How to Use Product Packaging Design for Effective Branding

Let’s start with a simple fact. Every year millions of new products are launched. And, around 95% of them fail.

Before you ask us why, let us ask you a question instead.

When you go to a shopping mall or browse through an e-commerce portal for a product, what do you look at first?

Is it the quality, the feel or the usefulness?

How do you get more information about a product?

The answer is simple. The first thing we see about a product is its packaging. As a customer, we form our first perception about a brand with its packaging. If it isn’t impressive enough, a brand loses its customer there and then.

This little example shows you the importance of product packaging.

Product package designis the first impression of your brand but many of us tend to overlook its importance. In this article, we will discuss how packaging design can help our products fare betterover its competitors

1. KNOW YOUR CUSTOMERS:

   Your target market has everything to do with product packaging. Factors like font, color palette and other such design elements are based on your target market. For example, if your potential customers are toddlers, your designs will be fun, cartoon-centric and colorful.

   If you’re into bakery business, your cake box design should be colorful and celebratory. People order cakes on a happy occasion, your product packaging must reflect their thoughts.

   Thus, understanding the people who would possibly buy your products helps in developing a creative packaging design. A tip from our side - before you finalize a final design, try it out on a sample group and get their feedback.

2. KNOW YOUR COMPETITORS:

   You must have an idea of what is the trend going on in the industry when it comes to product box design. Your product will be placed amongst all your competitors and your design should be able to stand out. So, you need to keep an eye on what kind of packaging design your competitors are adopting.

   Let’s say, you need a product design for tea packets. If your packaging design has generic tea plantations, it will look similar to all. So, your efforts should be aimed at making a unique tea packaging design.

3. USE THE RIGHT FONTS:

   You might have chosen an attractive color palette, an amazing graphic design for your packages. But, if your information is not legible, then, everything falls flat. You need to choose your text font and typography clearly.

   If it’s a design for fragrances and cosmetic, sweet and minimalist designs are the best. For example, A perfume box design must entice the buyer with its beautiful fonts.

   Our education system has taught us to use ornamental, cursive writing but it should not be preferred in packaging design. It is the age of minimalism and your customers want to get their information in a bold, clear and simple font.






4. TEST IT IN A STORE:

   We have spoken about understanding the packaging design strategy of your competitors. What is also equally important to understand your package design’s shelf impact. Consumers never look at a product individually. It will be placed amongst hundreds of other similar products.

   If you’re planning to sell chocolate, how would you compel buyers to purchase your products when thousands of chocolates are still available? This is where packaging design comes into play. Your chocolate packaging design should make them stop and pick up your product, at least. The best way to find that out is by testing it in a store.

   Your package design must have a design so eye-catching that your customer is forced to pick it up in between many similar offerings. Our tip is to research all your competitors packaging and make notes about what factors could make your packaging look different.

5. TAKE CARE OF THE PACKAGING MATERIAL:

   It sounds like a simple task but choosing the right material for your product packaging is also equally important. If your product is heavy, your material should be able to protect it from any damage.

   Most importantly, use material which is eco-friendly. Not only is it good for our planet, it is also preferred by most environment-conscious customers. Always refrain from using plastic. FYI, glass packaging is back in the vogue.

   
   
   
   

THE VERDICT:

Product packaging is the first thing that your customer see about your company and your brand. If it isn’t attractive, you lose a group of consumers right there.

Your packaging material should also take in account the kind of product it will carry. For example, edible products need to have leakage proof packaging. A namkeen product packaging will have different material than say, a shirt product packaging.

It is first step for marketing. To understand more about how product packaging works, go through our design and service .