It\’s Hard To Imagine Buying Any Product Without Packaging
Packaging serves many purposes; protecting products, and helping brands create a unique identity; and some product packaging styles serve as game changers for the entire industry.
Let\’s be honest, we are all familiar with the black carbonated drink Coca-Cola and its unique bottle…
It took the company 125 years to perfect its packaging. The uniquely shaped coke bottle is distinctive enough to recognize it even by feeling it in the dark.
Now you must be wondering if it will take you the same time to perfect your packaging!
With so much information about packaging on the web, you must be confused when consuming all these endless articles about product packaging and what it entails for your brand and sales.
Take a breath, sit back and let us take you through the journey of creating the product packaging that SELLS!
You need to understand the importance of product packaging and how it can be the deciding factor in the success or failure of your company.
Deila Smith wisely said, \”In the absence of any other Marketing messages, our packaging – comprised of the trademark, our design, color and information – is the sole communicator of our brand essence. Put another way – when you don\’t have anything else – our packaging is our Marketing.\”
Yes, You Read It Right.
Your Marketing Relies Heavily On The Packaging!
When You Think About It, It Really Does Make Sense.
The packaging is the first and sometimes the only thing potential customers see of your product.
It is important to make a good first impression because you never get a second chance to do so.
Your packaging needs to be eye-catching and memorable to stand out from the competition.
It also needs to be functional and protect your product from damage.
Your packaging is an important part of your brand identity and needs to reflect your brand values.
Creating a unique and recognizable packaging design is a great way to make your brand memorable and give it a competitive edge.
Creating good product packaging is a tedious task.
You need to consider so many factors, such as the type of product, the target audience, the competition, and the cost.
This post has compiled the information you need to create, design and visualize your perfect product packaging.
Questions To Answer Before Getting Into Product Packaging\’s Design!
Before you start with the design of your product packaging, you need to answer some important questions. These will help you understand what exactly you need and want from your packaging.
What Is The Purpose Of The Packaging?
The first step is to understand the purpose of the packaging. Is it to protect the product? To attract attention? To convey information?
Answering this question will help you focus on the most critical aspects of the packaging.
Who Is Your Target Audience?
You need to understand your target audience and what they are looking for. This will help you design packaging that appeals to them.
What Is Your Sales Channel?
Your packaging needs to be designed keeping in mind the sales channel. If you are selling online, your packaging needs to be different from what you would use if you were selling in brick-and-mortar stores.
What Is The Competition Doing?
You need to understand what your competition is doing and try to find a way to stand out.
How Much Are You Willing To Spend On Packaging?
The cost of packaging is an important consideration. You need to find a balance between quality and cost.
What Are The Legal Requirements?
Certain legal requirements need to be met when designing packaging. These include things like labeling requirements and safety standards.
What Are The Physical Requirements?
The packaging needs to be designed keeping in mind the physical requirements of the product. For example, if it is a fragile product, you must ensure that the packaging is strong enough to protect it.
What Are Your Brand Values?
Your packaging needs to reflect your brand values. This will help you create a consistent brand identity.
What Is The Overall Look And Feel Of The Packaging?
You need to decide on the overall look and feel of the packaging. This includes things like the colors, fonts, and images that you will use.
We live in the information era, and packaging is one of the best ways to share information with the target audience. A good sales copy on packaging can help you groom the customers and sway their purchasing decision.
When you have the answers to all the questions mentioned above, now is the time to collect the essential information for the packaging.
Information To Collect Before Starting The Product Packaging\’s Journey
As a manufacturer, you will understand the steps required to create a perfect product that puts your company on the world\’s map. Subway\’s yellow and green packaging is the final result of years of customer surveys and rebranding approaches.
Subway is well known for its unique packaging that visually indicates speed and health. This also summarizes the company\’s place in the fast food market, where they\’re usually at least third or fourth behind competitors like McDonalds while maintaining customers who come back again.
You also have to find your footing in your respective industry. It can only be achieved with a clear understanding of the target market, good product packaging, and a versatile branding strategy.
Here is the key information you need before starting the product packaging journey.
Content That Needs To Go On Packaging
The product and the target market will determine the content that goes on the packaging. Certain elements are necessary for all packaging, such as the company name and logo, product name, product description, instructions for use, safety warnings, and contact information.
We have classified all the content into the following categories:
- Images
- Required Signs
- Written Copy
- Temporary Content
Images
Images are one of the most important aspects of product packaging. An image can convey a lot of information about the product and the brand. It can also be used to create an emotional connection with the customer.
Required Signs
There are certain signs that are required by law to be on the packaging. These include things like the nutrition facts label and the ingredient list.
Written Copy
The written copy on the packaging includes things like the product name, the description, and the instructions for use.
Whether you have no prior knowledge of the written copy or have been seeing success from the previous sales copy on the packaging, keeping these factors in mind will surely help:
- The Language Should Be Easy To Understand
- It Should Be Concise
- It Should Be Attention-Grabbing
Temporary Content
Temporary content is content that is put on packaging for marketing, promotional, or festive purposes. This includes things like discounts, offers, and coupons.
Budget
Budgeting for a small business is tedious, and you need to cater to many fixed and variable costs.
As a company\’s primary motive is to earn profits, you need to ensure that the overall profits are greater than your costs.
You need to understand the budgeting for your product packaging to minimize the packaging\’s costs.
Here are two primary types of costs that you will have to incur when you are creating custom packaging for your products:
- One-Time Cost
- Per-Item Cost
One-Time Cost
The one-time cost is the cost you incur for creating the packaging design and setting up the production process. This includes things like design fees, plate charges, and die charges.
Per-Item Cost
The per-item cost is the cost you incur for each packaging unit. This includes things like the cost of the materials, the printing, and the finishing.
When creating your budget, you need to consider both the one-time cost and the per-item cost. You also need to remember that the per-item cost will vary depending on the quantity of packaging you order.
Likes And Dislikes As Per Your Brand\’s Marketing Strategy
When you are creating the packaging for your product, you need to keep in mind the likes and dislikes of your target market.
You also need to keep in mind the marketing strategy of your brand.
The packaging of your product should be in line with the brand identity you are trying to create.
For example, if you are trying to create a luxury brand, then the packaging of your product should be luxurious.
On the other hand, if you are trying to create a budget-friendly brand, then your product packaging should be simple and cost-effective.
Some of the things that you need to keep in mind while creating the packaging for your product are:
- The Colors That You Use
- The Fonts That You Use
- The Overall Design Of The Packaging
An In-Depth Look At The Product Packaging\’s Design Process
After you have gathered all the information required for creating the product packaging, it\’s time for the fun part: the design process!
Remember that you should tell the brand\’s story with the help of your packaging.
Many brands are doing it, so why can\’t YOU?
Packaging\’s design reflects your overall branding strategy and marketing goals.
This step-by-step guide will help you create a packaging design that is not only creative but also tells your brand\’s story in the best way possible:
Understanding Packaging Layers
There are two basic types of packaging layers that you need to understand when you are designing the box.
- Outer Packaging
- Inner Packaging
Outer Packaging
The outer packaging has two main functions. It protects your product from damage during shipping and displays it to customers in a way that encourages them make purchases with you!
The first thing someone will see when browsing through store\’s items is how well-oriented you are about protecting goods, which means they\’ll know right away whether this isn\’t just another ragtag bunch of throwaways waiting for the trashcan but rather quality goods worth investing time into owning (or at least having!).
Inner Packaging
Inner packaging is what prevents your product from getting jostled or scuffed while it\’s being transported. This could be through the use of packing peanuts and/or tissue paper, which stops something in its tracks before being damaged by bumping into other objects on its journey toward you; however, these aren\’t always enough!
Sometimes an additional seal will have been applied at this stage too – one designed specifically for preserving freshness until the delivery day arrives (and then some).
Choose The Right Type Of Packaging
Boxes and bottles both have their benefits. A bottle is better if you want your product to be shelf-stable, but a box suit well when it comes time for shipping or display purposes because they\’re easier storage options! The choice ultimately boils down what\’s going in the container – so think about which option works best with whatever needs you may have before making any final decisions.
The decision between Boxes vs Bottles can sometimes seem easy (especially considering how similar these two types appear at first glance), however there are still plenty more factors worth considering, such as durability/shipping weight etc.
No matter what you sell, your success will depend on how well it sells. And if the product is something that has to be consumed quickly and easily? There are very few options for consumers because they only have one option: buy from you!
Here is a quick guide that settles the plastic vs glass packaging debate and helps you choose the right product packaging for your brand.
Understanding Print Quality
The printer is your best friend when it comes time for printing. You might not think about them until after the design process begins, but they can help you in so many ways!
They will have information on how much something costs and what kind of paper or other materials would work well with certain designs – essentially saving both designer AND client some major headaches down the road by making these decisions beforehand (and at least giving everyone involved an opportunity).
Dielines
With a standard-sized box or label, printers should be able to provide dieline templates that can be shared with designers.
Color Options
Optionally, you can have your prints printed on demand and picked up at our store. For those who are looking to use a specific color from the Pantone database of colors (which includes overBase) we also offer this service!
Printing Options
What type of printing does your printer use? If it\’s offset, what is the minimum order number and how does cost scaling work for you in that situation?
Creating Information Architecture
You can have all of the best features in an awesome product, but if customers don\’t know what they\’re getting into, then it\’s not going to do you much good. It\’s time for a change and we\’re here with just that – new information architecture!
There are many things to consider when designing a package for your product. What is the one thing you want customers looking at it? You can have all sorts of other great information and graphics but without captivating their attention with an engaging message, they won\’t be worth anything!
To make a sale, you need to know what your target audience is thinking. And the best way for us (the company) understands their needs and wants? The customer does that! We should ask them three questions: Who\’s buying our product? Where do they find us online or in stores?! How much have I already spent on this???
Evaluate The Packaging Design
You need to ensure that the packaging you have designed will turn heads and get people talking about your product. The best way to do this is to put it in front of as many sets of eyes as possible and see how they react!
If you\’re happy with what you\’ve got, then it\’s time to move on to the next phase – production!
While reviewing and evaluating the packaging, here are key pointers that you should keep in mind:
How Will Packaging Look In Retail Stores?
Shelf-impact is important for products that are sold in stores. You\’ll want to consider how much of the packaging will be visible when they\’re lined up next together, and if you can only see one face, then make sure your most crucial info comes front and center! What kind of pattern does this create? Do we wish it was different than other shelves around here – maybe by making all sorts or colors more varied?\”
Is Your Packaging Reusable?
When you\’re thinking about how your packaging can be reused, it might not always occur to consider what kinds of things people would want the package for. But one way that this is useful!
Does Packaging Design Reflect Your Branding Strategy?
When you look at the package, is there a clear indication of what this product does and who it\’s intended for? Buyers are only going to spend money on things they understand.
Make sure your packaging doesn\’t give off any confusing vibes – unless that was intentional!
Is Packaging The Right Representation Of Your Product?
The worst thing you can do is misrepresent your product in the packaging. Make sure any photos of what\’s inside are pictures of that particular item, not just generic images with muffins filled up to look like they have more than one raisin each time!
What Does The Packaging Look Like In 3d?
Good designers should provide a print-ready version of their work and 3D models for feedback. You can make your own mockups by printing something out on white paper and constructing it into boxes, tubes or other shapes that are useful when designing products online without seeing what they will look like in real life – this way you notice things before going live with the product! Sometimes images look good but terrible once constructed (or vice versa). Make sure to understand all these differences so no mistakes get made during production time
Mistakes To Avoid When Designing Your Box
It is true that \”Mistakes are costly, and somebody must pay.\” When you are creating the packaging for the first time, there is a huge chance of making some mistakes along the way.
Well, we are here to make sure you don\’t do any!
The Best Time To Correct A Mistake Is Before It Is Made
Here are some mistakes that even the veterans do and these can cost a lot, if repeated!
Using Excessive Packaging
When you use excessive packaging that fails to add value, you are wasting valuable time and money and potentially degrading the quality of their experience with your brand. The consumer should be able enter into a relationship with every component – from unboxings all throughout childhood until they leave as an adult without any regrets about what was wasted or thrown away in order for them have lasting images associated within these moments which exceed expectations
Adding Illegible Prints:
There\’s little point in including prints or labels if your customers can\’t read them.
You\’re removing value from the packaging and opening up shopping experience to unwanted friction, frustration, and potential anger!
This is one of those mistakes that should be avoided at all costs because they may render products unusable and reflect poorly on the brands themselves, resulting in negative perceptions by consumers.
Incorrect Type Of Packaging:
Pay attention to the type of corrugated cardboard used in your packaging. The materials should serve a functional purpose by preventing damage during transit, but choosing incorrectly can lead you down an expensive path with no return for all those involved-including yourself!
Using Generic Designs
Generic designs are unappealing, difficult to differentiate from the competition, and rarely do a good job of representing your unique brand.
One of main purposes for packaging is to provide an attractive platform on which potential customers can be captivated by what you offer – setting them apart from competing items right away while also providing enough substance so as not to leave those who view it feeling like there\’s no effort put forth or original thought behind its design-which would push many people away if they feel ignored afterwards!
How To Ensure A Perfect Packaging Experience
- Start By Choosing Materials
- Customize The Packaging\’s Exterior
- Finalize Interior Printing
- Keep Your Packaging Simple
- Make It Personal
- Don\’t Lose Focus/Pay Attention To All Packaging\’s Aspects
- Consider Sustainable Materials/Take Environment Into Consideration
- Test And Adapt Accordingly
- Keep Laws And Regulations In Consideration
- Invest In Professional Work/Consider Professional Services
Start By Choosing Materials
The first step is to identify what materials will be used in your packaging.
You need to make sure that the materials you select are durable and fit for purpose, as well as being eco-friendly and recyclable where possible.
Cardboard boxes are a popular choice for many companies as they are strong and can be easily recycled.
Customize The Packaging\’s Exterior
Once you have selected the materials for your packaging, you need to start thinking about how you are going to customize the exterior.
Your company logo should be prominently placed on the packaging and other branding elements such as colors and fonts.
You also need to consider what images and text you are going to use, as this will play a big role in how customers perceive your packaging.
Finalize Interior Printing
The next step is to finalize the interior printing. This includes choosing the right paper stock and ensuring high print quality.
You also need to think about how you will lay out the text and images, as this will impact the overall look and feel of the packaging.
Keep Your Packaging Simple
Once you have finalized the exterior and interior printing, you must keep your packaging simple.
This means avoiding too many colors and patterns, as this can make the packaging look busy and unprofessional.
You also need to ensure that the packaging is easy to open and close, making it more user-friendly.
Make It Personal
One way to make your packaging more personal is to include a handwritten note.
This is a great way to show your customers that you care about them and are willing to go the extra mile to make their experience with your brand positive.
Don\’t Lose Focus/Pay Attention To All Packaging\’s Aspects
It is important to remember that all aspects of your packaging must be considered.
This includes the materials, the printing, the design, and the overall functionality.
If any one of these elements is not up to par, it can reflect poorly on your brand and result in unhappy customers.
Consider Sustainable Materials/Take Environment Into Consideration
When choosing materials for your packaging, you need to consider the impact that they will have on the environment.
You should try to use sustainable materials where possible, as this will show your customers that you are taking their concerns about the environment seriously.
Test And Adapt Accordingly
Once you have designed your packaging, you need to make sure that it fits.
The best way to do this is to test it out and see how it works in the real world.
If you find that there are any problems, make sure to adapt accordingly so that your packaging is as effective as possible.
Keep Laws And Regulations In Consideration
There are a number of laws and regulations that you need to keep in mind when designing your packaging.
For example, you need to ensure that your packaging is safe for food products and meets all the necessary requirements.
Failure to do so could result in serious problems down the line.
Work With A Professional
If you want to make sure that your packaging is of the highest quality, it is a good idea to work with a professional.
They will be able to advise you on the best materials to use, the most effective design, and how to test and adapt your packaging so that it is fit for purpose.
By following these tips, you can be sure that your packaging will be professional, user-friendly, and environmentally friendly. And most importantly, it will make a great impression on your customers.
