Standing Out in the Holiday Season: Creative Ideas for Using Flexible Packaging to Boost Slow-Moving Products
Ice sales plummet in the Fall and Winter. Holiday-themed ice bags allow for capture of the market that remains. Image is of a package we built for Shiver, a move that helped sustain sales through the slower season. Image: Portco.com
The holiday season is a critical time for brands, and it offers more than just an opportunity to drive sales of popular, festive products. It’s also a chance to breathe new life into items that typically slow down during certain times of the year. One effective way to accomplish this is through the use of holiday-themed flexible packaging. Not only does it help your brand stand out, but it can also spur sales for products that might not traditionally align with the season—like ice or hamburger patties. By giving these items a holiday makeover, companies can turn slow movers into seasonal favorites.
1. Reviving Ice Sales for Halloween and Winter Parties
Ice is one of those products that sees a significant drop in sales after summer ends. But what if you could boost sales in the fall and winter by making ice part of the holiday festivities? Party ice is a great example. By wrapping ice bags in Halloween-themed packaging—featuring spooky designs, haunted houses, or pumpkin imagery—brands can market ice as essential for Halloween parties. Similarly, festive, holiday-themed packaging for winter parties could encourage consumers to stock up on ice for Christmas or New Year’s celebrations, despite the cold weather.
Companies like Reddy Ice have experimented with this strategy, pushing ice as a necessary component for any festive gathering. Their Halloween-themed flexible packaging with bats and jack-o-lanterns has been used in some regions to market ice for spooky cocktails or cool punch bowls at Halloween parties. By using playful, themed packaging, ice goes from being a summer necessity to a party staple.
2. Rebranding Hamburger Patties for the Winter Holidays
Hamburger patties are another example of a product that peaks in summer but tends to slow down during the colder months. However, with the right holiday-themed packaging, you can reposition burgers as a cozy, indoor grilling option for family gatherings, holiday parties, or even New Year’s Eve celebrations. Consider packaging that features snowflakes, Christmas lights, or even clever “Grill & Chill” holiday messages.
Beyond Meat, for instance, has explored seasonal promotions in the past to highlight their plant-based patties as perfect for any occasion—even during the holiday season. By designing limited-edition holiday packaging and promoting recipes that cater to winter BBQs or indoor grilling, brands can transform patties from a summer-only product into a winter treat.
3. Chips and Snacks for Holiday Parties
Chips and snacks are common party foods, but their sales usually spike during summer barbecues, sports events, and backyard gatherings. To keep sales high during the holidays, companies often revamp their flexible packaging with festive designs. For example, Lay’s and Doritos have introduced holiday-themed bags with snowflakes, Christmas trees, and red-and-green color schemes. These seasonal visuals encourage consumers to stock up on chips for holiday parties, family gatherings, and cozy movie nights, even when outdoor picnics are long forgotten.
This kind of themed packaging helps shift consumer perception—chips aren’t just a summer BBQ essential, they’re a must-have for holiday snacking and entertaining.
4. Boosting Sales of Hot Dogs and Sausages
Like hamburgers, hot dogs and sausages often struggle during the colder months. However, by giving these products a holiday twist, brands can boost sales during the winter. Flexible packaging with holiday colors, snowmen, or “game day” themes for New Year’s Day football parties could make these products more appealing for seasonal consumers.
One successful example comes from Hillshire Farm, which introduced sausage products in limited-edition holiday packaging for winter gatherings. By marketing sausage as a versatile option for holiday appetizers, brands can make their products more appealing for festive occasions, repositioning them as part of charcuterie boards or party platters.
5. Coffee and Seasonal Packaging for Cozy Holiday Mornings
While coffee isn’t typically a “slow mover,” brands still capitalize on holiday-themed flexible packaging to boost sales even further. Seasonal packaging that features winter themes like snowflakes, festive mugs, or cozy scenes can transform coffee from a morning routine product into a holiday gift or treat for winter mornings.
Starbucks and Peet’s Coffee excel at this, with their retail coffee bags adorned with red and green holiday patterns, festive messaging, and even limited-edition flavors like peppermint mocha or holiday spice. This packaging not only makes the coffee bags stand out on shelves but also positions them as perfect gift items or cozy indulgences for the holiday season.
Why Holiday-Themed Flexible Packaging Works for Slower Sellers
Themed flexible packaging can be an incredibly effective way to spur sales for products that don’t typically align with the colder months or holiday themes. Here’s why it works:
Visual Appeal: Eye-catching designs help products stand out on store shelves, especially during the competitive holiday season. Consumers are more likely to grab a product with festive packaging, even if it’s not traditionally associated with the season.
Rebranding Potential: Products like ice, hamburger patties, or hot dogs can be repositioned for holiday gatherings and parties. By presenting them as essential items for Halloween bashes, Christmas dinners, or New Year’s celebrations, companies can create a new demand where there wasn’t one before.
Impulse Buys: The holiday season is a time for impulse purchases, and festive packaging is a trigger for these spontaneous decisions. Consumers might pick up an extra bag of chips or a pack of sausages simply because the packaging feels celebratory.
Gifting and Sharing: The holidays are all about sharing, and flexible packaging can make even everyday items feel special enough to be given as gifts or shared at holiday parties. Seasonal designs can turn ordinary products into something that feels festive and thoughtful.
Final Thoughts
Holiday-themed flexible packaging isn’t just about aesthetics—it’s a powerful tool for revitalizing sales of slower-moving products during the busy holiday season. Whether it’s repurposing ice for Halloween parties, rebranding burger patties for winter grilling, or using festive designs to encourage impulse purchases, holiday packaging can significantly impact a brand’s success. By tapping into the festive spirit, companies can turn summer-centric products into winter favorites and drive year-round sales.
As you prepare for the holiday season, consider how your brand can creatively use flexible packaging to reinvigorate slower-selling items and turn them into must-have products for holiday celebrations.