Product Packaging 101
Ever bought a new book from a bookstore without falling in love with its cover?
Yes, exactly. The moment you look at a product, consumer psychology kicks in, and we can’t overstate how much first impressions count. In short, they really do count for a lot.
Product packaging serves as the initial point of contact between the consumer and the brand. Organizing products into categories has several facets. Basically, the whole theory can be a little complex. However, you’ve come to the right place to simplify the whole mechanism of packaging.
Keep on reading for our full breakdown of how to boost your business growth and sales through the proper process of packing a product. (Try saying that five times in a row)
The Basics of Product Packaging
Let’s make sure that you have a solid foundation of the three main packaging pillars. This way we can continue exploring the different tactics you can use to truly wow your target audience.
In the simplest of terms, the three pillars of packaging design are making packages that are: intuitive, protective, and informative.
Simplicity is Key: Think of IKEA
What is the first thing that springs to mind when you see Ikea items packaged?
Because of their small size and lightweight, they’re a breeze to move.
To no avail is the plastic package’s rectangular and square form capable of delivering the message of “simple furniture” via sheer good fortune. That’s how it was intended to look.
Transport, stacking, and storage are all made easier with Ikea packaging, which serves as a lesson for consumers everywhere. That’s all it needs to be, really.
Practical, simple to use, and quite intuitive. To maximize your return on investment (ROI), keep in mind that the less space your product takes up, the better.
Transport, stacking, and storage are all cheaper and more practical when there is less shelf space required.
Be Protective of the Treasure Within
To protect the product from the ills of temperature, light, and elapsed time, the packaging is used. Designing packaging begins with a clear understanding of the end result that you’re going for.
In this instance, Parisian perfumes are a great implementation of this rule.
Glass bottles can’t preserve perfumes like those made by Parisienne Perfumery. You’ll notice their flamboyant scents are not sold in glass bottles.
When exposed to sunshine, the glass will corrode the exotic aromas’ rich overtones. Also, it increases the pace at which they evaporate.
What’s the use of packaging if it can’t protect the scent from evaporation?
Perfumes sold in mass markets, on the other hand, are not. To maintain the fragile metaphor behind lower packaging costs, large-scale perfume companies will continue to package fragrances in glass bottles.
Designers like Dior use metallic coatings to keep scents from evaporating from glass bottles. Their innovative bottle and perfume architecture design captures the user’s attention and draws them into the experience.
This implies that the package design of the product must first delight the consumer’s aesthetic sensibility.
Be Informative About the Critical How-Tos and Need-To-Knows
Packaging for consumables and perishable items should provide enough information about the contents. Copy and other information that must be printed on the packaging may seem to be part of the design process. But it is a choice that has to be made with great care and accuracy to be carried out well.
You must list the components and nutritional values of food goods you sell. Ingredient and allergy information, weight, and expiry dates must be included on cosmetic packaging according to local or national statutory requirements.
In general, each sector has its own standards for the information that must be included on a product label. Because it’s a drawn-out procedure, you should think carefully about the decisions you plan to make early on.
Remember to take a quick look at the nutritional information on the packaging the next time you open a granola bar. That one package piece might have taken a design team weeks to finalize the location and typeface.
In short, if you’re running a business for the first time, you might want the expertise of a packaging company to lead your packaging efforts.
Designing Packaging Strategies and Tactics
Do package design techniques differ in that you’re either offering custom-made packaging or a store-bought package? Yes, unfortunately, there is rarely any middle ground to be found.
It’s easier to plan your budget, product kind, and market segmentation if you choose a side on this spectrum.
Is it true that on Sundays, exquisite leather belts and purses cannot be sold at a farmer’s market? A box of strawberries can’t be sold in a diamond jewelry store, either.
Think of discovering a few crates of strawberries next to Tiffany’s classics at the farmer’s market. Think about it if you spotted Burberry at your local farmer’s market. What could be stranger than that?
The majority of firms want the custom packaging design concept but end up using off-the-shelf packaging like the “folded carton” products.
The discrepancy between the two reveals the company’s philosophy via the use of differentiation. Folded cartons are mass-produced, uncut, and unmarked, and then shipped to a printer of our choosing for printing. This suggests that a broader market is being targeted with the product’s marketing.
Bespoke packaging, on the other hand, should be unique, personalized, and creative in the strictest sense. To do this, you must make certain that you deliver your product in the best possible condition, free of harm from the packing you use.
Packing a Product: Explained
In the midst of the whirlwind that is launching a new product, you’ll want to ensure that you’ve given sufficient attention, time, and effort to your product packaging.
Hopefully, our guide has shed some light on the simple foundation of nailing your product packaging. And, if you liked reading our article, but you’re thirsty for more, we’ve got you covered.
Check out our business and marketing sections for all the tips and strategies you could possibly need.