partners must be brought into the conversation far earlier—at the stage of brand strategy and consumer insight generation rather than after creative decisions have already been made.
Setting the context, Iyer noted that rising supply-chain disruptions, volatile raw-material costs and growing sustainability mandates have exposed the limitations of a purely transactional client-vendor relationship. The future, he suggested, lies in integrated partnerships where brands, agencies and print-packaging companies collaborate from the outset.
For Janet Arole, AVP and head of corporate communications at Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail, packaging is inseparable from the larger brand story. “Delighting consumers at every touchpoint is the objective,” she said, emphasising that product, store experience and packaging must work together as a unified narrative.
Brands today expect far more from their packaging partners than cost efficiency. They seek solutions that simultaneously address consumer expectations, sustainability goals, innovation requirements and budget realities.
That need for integration was echoed by Arnab Ray, executive creative director at Landor India. According to Ray, premiumisation is no longer about adding expensive finishes or embellishments. Instead, it is about creating a perception of greater value.
“Consumers want to feel they are getting more than what they paid for,” he said. Achieving that requires strategic thinking rather than last-minute decorative additions. Packaging, sustainability and branding must be designed together, not layered on as afterthoughts.
Ray argued that packaging partners should be involved much earlier in the process. When design teams understand manufacturing possibilities and constraints from the beginning, they can create meaningful differentiation within realistic budgets.
Shashwat Das, founder of Almond Branding, highlighted a common problem among startups. Packaging is often pushed to the bottom of both budget allocations and project timelines.
“Everything is ready, and then suddenly the packaging remains,” he observed. As a result, agencies are frequently expected to deliver impactful packaging solutions within impossible deadlines.
Instead, Das argued, print and packaging partners should participate when the brand brief is being written. Early involvement allows discussions to move beyond specifications and towards solutions that support the brand’s intended positioning.
For Madhu S Dutta, founder and CEO of House of MSD, packaging is one of the most powerful expressions of a brand’s identity.
“Packaging is a silent salesperson,” he said.
Rather than focusing on how expensive a pack appears, Dutta believes the real question is whether packaging reinforces the brand proposition and builds trust. During periods of economic uncertainty, consumers may reduce discretionary spending, but they continue to seek products that deliver value and emotional satisfaction.
Packaging plays a critical role in maintaining that perception of value.
Dutta pointed to iconic brands such as Tiffany, where the packaging itself has become part of the product experience. The anticipation generated by the famous blue box often precedes the reveal of the product inside. Such examples demonstrate how packaging can become a powerful storytelling medium rather than simply a protective container.
The discussion also explored the so-called “lipstick effect” — the tendency of consumers during economic downturns to indulge in small premium purchases rather than large discretionary expenditures.
According to the panellists, this phenomenon creates opportunities for brands to deliver affordable moments of delight through thoughtful packaging.
Ray argued that modern consumers increasingly seek “small wins” rather than major emotional highs. Packaging can contribute significantly to those moments through memorable interactions, emotional resonance and clever storytelling.
Vinnie Thawani, COO of Confetti Design Studio, stressed that packaging has a unique responsibility: convincing consumers to engage with a product, especially when encountering an unfamiliar brand.
In crowded retail environments where products often look similar, packaging becomes the first point of differentiation. The visual language, materials, structure and narrative all influence whether consumers pick up a product or ignore it.
For emerging brands, Thawani suggested, packaging often carries an even greater burden because it must establish credibility before awareness has been built.
The panel also addressed the evolving role of sustainability. While sustainability remains important, several speakers argued that it is increasingly becoming a baseline expectation rather than a competitive differentiator.
Consumers now expect responsible materials and environmentally conscious choices. As a result, brands must look beyond sustainability alone and focus on creating stronger emotional connections.
Dutta noted that the rise of social media has elevated the importance of the unboxing experience. Every consumer can potentially become a brand storyteller by sharing their purchase online. Consequently, packaging must not only protect and communicate but also create moments worth sharing.
Arole highlighted another distinctive aspect of the Indian market: consumers’ strong value orientation.
“As Indians, we are value seekers,” she said.
Unlike many markets where packaging is quickly discarded, Indian consumers often retain attractive packaging, extending its role and influence beyond the initial purchase. This behaviour creates additional opportunities for brands to strengthen engagement through thoughtful design.
The panel repeatedly returned to the importance of consumer insight. According to Ray, the era of one-size-fits-all premiumisation is over. Different consumers value different aspects of packaging—whether authenticity, convenience, functionality or emotional connection.
Understanding those preferences requires research and collaboration across the value chain.
Several speakers expressed a desire to involve packaging partners even in consumer focus groups and testing sessions. Such exposure would provide manufacturers and converters with direct insight into consumer reactions, enabling more informed innovation.
Practical examples demonstrated the benefits of early collaboration. Das described how packaging planning for startup brands can reduce future costs by anticipating product extensions and designing systems that allow existing print assets and cylinders to be reused across multiple variants.
These efficiencies are only possible when packaging considerations are integrated into broader business planning from the beginning.
The session concluded with a discussion on brand consistency. Dutta emphasised that strong brands are built through relentless attention to design details, colours, materials and visual identity.
Global brands such as Coca-Cola and Tiffany maintain strict consistency regardless of geography, ensuring consumers experience the same brand cues everywhere.
For packaging professionals, the message was clear: the industry’s role is expanding beyond production and procurement. Brands increasingly expect print and packaging partners to contribute strategic thinking, consumer understanding and innovation.
As packaging becomes more central to storytelling, consumer engagement and value creation, the most successful collaborations will be those formed not at the production stage, but at the moment the brand story itself is being written.