The answer is you don’t. You use your posters to tell stories, to build up your brand, and to create familiarity. It sets the stage that makes it easier for your other marketing products to take root; for your flyers and brochures to be more credible, for sales personnel to be more interesting.

Consider the following interesting but true stories of how perception can be influenced by packaging.

1.The Placebo Effect

In the study of medicine, the placebo effect is a well known phenomenon. In 1955 study, patients suffering from different diseases are given a fake pill and are given instructions as to the regularity of taking the pill. The result is an astounding 35% who were relieved from their disease. Other studies suggests even higher results of as high as 50-60%

Of course, there are other more serious diseases placebos won’t cure, but the large percentage drives home an important point: the power of perception. The trust these patients place on the doctors and the medical treatment were the cause of relief and even cure for their diseases.

2.Switching Brands

At one event, a wine maker packaged one wine in two different bottles. One was styled to look sophisticated and expensive, while the other one looked like cheap wine. The feedback from these connoisseurs reflected their perception of the wines. The expensive looking wine was met with agreement, while the cheaper wine was found to be lacking.

3.Multi-branding

Companies who understand the role that perceptions play on the experience customers’ associate with the products use a multi-branding strategy. They repackage the same product and advertise them differently, one to look generic, and the other to look like a premium item. Consumers are willing to pay a higher price for the same item that tells a better story.

How can you apply this to your posters? If you only have a few seconds to communicate you marketing message, would you rather take your chance on an advertising spiel, or communicate intuitively?

4.It is more important to communicate the experience your customers should get from the products more than the benefits. It’s the intuitive feeling they get from the colors, the photographs, the size, the impact, etc. that gets processed, remembered subliminally, the rest of the message gets forgotten.

5.When these images and perceptions take root subliminally, your flyers, brochures, your website should trigger the release of these ideas. These other marketing materials should crystallize the vague message that is already imbedded in their heads.

6.The power of media lies not in totally changing a person’s mindset as some would like to think. It is not brainwashing as some melodramatic people would like to tell you. It’s about reinforcing values, and bringing to surface preconceived notions.

Use your posters printing to position your brand as more than just a commodity. People consume commodities, but they buy brands.