Brand and packaging relationship: A study in Turkish chocolate sector

Brand, composing of many different meanings, is a broad term. There are plenty of explanations of the word brand in marketing literature. Despite the fact that there are more advantages of being a branded product both for producers and customers than being a non-branded product, to create a brand, to maintain as well as to develop brand perception are difficult tasks. A branded product is known for its superior consumer awareness and market share. For this reason, branding is the common way to increase market share and brand promotion. A successful brand is perceived by customers as added value in terms of product or service in a competitive market. In this respect, especially nowadays, a successful brand requires overall endeavors. Today, when a brand is created, the most essential element of brand managements is packaging. Packaging which, in the past, was underestimated has recently played an important role.Lately, producers consider packaging as an indispensable marketing tool; a tool which can effect consumers? purchasing decisions at market shelves. However, effective packaging is not only a marketing tool which can be as effective as advertisement and promotion, but also an invariable piece of valid strategy which increases customers? brand loyalty. Effective packaging has become the most determining factor whether or not a brand is widely known.In this thesis, former studies had been evaluated regarding branding and the importance of packaging on branding. In the second phase, the fast moving consumer goods as well as the main theme of packaging in the chocolate sector were examined carefully. Data compiling method was surveyed in this study. Furthermore, data complied from the survey were analized with SPSS and also useful outcomes were achieved.According to the outcomes, a successful chocolate brand packaging must be able to protect the product thoroughly. There must be no leakage. Moreover, a successful brand package must contain the product?s expiry date, list of ingredients, manufacturer?s name, together with two important information which has been emphasized nowadays; nutritional values and calorie. Additionally, thanks to the rising environmental sensibility, logos, signs as well as contexts concerning the protection of environment have become the necessary items of packaging designs.As mentioned above, a consumer expects a chocolate package to contain product?s information. Today firms have to pay more attention to the package of their products, as well as other marketing factors such as technology, product variety, or price, in order to keep their business in highly competitive markets. Those firms which pay not enough attention to packaging are doomed to fall one step behind their rivals. Besides, a chocolate package must be eye-catching. In conclusion, apart from other properties of a product, packaging is proved to be one of the most important elements of branding.Keywords: Package, Chocolate, Brand, Brand Equity, Brand Identity.