Posts in "Packaging Design"

Product Packaging: Tips for a Memorable Unboxing Experience

What is product packaging?

Product packaging encompasses science, art, and technology. It includes the science of enclosing a product and the art of crafting meaningful designs and technology for creating your information architecture. It is a way you present your product to the customer.

Every packaging has a story through its text, colors, graphics, touch, and smell. In addition, it helps to handle and store the product. For most people, packaging refers to only the physical items, including glass bottles or boxes with the product inside. However, it also includes the grouped products bought in a single unit for a specific target audience.

Pre-requisites for packaging

Some fundamental thinking factors before starting product packaging are:

Type of product:

  • Size, shape, material, delicacy of goods

The target audience of the product:

  • Gender: men/women/both
  • Age: Children/adults/elderly

Finances/budget:

  • The frequency range of income
  • Where is the product displayed and bought?

Sourced through which product is bought:

  • Online, supermarket, or convenience store

How to evaluate your packaging design?

The packaging reveals a brand. It shows how the product is manufactured and the impact factor of the brand among competitors. Hence, product packaging should stand out among all comparable products and have a successful product redesigning branding history.

You should assemble information for the following in evaluating the perfect design:

Color:

Colors help to communicate a brand’s message instantly. There might be few colors in your logo/design, but the color palette defines the branding strategy. Include CMYK values/hex codes for all hues, as they are used for printing.

Type of text/font:

Think about using appropriate fonts to specify the information. For example, product information should be in a box, weight or quantity in bold letters, and the product barcode in a big font.

You must conduct market research for your inspiration for every font style or image you prefer.

Brand Logo:

It is the center point for packaging and should be kept as a vector file to avoid pixels in the image.

Material:

You need to decide on the packing material for packaging, including cardboard, paperboard, plastic, bio-degradable, clamshells, foil, or boxes.

Finances:

The foremost question you should consider is how much the expenses are on package design and what will be the ROI for the business.

The finances are divided into one-time and per-item costs:

  • One-time payments are only once unless you decide to change the design—for example, payments for printing setup or stamps.
  • Per-item costs include payments for materials and the workforce involved in packaging; for example, payments for every individual involved in the packaging process or boxing products in packages.

Easy steps for Packaging Design Process:

Once you have your data and brainstormed all aspects, you can follow these steps for creating functional design packages:

Step 1: Select product packaging and packaging layers:

  • State of product:

Pick and choose appropriate product packaging while being creative. For instance, if it is a fizzy drink, you might select between plastic bottles or aluminum tin. Similarly, for juice, companies have turned towards introducing juice packets.

Choose an appropriate box/container with accurate measurements and material.

  • Select the number of packaging layers required for the product, which includes:
    • External packaging; a shopping bag or a shipping box
    • Internal packaging; for extra protection of the product

Step 2: Market and competition analysis

Observe the companies selling a similar product as yours and think about how your packaging can stand out and attract more customers. Then, do a market analysis that can help you be eye-catching in a given budget and is ideal for your target audience.

Step 3: Get your printer ready.

Keep your designs in the required file formats for printing. For example, you may need PDF, PNG, or JPG formats with a specific template.

Step 4: Evaluation of the final look:

Always look for feedback for the final look and check for any amendments. Ask yourself the following questions:

  • Does the packaging represent the correct product?
  • Are the advertised product pictures real or manipulated?
  • How will it look on an aisle among other products?
  • Is it attracting the right target audience?
  • Are design and packaging all-rounder?

Answering the above questions can help you understand if your efforts are commendable. If not, you can always start from the beginning and figure out the required changes.

10 Tips for Designing Great Packages

When you’ve spent time and effort getting your product right, the packaging is the final step. When you place your product on a shelf or hang it on display, the package will serve as the silent spokesperson for the brand. Therefore, it must look excellent and function flawlessly.

Graphic design for packaging

Pack your product in a way that communicates the right message.

  • Create a package tailored to your brand and your customers. 

Make sure you consider who you’re selling to and what will be appealing and interesting to them. You should use graphics that relate to the contents of the packaging. Unlike high-tech electronics, baby products would have a completely different appearance.

  • Use the right wording to sell and tell.

You should explain what your product is and why people will be interested in buying it in the packaging. Be as simple as possible. Make sure there is not too much text or too many graphics on the package. Getting someone’s attention only takes seconds. Use them wisely!

  • Make sure to pick the right colors and fonts.

Packages should be visually appealing but not garish. Instead of fighting or conflating with the product, colors should complement and enhance it. Make sure that the typeface chosen works well with the product’s logo. Planning graphics that are versatile can help a product line to feature a wide range of products.

  • Honesty is key.

You’ll lose customers if the label on the package doesn’t match what’s inside. Graphics should be appealing, of course, but you must also deliver the goods and match your buyers’ expectations.

  • Assure that your design works overall

If you’re selling online, your packaging needs to photograph well as well as stand out on shelves. It may be printed in a newspaper ad or magazine ad. Your packaging needs to look sharp on computer screens and mobile devices, and you may use elements of the design on signage and promotional apparel. Make it multifunctional.

  • Engineering of package design

In the end, the most beautiful package in the world won’t help much if it’s not functional.

  • Make sure the package fits the product.

Think about shape, size, functionality, and the materials you’ll use. Ensure that it’s a durable, easy-to-open, and easy-to-carry bag. Adding handles or some other method of picking up a heavy product would be helpful. Customers will expect high-end packaging for high-end items.

  • Choose a package that is easy to use.

Provide an easy-to-open mechanism. Before deciding how the package should be designed, think about the item’s intended use. Provide a spout on your package if your product pours. Make sure the item is resealable if it isn’t single-use. 

  • Think about the environment and be environmentally friendly.

Overpackaging turns off many consumers. You don’t need as many bags, boxes, and plastics as you think. Package the product in such a way that minimizes waste.

  • Maintain and protect.

Food safety is a priority. To enhance safety and prevent tampering, the Food and Drug Administration regulates packaging. Packaging is essential to ensure the product stays fresh and travels well. You need to make sure that your packaging keeps your product intact while it is being shipped to stores and consumers.

  • The product must be stackable and storable.

If your item is odd-shaped, your retailer might have trouble sticking it on a shelf or in a storeroom or warehouse. Design your product to fit in the storeroom.