In looking at a package, I see a connection. At times the connection is directly to me and my persona. Other times to price points I may or may not be seeking at the time. And then I see connections to the product's brand. It can be made through color, shapes and graphics. Here I have seven products in their packaging and I see the connection. Most of these are iconic and are specific to a particular brand. They took time to build their presence in the industry and really sell their brand story. If I go to buy some hot sauce then Tabasco is what I get. The diamond label in the red bottle makes for a quick identification in my mind when looking for it. We know what the light blue box with a white ribbon and bow mean. There must be something wonderful inside from Tiffany's and imagine the excitement level as it gets opened. Coca Cola - enough said about this bottle and product world-wide. Chanel No. 5 is timeless and high tier. Mrs. Butterworth's brings back memories of a  Saturday morning breakfast on a crisp autumn morning. There is an endless stream of these connections. Now look at the honey bear bottle. The shape and contents say honey. This bottle is also available to anyone wishing to sell honey under their label. It is not brand specific. Interesting concept if you need to get a quick connection to your artisanal honey batch. And finally there is the Jawbone package. Inside is a Bluetooth headset that blasted into the market with great results. The product design was unique as well as the package. Look at the floating object. For a number of years numerous headset manufacturers wanted this style of packaging for their product. Grabbing the shape was the route taken to make a connection to consumers and help boost sales. Some even sought using less expensive material for the packaging to keep pricing down and profits up. Consumers are wise and understand the copycat strategy. If they buy the product the realization of what is being sold is understood. However, did the package help make the sale? Was the connection to Jawbone's brand equity transferred? Maybe. When we meet with clients and discuss new packaging, the shape comes into play very early. We ask if they want to lead with their product or follow the competition. Copying shapes or riding on the equity of a shape brings risks. Specifying goals help to eliminate those risks and we work to get that understood and acted upon. So when you shop, take a close look at the shape of the package, the colors and the graphics. See if they make the connection you want. Learn more at http://www.ctipack.com