Are you good at blending art, science, and strategy? If yes, you’ve mastered packaging design!
But hold on. Optimizing art, strategy, and the science of packaging design is easier said than done. This is why brands choose to outsource the task to the best package design services.
Nevertheless, we’re here to provide 10 tips to help you ace packaging design and achieve creative success.
Let’s get started.
10 tips to ace packaging design
1: Know your target audience
The creative success of packaging design depends on how well you know your target customers. Dig deep to understand their values, shopping behaviors, preferences, age bracket, and other details. For instance, bold colors and fun messaging may work for the younger crowd, while elegant and simple designs may resonate with older audiences.
2: Adhere to brand guidelines
Adhering to branding guidelines is the key to delivering consistent messaging and experience to your consumers. Your packaging design must include your pre-determined brand colors, font size, and logo.
3: Creativity is the key, but don’t overdo it
Top-notch package design services providers are well-versed in creating highly creative packaging designs. Multiple studies have found that creative packaging helps brands cut through the noise in a cluttered marketplace. They suggest that the more creative the packaging design, the higher its ability to engage the consumers’ attention. But a word of caution is warranted.
When Dove launched limited-edition bottles that came in different body types, many consumers felt offended by the ‘highly creative’ design. While aiming to stand out from your competitors, make sure the design doesn’t offend or confuse your consumers.
4: Evoke emotions with colors
Color is said to influence up to 90% of purchase decisions and increases brand recall by 80%. Using the right colors may help you entice your millennial customers to indulge in impulse buying. A study shows that 53% of millennials would buy a product if the packaging colors attract them.
Studies also show that color can evoke strong emotional responses. For example, a combination of yellow and red used in restaurants or food service outlets can make us want to stop by and have a snack. This is called the mustard and ketchup theory! Warm colors, such as red, denote vitality and vibrancy, while cool colors, such as blue, signify strength, honesty, and calmness.
Based on your target audience’s demographics and the emotion you want to evoke in them, use a combination of colors to capture their attention.
5: Messaging matters
While there’s evidence that unconventional messaging encourages impulse buying, you need to ensure the message on the package is clear to consumers. They shouldn’t be spending time trying to decipher what the product is all about.
Apart from the content of the message, pay attention to typography, font size, and spacing.
6: Select eye-grabbing images
One high-quality, eye-grabbing image can replace a thousand words. For instance, pictures of lush tea gardens on a tea box can denote a sense of serenity and freshness. When images are strategically placed, they can capture attention and influence your consumers’ perception of the brand.
7: Choose materials with care
The material you select for packaging depends on the product, the brand positioning, and the target audience. Sustainable materials may be the key to attracting environmentally conscious consumers. A glass bottle may be appropriate for a luxury brand targeting niche customers.
8: Don’t ignore the shape
Elite packaging design services providers focus on the shape of the packaging because they know that it plays a key role in how the brand is perceived. A case in point is Paper Boat’s trendy pouch design.
A study found that while women loved the portable design that allowed them to carry it in their handbags, men bought Paper Boat as the design allowed them to enjoy the juices by sipping slowly. When asked what was the most important factor in choosing a product, 60% said packaging was the top factor, followed by brand and taste.
While a trendy design helps, your design has to take into account how the final layout looks in 3D form. You’ll need to consider flaps, folds, and edges while considering how the design elements go over these. Remember that what looks great when laid out flat can appear dull in 3D form.
9: Partner with the best packaging design services providers
Packaging design influences buying behaviors at the point of purchase, and as an important marketing tool, it conveys the brand’s quality and values. Considering that you have seven seconds on average to make the right impression on consumers, you can’t afford to go wrong with packaging design.
Partnering with the most creative packaging design services providers, such as Cueball, is the easiest way to capture your audience’s attention and beat the competition.
Get in touch with us today to learn how we can help you ace your packaging design.
