Packaging is a branding opportunity waiting to happen. Although many manufacturers package their products in a bland way, a few smart manufacturers have learned the subtle art of making a simple box or can into a statement. Wines, for instance, come in bottles with labels. While most wine makers try to make their wine stand out with attractive labels, a few go as far as to change the shape of their bottle or even sell it the bottles in cardboard boxes to distinguish their wine bottles from all the others in a store.
When done well, product packaging design can make one brand attract curiosity and attention. This, however, is tricky, and not at all as easy as it sounds. When branding, marketers have only a few elements to work with – mainly the font used for the name, their logo, or their company’s color scheme.
The whole idea of branding is to create instant identification on a store aisle, somewhat akin to a more flamboyantly dressed person standing out in a crowd of conservatively-dressed people. For instance, in the coffee aisle of a grocery store, most coffee packages are a collection of bright reds, blues, and greens, but the profitable Dunkin’ Donuts brand is a bright orange color like a caution sign, with some startling pink and white. Although most coffee packages have bold colors, Dunkin’ Donuts adds a flamboyant clash of colors to draw attention. Those who like Dunkin’ Donuts will spot it right away, and those who don’t will at least look at it — and some may even try it out.
5 Branding Tips
Whether you are designing a package for a product that you will launch or you’re ready to do more with your existing line of products, here are five tips to stimulate new ideas:
Tip #1: Market & Sell
A product that has attractive packaging will be easier to market when a picture of the product is used in an advertisement. A box of vitamins & minerals in a magazine ad showing a picture of a vibrantly healthy couple will be much more attractive than a simple box.
It is not true that a book should not be judged by its cover. It should be true, because the contents of the book are what matter. But, in fact, the more attractive a book cover, the more copies it will sell. The same holds true for packaging physical products, too.
Tip #2: Protect & Preserve
Packaging that is well constructed will protect the products during shipping and preserve a company’s image as a value provider. For instance, custom printed shipping boxes for a a direct sales organization that sells vitamins in bottles should have a sturdy construction because customers would be very upset to get broken bottles.
Tip#3: Add Color & Design
Adding color and designing a package should not be done on a creative whim alone, but based on research about what colors and shapes are most appealing to consumers. There is much research on the psychological impact of color and design.
Tip#4: Features $ Benefits
Copywriting is not just for sales letters, but a few expertly written words on the package itself can improve sales. While a blatant pitch would probably not work too well, the product description could sell the benefits rather than focus on the features alone.
Tip #5: Educate & Entice
If there is space on the package, a few lines can educate the consumer on how to use the product to get the most value from it.
Conclusion
After following these five tips, you will no longer question whether it’s important to package a product well because you believe that all that matters is the product’s performance. You will quickly discover the tight correlation between improved product branding and improved sales. Consumers tend to buy more of the products they find attractive.