Sofia University
Presentation title
PACKAGING DESIGN AS RETAIL MARKETING COMMUNICATION: HOW SEMIOTICS AND RHETORIC DRIVE CONSUMER ENGAGEMENT
Presentation description
Presentation Description Packaging is more than a protective cover—it’s a strategic marketing tool that communicates brand identity, engages consumers, and drives purchase decisions. This session explores packaging as a communication channel through semiotics (the science of meaning), rhetoric (the art of persuasion), and consumer psychology. Participants will learn to decode and craft packaging that stands out visually, conveys brand values, builds emotional connections, and aligns with broader marketing. Using hundreds of global case studies—from food and beverages to pharma, fashion, and tech—the session is visual, interactive, and practical, offering tools and strategies to make packaging a strategic retail asset.
Key Takeaways Participants will learn to: • See packaging as a driver of brand perception and purchase decisions. • Apply semiotic analysis: symbols, colors, shapes, archetypes, and cultural references. • Leverage semantics and storytelling for meaningful, memorable packaging. • Tailor design for diverse audiences: luxury, eco-conscious, family, trendsetting, tech-savvy. • Integrate packaging with marketing systems: advertising, PR, events, merchandising, digital channels. • Apply psychological and cultural insights for global relevance. • Redesign and rebrand strategically while maintaining brand consistency. • Use rhetorical strategies: drama, endorsements, narratives to engage consumers. • Learn from real-world examples across product categories.
Target Audience Retailers, brand managers, marketing specialists, designers, packaging professionals, advertisers, PR specialists, students, and academics interested in packaging, branding, and retail communications.
USP Unlike typical talks on aesthetics or functionality, this session combines semiotics, rhetoric, psychology, and marketing practice for a holistic, actionable approach to packaging that communicates, resonates emotionally, and drives sales.