Back in 2006, a man uploaded a video of himself unboxing a Nokia E61 phone, and it changed the way people think about products. That simple video started an unboxing trend, and people realized they love packaging almost as much as they love the product inside. The trend seems to get more popular each year, with dedicated channels receiving thousands, or even millions, of views. People watch these videos so they can admire the packaging and then see what’s inside.
The packaging isn’t just important from an unboxing standpoint. It’s also a way to stand out in an oversaturated marketplace. How many times have you strolled through the aisles of the grocery store, only to snap out of your shopping trance when you saw a cool new packaging design? The right packaging will help you reach more people in the marketplace.
But what is packaging design? It’s essentially everything that is located on the outside of the product. It includes the material, color palette, typography, and graphics. You might also want to include a logomark or logotype on your packaging.
Is your head swimming yet? Take a deep breath, and let’s dive into how to create standout packaging.
Tell a Story
Your company has a unique story, and you can share it with your customers through packaging. If you do this correctly, a glance at your product’s packaging will give your customers insight into your company.
Petcurean does an excellent job of this. Its story is listed on the website, and you can see that story play out in the packaging design. The illustrations make it clear that the company believes in sustainability and real ingredients.
Related: Why You Should Ask Your Printer About Their Creative Team
Keep It Simple
Some companies think they should overdesign the packaging to draw attention to it. People already have sensory overload when they walk through a store, so if your packaging design is cluttered, it will blend in with the other designs. That will make it hard for you to build a brand identity and convey a message that resonates with your customers.
Related: What Your Graphic Designers Need to Hit the Mark
On the other hand, simple designs do a much better job of standing out and conveying messages. It is easy to speak directly and clearly when the design is simple. Take Apple, for instance. The company is known for having some of the most beautiful packaging in the world. It’s clean, minimalistic, and has become a core aspect of the brand’s identity.
Make It Practical and Functional
The packaging design should also be practical and functional. Think of ways your packaging can make your customer’s lives easier, and then incorporate those changes. Heinz provides an excellent example of this. Remember when the Heinz ketchup bottle was only available in glass? You would have to shake it and hit it to make the ketchup come out. Then, the company did a major redesign. Now it’s in a squeeze bottle and the cap is on the bottom. This simple redesign eliminated a major problem that customers faced, and the bottles started flying off the shelves.
Do You Need Help Creating Gorgeous Packaging?
The right packaging can reinforce your brand’s identity and help you reach new customers. You can grab people’s attention, tell your story, and build your brand with the right packaging.
If you don’t know where to begin, or just need some help fine-tuning your ideas, reach out to the team at Ironmark. With creative and print services, we can handle your packaging design needs.
