Podcast Summary: "Unpacking the Power of Packaging with Behaviorally"

The Brainy Business – Episode 560
Host: Melina Palmer
Guest: Matt Salem (SVP, Behaviorally; Co-Author, "Unpacked: Predict Packaging That Sells")
Date: January 15, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode of The Brainy Business delves into the science and strategy behind packaging and its powerful effects on consumer behavior. Host Melina Palmer discusses with Matt Salem, a veteran in shopper research and co-author of "Unpacked: Predict Packaging That Sells", how packaging is often underestimated in its impact but is, in fact, crucial to sales, perception, and choice. The conversation explores behavioral science insights, real-world case studies, and the use of AI in optimizing packaging design.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Myth: “It’s Just the Box”

• Common Misconceptions:
  Many consumers and even brand managers believe they choose products based chiefly on price or quality, disregarding packaging’s influence. But behavioral research shows packaging is a “silent salesperson” at the decision moment.

  • Matt Salem (05:07): “All I really care about is what's inside. ...But we all know that's not what happens during the shopping experience. The packaging is in fact, critical.”

• Packaging as a Sales Tool:
  Packaging is the last defense (and offense) at the point of sale, shaping visibility, perception, and emotional resonance.

2. The Power of Contrast and Context

• Standing Out Matters:
  The concept of “contrast” is central. Packaging must both stand out from competitors and fit contextually with what shoppers expect from the category.

  • Matt Salem (07:42): “When you can provide contrast in the aisle, that's really what's going to help you in terms of standing out first and foremost and being seen.”

• Examples:
  Packaging innovations (like metallic toothpaste boxes) drove sales spikes… until every brand followed suit and the novelty wore off.

3. Behaviorally's 4S Framework for Packaging Success

• Four S's Unpacked:

  1. Seen – The package must be visually noticed.
  2. Shoppable – Easily distinguishable from competitors and variants within the brand.
  3. Seductive – Goes beyond basics, leveraging emotional cues and points of difference.
  4. Selected – The outcome of successfully activating the prior three S’s.
  • Matt Salem (09:26): “The 4S framework in and of itself is be seen, shoppable, seductive and selected.”

• Brand Size and Strategy:
  Existing giant brands focus on protecting key visual equities and habit, while newcomers must prioritize visibility and differentiation to gain a foothold.

  • Matt Salem (13:12): “If you're not seen, you're not sold. ...You need to be seen first and foremost.”

4. The Realities of In-Store Behavior

• Shopping in the Wild:
  Shopping with distractions (e.g., with kids) is closer to the real customer experience, showing what actually grabs attention amidst chaos.

  • Matt Salem (15:35): “With the kids, it's a quicker shopping experience, but when I'm alone... I actually tend to explore and investigate a little bit more.”

• Memorable Moments:
  The hosts share amusing stories about odd packaging (e.g., hash browns in a milk carton), highlighting how unexpected designs can be both attention-grabbing and perplexing.

5. Real-World Case Study: Gentleman Jack Whiskey

• Background:
  Despite a differentiated design from regular Jack Daniels, Gentleman Jack’s original packaging didn’t convey premium quality, resulting in underperformance.

• Transformation:
  By overhauling the packaging—upgrading the bottle structure, adding metallics and an embossed signature—Gentleman Jack sales rose 40%, attributed to the new packaging alone. The liquid inside was unchanged.

  • Matt Salem (19:10): “The real reason why [it’s my favorite case study] is because I am an avid whiskey drinker and it's about Gentleman Jack... They increased sales by a staggering 40%. ...the liquid inside did not change.”

• Key Insight:
  Packaging sets customer expectations and can even affect perception of quality and taste, separate from the product itself.

6. Tactile and Sensory Experience

• Multi-Sensory Impact:
  Touch, feel, and even the option to press/touch products through packaging (e.g., blankets or toys) deeply influence buying decisions.
  • Melina Palmer (23:45): “Touch has so much to do with the way we remember things. Do I want to pick that thing up or not?”

7. Leveraging AI & Data for Packaging Predictions

• Behavioral Science + Machine Learning:
  Behaviorally collects decades of primary shopper data worldwide, systematizes it (the “productized” behavioral science), and uses it to train AI models.

• Pack Power Score & Pack AI:

  • These tools use computer vision and behavioral data to predict which packaging designs will perform best before they're ever produced.
  • Matt Salem (24:58): “With Pack AI...the reason it came into existence is because clients were telling us, you know, it'd be great if earlier on... we had any data to help back these decisions.”

• Better than Just AI for AI’s Sake:
  It’s the quality of the behavioral data behind the AI that matters most, not just the technology itself.

  • Matt Salem (34:28): “Perhaps more important than the tech and the AI is what it's built on... it's built on real shopper data.”

8. Overcoming Internal Biases in Design

• Limitations of Internal Feedback:
  Decisions made based on personal preference (“I don’t like purple”) or consensus in a boardroom frequently overlook what actually resonates with shoppers.

• Data-Driven Design:
  Prediction tools allow companies to test, iterate, and validate decisions with behavioral evidence, reducing costly missteps.

  • Matt Salem (32:22): “Are you eliminating something based on personal bias and maybe it's the social norm in the room, ... meanwhile in the aisle and with the masses it could have worked.”

9. Practical Advice on Using AI and Data

• Choose Your Dataset Carefully:
  The accuracy and value of AI predictions depend on the richness, quality, and relevance of the underlying data—not just the flashiest tool.

• Predictive, Not Generative AI:
  Emphasize models built on “ground truth” behavioral outcomes (sales, choices in context) rather than generative AI trained on potentially irrelevant or fabricated info.

• Validation:
  Tools must link their predictions to real marketplace outcomes to remain credible.

  • Matt Salem (38:10): “We focus on... a 90% accuracy rate... acknowledging it’s AI, it's not perfect. One day will it be? Perhaps.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On packaging as a silent salesperson:

  • Matt Salem (05:07): “It really is the silent salesperson, as they say at the shelf. ...It explains why that product inside is the best product for them.”

• On the importance of context and contrast:

  • Matt Salem (07:42): “One word that I would use to describe [why packaging matters] is contrast.”

• On design iteration by AI:

  • Matt Salem (24:58): “AI can look at [behavioral and design data] concurrently and start to identify patterns...train a model to then make predictions.”

• On the danger of internal bias:

  • Matt Salem (32:22): “...the human element comes into play for better or worse...are you eliminating something based on personal bias?”

• On data quality powering AI:

  • Matt Salem (34:28): “...the data set that you're leveraging is absolutely a critical component as much so, if not more than the AI itself.”

• On packaging as the brand’s wardrobe:

  • Matt Salem (21:57): “We often refer to packaging as the wardrobe choice...if I come to you wearing [different outfits], you might have a different perception.”

Important Segments & Timestamps

• Why Packaging Matters/Consumer Denial: 05:07–06:25
• Contrast & Notable Packaging Examples: 07:42–09:11
• Unpacking the 4S Framework: 09:26–12:32
• Big Brands vs. Newcomers (Strategy): 13:12–15:27
• In-Store Shopping Experiences: 15:27–17:02
• Funny Packaging Story (Hash Browns in Milk Cartons): 17:02–18:27
• Gentleman Jack Case Study: 19:10–22:50
• Sensory Aspects of Packaging: 23:45–24:33
• Behavioral AI & Pack Power Score: 24:58–30:08
• Tool Development, Human Bias, and Data Quality: 30:08–37:24
• Predictive vs. Generative AI, Validation: 38:10–39:17
• Advice on AI for Packaging, Prompting Limitations: 39:28–40:31
• Where to Find the Book and More Resources: 41:11–42:18

Further Resources

• Buy the Book:
  • "Unpacked: Predict Packaging That Sells" available on Amazon (digital, audio, paperback).
• Learn More:
  • Behaviorally Website: www.behaviorally.com
  • Show notes and related content: thebrainybusiness.com/560

Final Thoughts

Whether you’re a packaging professional or someone curious about why people really pick what they pick, this episode offers both the science and real-world strategies to leverage packaging for sales success. Matt’s blend of data-backed frameworks, engaging stories, and actionable advice underscores a crucial message: If you ignore packaging, you’re missing out on one of your most powerful tools to influence perception and drive choice.

“Packaging is rarely neutral, no matter what people say or want to think. It shapes expectations, attention, perceived value, and impacts whether or not people buy and how much they end up actually paying.”
—Melina Palmer (43:05)