If you think being an online retailer means you don’t need to worry about product packaging – think again. While you might not have a use for popping designs that jump from the shelf and shout “look at me!”, your packaging is all you’ve got to speak for your brand when you’re not around to do it for yourself. That’s right, underwhelming those online shoppers with some dreary recycled cardboard and bubble wrap won’t do much to generate excitement and encourage repeat business.
With humans being hard wired to respond to visual stimuli more than any other medium, your product packaging is a highly-effective vehicle for telling your brand story and making a lasting impact. Think about it this way; is your brand or product “fun”, “environmentally friendly”, “sophisticated”, “youthful” or “intelligent” – all these brand characteristics can be communicated with the right packaging design.
So, here’s some tips for creating packaging that gets the right reaction every time (even if it is on a customer’s own doorstep!)
Use colour to stir up emotion
Of course, it might not be possible to make someone cry with a few perfectly blended colours, but that’s not what we’re talking about (and hopefully not what you’re trying to achieve). Colours can be used, however, to generate a sense of excitement or communicate a clear message. For example, greens, browns and other natural tones and shades might give an impression your product is organic or environmentally friendly – and that makes people feel really good about buying your product, right? Meanwhile, one study reported that yellow, green, red and pink are some of the most eye-catching colours – ideal, perhaps, for representing exciting flavours or evoking a sense of fun.
Take a look at how these Evian water bottles are doing it along with these dazzling chocolate boxes.
Don’t go crazy!
We get it, you’re passionate about your products and you’ve got so much to say about them you want the world to know. Well, chill out a little. Cramming your packaging with too many messages or images could be a real turn off. Not only can this result in information overload for your customers, but it can also come across a little gimmicky and disorganised.
Keeping your information clear and succinct will ensure the audience focuses on the most important parts of your product with a healthy amount of anticipation for what’s inside. In fact, some of the most sophisticated tech products on the market are packed in simplistic yet eye-catching packaging. Here’s a great example of how this is done for the Apple iPhone X.
Keep it real
How many times have you purchased pre-packaged food dressed in appetising, mouth-watering images – except, what’s inside actually looks like it’s been trampled by an elephant or shaken by a magnitude 8.2 earthquake.
The rule here; don’t set your customers up for disappointment! All your efforts to create amazing packaging could go to waste if it simply serves to erode that all important relationship of trust.
Don’t become a “packaging versus reality meme” like this one here.
Think outside the box (literally)
Don’t fall into the trap of only thinking about what’s on the box rather than the box itself. Consider how the shape of your packaging could bring your product to life before your customer has even opened the box. Better still, perhaps you could create an artistic piece of product packaging that’s so good your customer won’t want to throw it away (free advertising!)
Need inspiration? Here are a few simple but novel packaging designs from well-known brands like Kleenex and Dominos.
It’s all in the typography
Fonts were designed by humans so, it stands to reason that each any every style sends a distinct message based on its history and meaning. It’s important to decorate your packaging with fonts that appropriately match your objectives, brand and messaging – after all, you wouldn’t wear a business suit to play a game of football, right? Here’s an idea of how it works: Script fonts might convey elegance or prestige, but Sans-Serif exude simplicity, innovativeness and a contemporary feel.
Click here to see how one old world brand is using typography to its best advantage.