How many times have you stopped to look at a product because the packaging caught your eye? Did the appearance of two similar products influence your decision when you had to choose between them? While we should try not to judge things based on their appearance, the truth is that we care a lot about first impressions. In a world like this, the appearance of a product's packaging is just as important as the product itself. Because, no matter how good your product is, poor packaging design will reduce sales.
There are numerous factors to consider when selecting a product's packaging. It must protect what is inside, allow for easy storage, and display information about the contents.
What Is the Value of Design?
The design of your package is critical to your success. It has the potential to entice customers to purchase your product. Looks are important in today's world. That is why so many companies invest heavily in product packaging design. They have no qualms about hiring the best package designers they can find.
Furthermore, through the use of unique designs, on-brand colour palettes, and font choices, well-executed design plays an important role in brand association.
Packaging design is important for a variety of reasons, but we believe the following are the most important:
1) Creates a favourable first impression
As previously stated, first impressions are extremely important, especially when your product needs to stand out in a sea of similar products. An eye-catching packaging design will set your product apart from the crowd, whether it's on store shelves or the pages of an eCommerce website. This is your first chance to win over customers and introduce them to your brand, so make the most of it.
2) Creates and sustains brand identity
Your brand has a backstory as well as an identity that you have worked hard to develop. What better way to highlight brand identity than through packaging design? After all, it is what customers notice first. Make sure your packaging design clearly displays your company logo and uses fonts, colors, and trademarks associated with your company to ensure it tells an accurate story about your brand. Your customers will be able to recognise your products no matter where they are.
3) Customer communication
Whatever you do with packaging design, keep in mind that it must also be informative. It must communicate with customers and inform them of everything they need to know in order to convince them of the product on the inside. The following questions must be answered by good packaging design:
• Who is this product aimed at?
• What is the purpose of this product?
• Where can I find out more about the company?
• Is it going to expire? When?
• How will this product make my life better?
4) Standing Out from the Crowd
You can help differentiate yourself from other brands with similar products by using a unique colour palette and having an eye-catching logo on your packaging. You could even create an interactive package, as using innovative designs can create buzz, attract customers, and help you stand out in a crowd.
How to Make Appealing Product Packaging?
To design good product packaging, you must first determine a few factors. These three questions will assist the designer in creating something that speaks to your brand's values and image:
• What exactly are you selling?
This is not meant to be a difficult or tricky question, but rather one that will assist you in determining the functionality of the packaging. The packaging's strength and size will be determined by the material, size, and type of product you're selling.
• Who will purchase your product?
Knowing your audience will help you learn how to appeal to them. When designing the product packaging, keep your ideal customer in mind.
• What is the aesthetic of my brand?
Because packaging design must represent your brand, you must inform the designer of the aesthetics to be used. This includes colors, fonts, logos, and, if applicable, imagery.
After you've determined the above factors, it's time to start working on the packaging design. Here. To create a design that speaks to your audience, represents your brand, and is functional, the designer will consider the product itself, the competition, and your budget.
Once the design is complete, it must be evaluated using the following criteria:
• Simple to understand: Will customers be able to tell what your product is and what it does just by looking at it? You don't want to confuse your customers.
• Sincerity: Does your product's packaging accurately represent it? Make sure that the images or graphics on the packaging are as realistic as possible. Of course, you should use your best images, but make sure they don't make your product appear more expensive than it is.
• Versatility: Even if you only have one product for sale right now, you may want to expand in the future. Make sure the packaging design is adaptable enough to accommodate additional products as needed.
The following are some of the most recent packaging design trends:
1) Illustrations and collages are used
One of the most popular trends in packaging design is the use of hand-drawn elements.
2) Gradients are being used more frequently
Gradients are a quick and easy way to add colour and texture to plain designs. The use of gradients in packaging design is a major industry trend.
3) Unusual typography is used
Typography is an art form in and of itself. Choosing the right font for brand communication is critical. The use of unconventional typography in packaging design is on the rise, with unique fonts and experimental, stylized text giving your packaging an edgy and powerful appearance.
4) Handmade and handcrafted designs are used
In the world of packaging design, the 'Handcrafted Look' is popular. Customers are increasingly preferring brown craft paper with plain white or black printing. Shiny packaging is losing favour, and the world of the slightly unpolished 'Handcrafted Look' has arrived.
5) Introduction of environmentally friendly packaging
Many businesses are emphasising the use of sustainable, reusable, and recyclable packaging as people become more aware of the environmental impact of packaging. Fewer plastics and other non-biodegradable materials are being used, with a greater emphasis on environmentally friendly packaging.
6) Value-engineered packaging deployment
This trend entails making the most of a product's packaging by minimising waste, maximising space, and designing functional packaging. This trend is all about maximising the functionality of a product's packaging, whether for storage and shipping, repurposing and reusability, or advertising your brand.
7) The introduction of personalised packaging
As personalised marketing has dominated the digital space, it has also become a popular trend in packaging design. Many businesses are now personalising colours, graphics, and even special messages for customers in packaging design.
The Consequences of Unappealing Packaging
Face it: the same product is more appealing when packaged neatly and attractively than when packaged in unappealing packaging. And, in an age when some product categories must consider how their product packaging appears in YouTube unboxing videos and Instagram photos, aesthetics simply cannot be overlooked.
And it isn't easy. Not only must your food packaging design make an impact to catch the shopper's attention, but it must also avoid being garish or tacky. Graphics, colours, fonts, and which information to include on which packaging panel are all important considerations. While the packaging design of your product must attract attention, it must also transfer existing, positive consumer attitudes to your packaging. A package design must be many things, but it must not be ugly.
Occasionally, the packaging is more recognisable than the product itself.
CPG packaging must convey both what your brand stands for and how it will benefit the customer's life. Most consumers are bombarded with branding messages and lack the time and desire to compare and contrast all of their options. As a result, they resort to shortcuts, which are frequently manifested in their reaction to a product's packaging.
Packaging tells your customers why your brand is superior, and in some cases, packaging can say the equivalent of thousands of words with the bare minimum of text. For example, we all know what the Tiffany blue jewellery box represents, even if most of us would struggle to identify a piece of jewellery outside of its packaging as a Tiffany.
Such iconic design is difficult, but not impossible, in the CPG space. If, for example, a popular brand of cream cheese begins producing and selling butter, it stands to reason that the butter packaging should reflect the same qualities that customers appreciate in their cream cheese packaging. Brands that are easily recognised across a variety of products have a competitive advantage over those that are not.
Conclusion
Packaging design is one of the most powerful marketing mediums, yet it is often overlooked by businesses. It can be your 24-hour, 365-day advertising medium on retail shelves. Though it is encouraging to see that companies have recently recognised the importance of packaging design, it remains a low priority for many brands. Packaging design is critical in the branding process, especially when it comes to new product launches. The packaging design and materials used in the packaging work together to create a perception of product quality in the minds of consumers.
Allow DesignLab to assist you in selecting the best package design for your products in order to make them look visually appealing. Please contact us if you have any questions.
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