When I talk about what I do, I use words like desire, love, attraction and passion. Who would guess that my business is based on brand strategy, product development, and package design?

I’ve learned that if you can get consumers to experience those emotions, the profits will follow.

In honor of Valentine’s Day, here are five ways to help consumers fall in love with your brand.

1. Ignite Desire

Maybe you have a sparkling personality and a PhD, but the object of your affection will never know if you can’t get her to bring you home in the first place.

The moment of attraction is all about looks. A perfect package will ignite a primal lust, beckoning the consumer: Hold Me! Possess Me!

Slick advertising and marketing won’t mean squat if the package doesn’t leap from the shelf and into her heart. Know what will drive your consumer wild with desire, execute it perfectly, and you’ll have her at “Hello.”

2. Be True

As the Greek philosopher Epictetus said, “Know first who you are, and then adorn yourself accordingly.” Crafting a gorgeous package is easy, but making it a reflection of a product’s features and a brand’s DNA requires a mastery of strategy, craft and execution.

When the package design is the tangible version of a brand’s philosophy, trust is earned. If the package raises false hopes, the relationship is over. Push your team, vendors and suppliers to help you be the brand you say you are.

3. Confidence is Just as Sexy as Status

So you didn’t graduate first in your class at Harvard. That doesn’t mean you can’t land the most beautiful and interesting person at the party.

In twenty years of working with prestige beauty brands, I’ve learned that “Prestige” is a mindset, where aesthetic expectations are sky-high and emotional commitment runs deep. The truth is, any package on any shelf can elicit that same level of desire.

Know your brand’s potential, demand that your package live up to it, and then approach your consumer with confidence.

4. Passion Breeds Commitment

Brands are a reflection of the people who make them. Do you have a passionate team?

Then you’ll have a committed consumer. Story telling is one place where the most passionate brand-makers shine.

Your team should own the story—complete with elements of danger, lust, suspense and love— and make your package its hero, or let the package be a vibrant reminder of the narrative you’ve woven through other marketing channels.

5. Grow Old Together

At times of competition the temptation is often to reinvent oneself, or adopt a brand strategy that’s working for someone else. But these actions come from a place of desperation, and they rarely work.

Instead, evolve with your consumer, anticipate her hopes and desires, and then delight her with on-brand surprises such as an unexpected pop of color or a bottle that uses 100% recycled material.

Hold fast to what makes you unique while also staying ahead of mega trends, and she’ll be in your life for years to come.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Davide Nicosia is the founder of NiCE, a global creative agency specializing in consumer product development, brand strategy and package design.

With offices in New York, Tokyo, Bangkok and Singapore, NiCE employs top creative professionals from more than 20 countries who are passionate about building better brands. 



Clients have included Estée Lauder, Calvin Klein, Tiffany & Co., Victoria’s Secret, Valentino, Alfred Dunhill, Dolce & Gabbana, Benetton, Puma, Montblanc, Anna Sui, Escada, L’Oreal, CoverGirl, SK-II, Olay, Clairol, Pantene, Avon, Noxzema, Old Spice, Bath & Body Works, Gillette, Tiger Balm and Kraft Foods.