How your packaging looks says a lot about your company. While sure, you’ll need to invest in packaging that protects the contents and as well is easy to open; it must look good—branding through packaging matters. Packaging is more than just something to transport the product; innovative brands use their packaging as a marketing tool. Prospective buyers care how your packaging looks, how it feels, and if it comes off as something that stands out from the competition.
Packaging design can reflect its luxury status. It can address the target audience or showcase critical messages and fundamental mission ideals like if the brand is dedicated to being sustainable (like we are). All of this can be achieved with materials, imagery, and colors. Packaging and brand identity can create movements and loyalty based on personal aesthetics. One brand in point is Apple, whose sleek, stylish look lured people in with an iPod back in the day, and now those people’s entire lives are synched with their various Apple-related devices like laptops, iPhones, and Apple TV.
Packaging that appeals to your target audience is essential. The seminal punk rock band, The Misfits, played up their spooky Halloween imagery with pumpkins and skeletons on their record sleeves and just about everything else, while their contemporaries, The Ramones, kept everything in their world straight ahead with a simple logo and design, keeping everything no-frills, just like their music. And in both cases, the two distinct looks and typefaces thrive today, fifty years after these bands stormed through New York. The branding worked and still does.
Your packaging must have an appeal, a look that stands out not only on the store shelves but against the noise on social media, too. The package needs to be able to relate the message of uniqueness and that your product can stand against competitors. Can you become a leader in your space?
What are some of the most critical elements of your product design? We’ve outlined a few that you should consider if you’re moving through the journey of figuring out what you’re trying to say with your look and feel and how you appeal to your target market out in the wild.
Considering Colors
Color is crucial when considering reasons for branding a product. Color makes a brand instantly recognizable and demands the target market’s attention. Buyers focus on visual appearance, and color plays a significant role in their purchases. Have you played with different color combinations, have you done any market research by checking out the competition and looking at their color schemes?
Color elicits different emotions. Depending on what you’re selling, you might want to try combos that bring out the core of your product and what it represents.
Case in point: If you’re selling organic baby wipes, black might not be the best packaging color when a soft rose or pink might get the point across better.
Logos Can Last Forever
Logos offer an immediacy that can last. When a logo hits, it sticks around. Remember that thing we said about Apple, about the Ramones? You know those logos. Everyone does. They’re instantly recognizable. Many companies spend a ton of money trying to nail down the perfect look and feel of their logos, while others happen on the back of a bar napkin. Whatever the case, put some thought into what you’re trying to do, but don’t overthink it. A cluttered logo can do more harm than good. Simple is always best.
What Does the Font Say?
Typography can also showcase personality. Think about what you do, what you sell. Old English might not be the best fit if you’re selling dish soap. But, if you’re repping your hood on a black ball cap, Old English looks tough and old school. Different font styles represent different moods. Some brands choose a sleeker and simpler font (think Android or Hulu), while others want something brash and bold (Liquid Death water).
Choose Materials Wisely
If you’re proclaiming to be an earth-first, green company, your packaging should reflect that too. The materials you use in your products and what they come in are essential to consumers.
Suppose you’re going to claim to be environmentally friendly. In that case, there are many sustainable packaging options out there, and there are companies (like us) who have a finger on the pulse of utilizing those materials.
The Packaging Needs to be Functional
Looks do matter, but it’s also essential to ensure your product packaging is still protecting the product. You could have the most stunning packaging on earth, but if the product is stale or broken, people will talk and leave reviews thanks to poor packaging. Do you need a stand-up pouch? Should you use roll stock for maximum efficacy? Talk to a company that knows how the market moves but also knowledgeable on how to best suit the product and its success.
Suppose you’re considering changing your packaging or looking to start anew. ePac Flexibles can help. We’ve got some of the brightest minds in the business hanging around, and they’d love to help your company reach new heights or just become the darling of the farmer’s market. Either way, we’d be happy to help.
