When designing packaging for a new product or a redesign for an existing product, there are a number of different factors you need to be aware of. Packaging can make a huge difference both to the potential buyer’s comprehension of the product, and also its ability to sell, so it right that you should take the time to look at the various options available.
Modern bag and pouch packaging specialists such as The Bag Broker, offer great insights into how good packaging can make the difference between a successful product and one that doesn’t live up to its potential. Here are five rules that your business should follow to create amazing product packaging.
1. Invest in high quality packaging materials
When you are designing the look of your packaging it is natural to want to create an eye-catching design that will impress customers and fly off the shelves. But equally, you need to consider the practicality of the container and packaging. This means that when you come to design or redesign your packaging, it’s a good idea to first start with the base shape and style of the packaging. Investing in high quality packaging can make all the difference.
For example, in 2002 Heinz came up with a new packaging design that was a huge deviation from what had come before. The company literally had to turn their branding it on its head, when they began to produce upside down bottles – instead of the opening being at the top, it was moved to the bottom. This instantly made the product more practical but they chose to make the bottles out of plastic to allow them to be squeezable.
2. Keep it simple and obvious
The last thing you want to do is confuse your customers with your packaging. Often companies creating their packaging are far too interested in selling the benefits and advantages of choosing their product but they forget to make it clear and obvious what the product is or what it does.
On average, customers will spend no more than 4 seconds evaluating a product on a shelf. This means that you have got just 4 seconds to get across what your product is for and why someone should buy it. Ultimately, then, you have to prioritise simplicity.
3. Stand out from the crowd
Remember that your product is very rarely seen in isolation. If it is a physical product that is sold in shops, remember that it will be competing with other products on the shelves. Even in an online-only environment it is vital that your product should stand out from the crowd and attract attention. So it is important that you should have in mind what your competitors are doing when you work on your design.
Doing something unique and different is important, but it should also be pointed out that in some situations – for example if you make a product that you want to get into supermarkets. There will be certain sizes and shapes that they will prefer.
4. Be honest
Of course it is important for your packaging to tempt customers in and make them want to buy. But you don’t want to give potential customers the wrong impression about your product. Sometimes packaging designers can be too eager to imagine and idealised version of a product, which can lead the packaging to be misleading. (Check out some of our favourite packaging designs of 2018 here)
If the product inside the packaging disappoints the customers because they were expecting something different due to the representation on the packaging in can ultimately lead them to have an extremely negative perception of your brand.
5. In keeping with your brand
It is also vital that you should design packaging that is in keeping with your overall branding. This is especially true if you have already released products and have loyal customers. If, when you launch your redesigned packaging, they are unable to recognise the new style, you can put people off buying.
Ensure that you add in visual cues that make it easy for customers to recognise your brand and distinguish it from competitors. The last thing you want to do with a redesign is lose existing customers.
Written by Dakota Murphey, independent writer working with modern bag and pouch packaging specialists The Bag Broker.
