What A Marketing And Communications Intern At Sonoco Wishes They Had Known Before Entering The Packaging Industry
Precious, a Global Marketing and Communications Intern at Sonoco, discovered the packaging industry is not solely B2B; the focus extends to the "final consumer," considering factors like ease of opening, resealing, and shelf appeal—a "B2B2C" approach. This realization highlighted a longer-term, collaborative partnership with clients to ensure end-user satisfaction, a crucial aspect the interviewee wishes they had understood before entering the field.
B2B2C Business Model, Consumer-centric Packaging, Packaging Design, Marketing Communications, End-User Experience
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Precious Gozwa
Global Marketing and Communications Intern
Sonoco Products Company
Copperbelt University
Arizona State University (ASU) - W. P. Carey - MBA with a major in Marketing
Business & Related, Business Management & Admin
Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG)
Communication and Marketing
International Student
Video Highlights
1. The packaging industry is not strictly B2B; professionals must consider the final consumer's experience.
2. Packaging design involves thinking about consumer interaction: ease of opening, resealing, noise, shelf appeal, and safe transportation.
3. Building long-term partnerships with clients is crucial to ensure the product serves the end-user well.
Transcript
What have you learned about this role that you wish someone would have told you before you entered the industry?
Before entering the industry, I honestly thought Sonoco was a B2B company, and packaging industries were B2B. But no, no, no, no.
I've come to understand that how packaging is done is not just B2B; you're thinking about the final consumer. So, even though a company is requesting packaging, you are thinking about how the consumer will open it. Can they reseal it?
Does it make noises when they reseal it or open it? Is it squeaky? Will consumers like it on their shelves? Does it look good in the shelf?
I honestly thought it would simply be a B2B type of business, but it has been B2B2C in a way because we are always concerned about the final end user, the people using our product. How can they easily carry them?
Are the products safe for them if they are flying with the product, or if they are moving or transporting the product? So, we always have in mind the consumer, the end user, in the end.
That's something I wish I knew: B2B does not strictly mean you are just selling to the company, and your relationship ends there. We are in this for the long run with our business partners. They become partners in us ensuring that they are serving the end users and consumers well.