CASE STUDY
OtterBox Screen-Protection Packaging
How the OtterBox team and I enhanced a notoriously frustrating consumer experience with phone screen-protection installation, introducing a new industry standard in internal retail packaging.
The result: a substantial increase in consumer and retail customer satisfaction rates.
Packaging Design
UX Research
Creative Problem-Solving
Print Production
Imagine...
There you are, standing over the ripped-open packaging, random cleaning supplies and tools scattered across the table, and tiny, intricate instructions to decipher.
A deep breath — You only have one chance to flawlessly apply that expensive screen protector to your phone. Don’t mess it up.
Avoid air bubbles… ensure perfect alignment... Which step am I on again?
Another deep breath…
Why is this so complicated and stressful??
Competitor packaging review on Amazon
The Challenge
Clearly, a consumer pain point looms large:
Installing a screen protector at home induces difficulty and anxiety, a challenge no producer had successfully addressed.
Enter OtterBox;
Determined to Pioneer Change
Assigned the mission to simplify and improve DIY screen-protector installation, the OtterBox Screen-Protection Team, consisting of product engineers, consumer insight specialists, product line managers, copywriters, packaging engineers, and myself as the graphic designer, collaborated to:
Understand and empathize with the consumer experience
Tackle packaging and installation intricacies
And alleviate consumer frustrations
The Approach
Key consumer pain points identified for resolution:
Difficulty in installing screen protectors, leading to misalignment and trapped air bubbles.
Complex and lengthy installation instructions with small text.
Unorganized workspace due to poorly labeled or contained packaging contents (cleaning cloths, dust removal stickers, instructions, warranty inserts).
Competitor packaging research conducted:
If we were going to change the industry standard, we had to first assess competitor strengths, weaknesses, and identify opportunities for improvement.
What are they excelling at?
Where are they falling short?
What crucial elements are they overlooking?
The Solution
Improving Product Installation:
The product engineers developed an ingenious tray with an attached screen protector liner, allowing consumers to effortlessly apply the screen protector with perfect alignment.
Product problem solved ✓
Enhancing Install Instructions & Organization:
To streamline contents and improve installation instructions, collaboration between the packaging engineer and myself was crucial. Recognizing that competitors often provided loose instruction sheets, I proposed integrating them on a flap attached to the install tray for easy reference during installation.
Working with the Product Line Manager and copywriter, we condensed the copy for clarity without overwhelming consumers. Each step featured an illustrated guide with highlighted components, ensuring ease of understanding. Additionally, a QR code on the outer flap linked to an instructional video, alleviating apprehension.
Instruction problem solved ✓
Organizing Internal Contents:
With instructions now integrated into the tray, the challenge was to organize additional contents like the alcohol wipe, microfiber cloth, and dust removal stickers.
The packaging engineer and I designed an envelope labeled 'CLEANING TOOLS INSIDE,' neatly housing all cleaning contents within the install tray. The envelope's top flap included cleaning instructions and labeled components for clarity.
This envelope not only provided a tidy solution but also contributed to a more organized workspace, enhancing the overall consumer experience.
The Results
Significantly Improved Consumer Experience
Consumer feedback, particularly through online product reviews, highlighted not only satisfaction with the product itself but also great delight with the overall packaging and installation experience. Numerous reviews emphasized that the seamless installation experience alone justified the higher price point, underscoring the importance of considering the consumer journey from start to finish.
OtterBox screen protection product reviews on Amazon after implementing new packaging solutions.
Delighted Retail Customers
Securing shelf space in retail stores is a continuous challenge, necessitating products and packaging that not only satisfy consumers, but also retail partners.
Following the implementation of the new packaging solutions for screen protection, OtterBox received positive feedback from its key retail customers, expressing satisfaction with the innovative packaging approach.
This endorsement was a pivotal achievement for OtterBox, particularly as it was relatively new in the screen protection market segment.