When releasing a new product, brands have a clear goal: sell as many as possible. One of the best ways to do this, apart from creating a high-quality product that meets consumer needs, is to create a compelling packaging design that stands out from the crowd. So whether you’ve chosen to package your product in stand up pouches, side gusset pouches, or vacuum pouches, you must focus on creating a packaging design that communicates your brand messages and captures the attention of consumers.
Seven Product Packaging Design Tips
By following these seven product packaging design tips, you can increase the likelihood that your product captures the attention of your target audience:
Fit the packaging to the product inside
A mistake that companies sometimes make is that they have a brilliant idea for the product packaging, but it is not fully tailored to the product inside the packaging. Make sure your packaging is practical and functional in terms of size, shape and materials, as a product which is difficult to use won’t win over customers. For example, making the product packaging too large for the product inside may make customers feel like they’ve been short-changed.
Consider eco-friendly options
A growing number of consumers are searching for eco-friendly products contained in eco-friendly packaging. A survey conducted by the Chartered Institute of Marketing found that 8 out of 10 consumers want more sustainable packaging, and 82 per cent of adults believed that companies use too much packaging for their products. As a result, many companies are moving away from wasteful boxes and plastic and glass bottles and are instead turning to durable pouches made from eco-friendly materials.
Keep your customer in mind
When designing your product’s packaging, think about the target audience that is likely to buy your product. What type of packaging would appeal to them? Would they be swayed by graphics or high-quality images of the products inside? What would grab their attention and convince them to put the product in their basket? Designing your product packaging to suit your customers will increase the likelihood that they choose your product over a competitor’s.
Use clear, compelling copy
The copy on your packaging should tell your customer exactly what is inside and why they should buy your product over a competitor’s. You have around 4 seconds to capture the customer’s attention, so use it wisely! Don’t include too much text or distracting graphics, as the customer may feel overwhelmed and opt for another product instead.
Be mindful of fonts and colours
The appearance of your packaging holds a lot of sway with customers. While it’s tempting to capture your customer’s attention by loading your product packaging design with bright colours and eye-catching fonts, you may simply overwhelm them. Garish, outlandish fonts and colours may distract from the copy on your design, making it more difficult for customers to find out what your product is and why they should purchase it over a competitor’s product. The colours you choose should reflect the brand’s identity and the nature of your product. For example, supplement brands often include green in the branding because it is associated with health, nature and relaxation.
Use high-quality imagery
If you decide to include images on your product packaging, they must be of the highest possible quality. Anything less than high-quality will make your product appear cheap and unreliable. As a result, consumers will likely turn to a competitor’s product instead.
Be honest about your product
Finally, you must be honest about the product that resides inside the packaging. Several high-profile brands have been caught out for being dishonest on product packaging, and the result is a brand’s worst nightmare: a tidal wave of negative PR. For example, several brands have been caught packaging products in a wrapper or box that is almost twice as big as the product itself. Naturally, customers feel misled about the size of the product. To avoid this scenario, many companies are turning to pouches, as they contain a larger volume of product, meaning your customers don’t feel misled about how much product they are receiving.
In Summary
The design of your product’s packaging plays a vital role in consumer buying decisions. For example, a survey conducted by IPSOS found that over 70 per cent of consumers say that product packaging influences purchasing decisions. For this reason, brands need to ensure that their packaging designs are eco-friendly, fit the product inside, and keep the customer in mind by meeting their needs. Additionally, the copy on the packaging must be clear and compelling, and fonts and colours should complement the brand’s identity. Images should be of the highest possible quality. Finally, above all, the packaging should accurately portray the product inside to avoid customer disappointment.
