Packaging is important, and in many more ways than one; it’s not just a thing to store another thing in – it’s a protection against the sometimes harsh elements of the weather and the handling during transportation and storage, it’s the convenience of the customer and it’s your last chance to attract the customer to pick your product from the shelves.
The way you package your goods should be thought out. It’s a process, and not always an easy one. Are you designing packaging for your product? Here’s what you should know.
Ask yourself some questions
When you’re in the process of designing, ask yourself the following questions:
- What’s the product? It seems like there should be a straightforward answer to this, but your packaging should consider the different properties of the product. Is it breakable? Perishable? Can it stand light exposure? Can it be thrown around? Is it liquid? What about temperature?
- How is it brought to the shelves? This is important for two main reasons. First of all, things can easily get broken during transportation, so your packaging should serve as protection. Secondly, it has to be stored at the shelves, so you should ensure a balanced and well-designed package that is stable and makes an impact.
- Who’s buying the product? That’s where graphical design comes in; you have to know your target market so you can design the packaging with the right fonts, the right colours, the right graphics, and the right information. You want to attract the consumer, after all.
- How is it used and bought? The consumer wants convenience in use and storage, so think about how the consumer would get maximum benefit from the design of the packaging.
Packaging contents
What should be printed on the packaging? Here are the most important aspects:
- Your brand, your product. Be proud and proclaim your company, your brand, and your product boldly.
- Images. Images may be important if your product is closed off from view. If, however, it is possible for the consumer to see the product itself (such as is the case with a jar or bottle), then that might be preferable.
- Required information. Think of legal information, such as nutrient information, ingredients, and so on.
Of course, your budget is also important, so it should be mentioned that the same purpose can be accomplished with various materials and various prints. However, we urge you to go for quality when it comes to packaging design – most companies will confirm that the packaging often costs more than the production of the product itself, because the packaging is so important. When it comes to packaging, think the process through carefully – it’s a very important issue.
