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How to Design Effective Packaging

Updated: Jun 13, 2023


Did you know that the way you package your product is an important component of your brand's marketing strategy? You can have the best-tasting snack, the best-smelling skin care product, or the most dependable electronic device, but if your packaging is not well thought out it can hurt your sales and the future of your brand’s success. Think of your packaging as a mini billboard sitting in a sea full of other mini billboards. What sets your product apart? What makes your product stand out from the competition? What can you do to ensure your product catches the consumers’ eye and makes them pick your product over the rest?


How Do I Start My Package Design?

Starting your package design begins and ends with making sure it’s cohesive with your brand. Your products portray what your brand believes in and your packaging should do the same! Start with creating a list of everything you want your package to say about your brand and product and go from there. Remember - first impressions are important and your packaging is the first thing your customers will see in person!


What to Know About Creating Product Packaging?

There is a lot to learn about packaging from design, to colors and even choosing the right type of packaging. All of these things should be strategically planned and should also align with your brand message and style. We’ve put together a list to help create an effective package design that will get your products noticed and flying off the shelves.


4 Tips for Creating an Effective Package Design


Consistency

As we said earlier, when you start to develop your product’s packaging, it is important that you stay true to who you are as a brand and portray your products in the same voice and with the same messaging you use throughout your branding and marketing. Following your brand guide is a great way to get started. For more information on how to create a successful branding strategy, check out our past blog post. Keeping the style of your packaging consistent with your brand’s overall look and feel will make consumers recognize your products immediately. Sticking to your standard colors and limiting your fonts to only two or three different typefaces is a great rule of thumb. Don’t worry, these rules do not limit you or make your product packaging boring, think outside the box!


Some recommendations for making your design creative while sticking to your brand guidelines can include:

  • Adding background graphics or textures with overlays of your color scheme

  • Incorporating different hues and tints of your brand's colors

  • Utilizing different variations of fonts


Keep it Simple

Creating simple, minimalist designs ensure consumers can easily find the information they want and need on the package without having to search for it. Remember you do not need to include every single detail about your brand on your product packaging. Putting more information on your packaging than what is needed will turn consumers away. Think of brands like Apple, Tiffany’s, Campbell’s soup, and even Amazon’s shipping boxes; these are all very simplistically designed packages that are also some of the world’s most recognizable brands.


Here are a few tips to keep your packaging simple and attract the consumer:

  • Choose clean, crisp fonts

  • Use high-contrast colors

  • Keep packaging similar in size to the actual product

  • Remember less is more


Think About Who Your Customer Is

Another very important thing to consider when designing your product packaging is who your audience is: young adults, parents, children, elderly, professionals, environmentally conscious, etc. as well as how the product is used. Each of these groups will require different packaging. For more information on how to find your target audience, check out our past blog!


Considerations for Your Audience:

  • Young Adults – Use trendy colors, fonts, and graphics

  • Parents – Think safety first; child-proof caps, and spill-proof

  • Children – Vibrant, fun colors and fonts with cute graphics; all those sugary cereal boxes with fun characters are designed that way for a reason!

  • Elderly – Use easy-to-read fonts, make the packaging easy to use, carry, and open

  • Professionals – Designs that are clean, corporate, and sleek will attract this audience

  • Environmentally Conscious – Develop packaging using recycled materials; make that known on your packaging and encourage recycling

Considerations for Types of Products:

  • One Use Products – Consider eco-friendly packaging that is easy to dispose of

  • Reusable Products – Consider convenient/resealable packages


Stand Out From the Crowd

One of your biggest challenges in designing your packaging is making sure it stands out from the competition. Thinking outside the box is crucial when it comes to creating unique packaging.


Some helpful hints to making your packaging stand out from the crowd include:

  • Research cutting-edge and trendy printing techniques and finishes

  • Let your product be seen by using clear packaging

  • Choose colors that appeal to your audience

  • Research your competition to make sure your packing is not like theirs


There are so many considerations when designing product packaging including: Where will it be sold? How will it be displayed? Think about what brands stand out to you...Why? Do you have go-to brands that you chose due to their packaging? What do you like about them? Researching and studying the market is a very useful way to learn what works and what doesn’t work when it comes to packaging.


Need help with your packaging design? Reach out to 30|90 Marketing, to learn more about what we can do to help design your next product packaging.



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