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When was the last time you went to the pub, and what did you drink? Perhaps you supped from a branded glass, or noticed some of the marketing collateral or fonts around the bar. Or maybe you engaged in one of the little pub rituals: watching the barman pour your Guinness in two stages, or squeezing the wedge of lime into your bottle of Corona.

The on-trade is traditionally where the drinks business has created meaning for consumers. But the on-trade has been hit hard by the general decline in out-of-home drinking, the smoking ban and the recession. Drinking at home, on the other hand, has never really been seen or marketed as an event or occasion.

Beer brands in particular have always seen bulk pack beer from supermarkets as a way of selling high volumes cheaply - they raise the awareness of the brand for when these consumers do go to a pub or bar. Margins on these products are often low or non-existent, so their packaging is generally cheap and production-efficient. Consumer experience is rarely a consideration.

But with dozens of pubs closing every week, this view of the role of off-trade packaging has to change. Alcohol packaging, now more than ever, needs to create value and meaning for the customer.

Think about it - consumers happily drink beer in the park, at barbecues, festivals, and dinner parties or even just in front of the TV. But so far, very few of these opportunities have been properly exploited with packaging that capitalises on or even creates these experiences.

For example, you could have packs of beer that are designed to be taken to the park, or to be filled with ice at a barbecue to keep cans cool. Last year, we designed a pack for Guinness that created an instant poker night - it contained cards and chips, a rule book, poker drinks coasters - and the pack even unfolded to create a green ‘baize' playing area.

Another great example is the Heineken draft keg, a device that encourages drinking in a social context, with mates. A keg at a party or an evening in with mates is a talking point; a reason to get together and celebrate. Beer for dining is another growing area - look at the wine-bottle sized 8% King Cobra, clearly meant to accompany a meal.

As an increasing number of consumers stay at home rather than going to the pub, and even stay at home rather than going on holiday, paying a small premium for a fun and relevant drinking experience will not be seen as bad value. This additional revenue will allow brand owners to invest in the brand experience that packaging can deliver, reinforcing the meaning of the brand and increasing margins.

Jon Davies is managing director of Buckinghamshire-based packaging design agency Holmes & Marchant.