Ultra personalized: how Nutella is profiting from unique products

After the named labels Nutella went beyond: 7 million unique packaging created by an algorithm. The era of ultra personalized products is just beginning!

It has been a long time that companies bet on the personalization, Coca-Cola, for example, has printed names on the cans and made a huge success. But this is still too little near to the trend that is coming now: ultra personalized products.

Nutella has created 7 million bottles of its product. That’s right, all different! This limited edition, launched in Italy together with the communication agency Ogilvy & Mather, was called “Nutella Unica” and each had an exclusive label.

If some of these nice glasses come to Portugal, I will buy one for myself!

To generate so many combinations they counted on the aid of an algorithm, an identification code to personalize and authenticate each glass. The result? The company sold all the bottles in less than a month. The next phase of the campaign will be in France.

This kind of packaging innovation is relatively inexpensive to deploy and generate spontaneous media, as well as tightening the relationship with consumers and attracting new customers. It is also less risky than the initiative to print name labels, since in 2015 an Australian girl was unable to buy her custom packaging because the company refused to stamp her name, Isis, which is also the acronym for the Islamic State of Iraq and Of Syria in English, which generated a negative repercussion for the brand.

A curiosity about Nutella: Did you know that the product was born from the necessity? During World War II, there was a lack of cocoa and chocolate became a luxury product. Pietro and Giovanni Ferrero, confectioners, began to test combinations of hazelnuts (abundant in the region) with roasted cocoa, milk, sugar and chocolate.

Necessity is even the mother of invention and innovation. And in the case of unique packaging, look at Maslow’s Pyramid of human needs again (we talk about it here, just click!) Who does not want to feel cared and unique?

And you, will you adhere to the ultra personalized products? Does your product make your customers feel unique?

Referências: Creativity, Design Taxi, Adweek, The Verge, Inc., Food Dive