Purchase Managers are human, too

Bulk pack sizes and efficient logistics are cornerstones in the B2B trade; however, artwork design also has a positive impact on purchase managers. This is the experience of Italian Elenka that produces and sells products for making ice cream and pastry.

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Just by looking at the packaging you get the idea of the mouth-watering, ready-to-serve sweet treats with hazelnut, cocoa and vanilla. The containers are in matching colours; white, black and brown and decorated with high quality In-Mould Labelling images. But what you are looking at is only a part of the product - you are in fact dealing with the ingredients for making ice cream or pastry.

Behind this remarkable branding strategy for their B2B products stands Elenka from the island of Sicily in Italy. The highly reputed family owned company sells ingredients for making pastry and ice cream in Europa, the Middle East, America and Australia. Ice cream parlours and bakeries mix the fluid or the powder from Elenka with sugar and cream to serve original Italian pastry and ice cream to their customers. The B2B products are sold in SuperLift containers from RPC Superfos.

Similarities with B2C packaging
The artwork from Elenka is eye-catching and was developed by the company’s in-house marketing and design manager, Rocco Niro. He explains why he likes the SuperLift solution:

“The SuperLift container is one of the most beautiful containers in its category. It is highly functional and decoration friendly, offering a big space for the visual communication. Actually, it has much resemblance with the type of packaging you would find in a supermarket.”

Purchase managers respond to design
Design, artwork and superb photographs reflect the way Elenka does business, which is based on passion, innovation and quality. Rocco Niro underlines that in any sales process, you have to grab the attention of the customers, whether the segment is B2B or B2C. Therefore, looks also matter when addressing the professionals.

“We know that the common assumption is that professional purchasers pay less attention to artwork and design of the packaging than the average consumer. However, we consider our B2B customers more or less like consumers. Even though they act and make decisions in their professional capacity as purchasers, they clearly respond to appealing design in a positive way. This is why first class artwork and visual design are vital parts of our branding strategy,” he explains.

Elenka uses the SuperLift container in two sizes, namely 3, 1 litres and 11, 3 litres with plastic handles. It is very functional and confirms correct re-closure with an audible click sound. SuperLift has a round conical shape and the handle on the collar leaving lots of space for sleek and exclusive art work.