Today morning I stumbled across a video doing rounds called Microsoft iPod (done by the MS marketing team, see it right below) –

I am, by no means a Microsoft fan but hey Microsoft actually does make better packages. No seriously! The package they came up with actually complies with all the psychological tactics of influencing people that I have come to learn all these years (12 years in the marketing industry).

Here are a few points why I loved it (for all the reasons, read Robert Cialdini’s Influence and then re-read it) –

1. Stronger Branding — Apple has a cult following. People stalk their employees just to find out what product will they be coming up with next. But that’s not the case with every company out there.

Multi-million dollar ad campaigns are an idea but if your product is a brand builder itself then nothing like that!

Seriously, buzzwords are actually cool for brand-building if you ask me. And oh, the words like Professional Edition and with subscription actually rock!
2. Bullets are always better. Not everyone has the luxury of creating such a buzz everytime you fart as Apple has it. Heck, people know everything about their products inside out.

But if you don’t have that benefit then you can just write out your features on the package to help influence their point of purchase decisions. Can’t you?

The fact is that people don’t read blocs of text. However, your objective is to make sure they read your USPs. There’s nothing better than bullets if you want to accomplish that. I know they work cos I use them A LOT in my sales letters. Split testing has always proved that they are more effective.

3. Shout your bonuses. Even though the video actually made fun of the stars, spines and bonus stickers but you have to realize that these stickers actually play the same role that a headline plays in a sales letter.

Anyone who has any experience in direct marketing will tell you that headline is THE most important part of your sales letter / marketing message. Work harder on your headline than the rest of your sales copy. Period.

4. Social Proof. Pictures of people using your products, third party endorsements, testimonials, case studies etc. are indeed the most powerful tools in any marketer’s arsenal. I am not kidding.

People are laaaaaaazy. They want to be told or hinted about what to do. If their peers are doing it or think that it is good then it also has to be good for them. It’s simple as that!

Now, the fact remains that Apple basically has branded itself as a rebel company that has to do everything differently. iPod is no different story. Its simplicity was different, so was its ad campaign and so was its packaging. It worked for Apple.

Chances are that if Apple tries to pull a Microsoft, it will be a disaster for them and they may actually face a backlash. However, if I was going to be making IA9.Pods then I would most certainly use the kind of packaging that Microsoft made.