The packaging is important to keep your products organized. Whether it is a hamper to put your laundry in, a product packaging design for your chocolate M&M’s, or the container that holds the precious liquid of your own brew, the stuff we put things in is critical!
Product Packaging
Product packaging design is actually the creation of a product’s exterior. That includes options in material and form and graphics, fonts, and colors used on wrapping, a box, a can, a bottle, or any type of container.
It’s a practical tool. However, it’s also more than that. Same as any good design, packaging tells a story. Additionally, it is a sensual encounter that literally engages us through sight, touch, and sound (and possibly smell and flavor, based upon the product/package). These details allow us to know what the product is for, how it needs to be used, who should use it, and, most of all if we should purchase a product or not.
In this beginner’s guide to product packaging, we look at ways to get your packaging to tell the story you want.
Before you Begin Your Packing Design
There are three questions you have to answer before you start designing the packaging for a product:
- What’s the product?
- Who’s purchasing the product?
- How are people buying the product?
Let’s have a look at this more in-depth:
1. What is the product?
Not a trick question; this should be a simple one. What are you currently really selling? How large is it? What are the materials used? Is it fragile?
This question will help you decide whether there are any logistical requirements for your product packaging. By way of instance, a delicate product will need protected packaging. Something large or with odd dimensions, on the other hand, may take a custom packaging solution rather than an out-of-the-box box.
2. Who’s purchasing the product?
Is the product likely to be used by men, women, or both? Is it for adults or children? Is it geared towards conscious individuals? To those on a budget with a great deal of disposable revenue?
A product’s packaging should attract to its perfect consumer; it is essential to understand who that customer is before beginning the design procedure. Products for elderly people may need larger text. Instead, items geared towards a wealthy customer will have to think about materials that produce a sense of luxury.
3. How are People Purchasing the product?
Are they buying it in a supermarket? A small boutique? Online?
You’re going to want to consider packaging differently if the item is sold online and shipped than if it will have to stand out in the competition on a big-box store shelf. Items that will be sold online probably should not have a great deal of additional space, which could cause the product to rattle around, or the bundle to bend. And the ones that will be on a boutique shelf will have to grab the buyer’s attention accompanied by cutesy items in cutesy packages.
Got your answers? Good. These will lead you to make all the other (many) decisions that you will need to make in the packaging design procedure.
Still, pondering these questions? You are probably not ready to begin the packaging design process just yet. That’s okay! It’s much better to take your time and get it right then jump in too soon.
Brand Requirements
Often a product is stand alone, and in other instances, it is representing an established brand. If your packaging should serve a specific brand aesthetic, be sure you’ve gathered the following information:
Colors
In the event you already have the Pantone Matching Values (PMS) or CMYK values, colors include those that are especially for printing. (Otherwise, hex code is fine, too.)
Fonts
Be sure to have the appropriate fonts and any particular usage instructions (such as kerning or weight).
Logo
If you have to put a logo on the package, ensure a vector file is available.
Content that wants to go on the packaging
This will be quite unique to your particular item, but you’ll need to be sure that to have it all sorted out before you begin designing. Note that depending upon your industry, there might be a few things you’re needed to put on your packaging for legitimate reasons.
You May Need:
Written copy
This may include anything in the name of your merchandise to a description of words enticing someone to buy.
Imagery
Want to place photos on your packaging? You will want to get those ready to go before you begin the design procedure.
Required marks
Depending on your product/business, you might be needed to incorporate a barcode, nutrition information, institution marks, etc.
Know what temporary content you require
Some goods –such as cosmetics or foods –have additional information that has to be set on different batches of products (batch numbers or expiration dates). You probably don’t need to publish this right onto your packaging because it’ll frequently be changing, but you will want to be sure to save space for a sticker or stamp to be set at a later date with that info.
Style likes and dislikes
It’s a great idea to do some style research before you begin the design procedure. Start collecting the packaging that you want. Snap photos when you’re at the store. Create a Pinterest board.
Keep in mind, style isn’t always a one-to-one transaction. Perhaps, you like the font on a sandwich shop sig, the color of a dress, or the print of your home curtains. One thing to keep in mind is that you are not curating design ideas for yourself, but for an ideal customer. You will love shabby chic, vintage chick, but if you are selling infant motorcycle jackets to biker mothers, that is probably not the best style for your packaging.
Another thing to consider when you’re starting your package designing is materials. You don’t need to make any decisions at this time, but you will want to begin noticing the different choices.
Budget
Packaging Design budgets split into two categories:
- One-time costs
- Per-item costs
One-time charges include paying for the initial design work, buying a stamp (if you are going the DIY route), and printing plate setup(for big, offset print runs.) You pay for these upfront and generally only once (unless you alter your design).
Per-item prices are for labor and materials. Each box will cost a particular amount, as will the tissue you stuff it with and the tape which is used to seal it. You either have to pay someone to set your product into the box or do it yourself.
You’ll want to get a ballpark idea of how much you’d love to spend before beginning the design procedure. Bear in mind that cheaper is not always better; paying just a little bit more for your stuff could up your presentation (along with your selling price) by which you stand out from the competition.
The 7-Step Procedure Of A Packaging Design
Once you’ve collected all of this information, it’s now time for the fun part: the design process! Keep in mind the way you want your packaging design to tell a story? The decisions you make in the design process are what’s going to help.
1. Understand packaging layers
Three “layers” of product packaging are inner packaging, outer packaging, and product packaging. Your product may require one or all three of them.
The outer packing is the first thing a customer will see. It is what protects your product. This may include the box that the item is sent in or the shopping bag the product is placed in at the shop.
Inner packaging is what keeps your merchandise nestled safely in the outside packaging. This may be packaging tissue paper or peanuts, which prevents something from getting scuffed or jostled. Or it may be a sealed bag that acts to preserve freshness.
2. Select the right kind of packaging
There are many distinct kinds of packaging possible for your product:
Choosing between a jar and a box may seldom be a no-brainer. But it is not. Here are a couple of things that you need to consider when choosing the right type of packaging for the product:
The Product
Everything always comes back to this! That is going to limit your choices if you’re selling something liquid. (Though do not let this stifle your imagination!
The Competition
Does everybody else put their soup in a can? You’re going to need to think hard about putting your soup in something else. On the one hand, it will cause you to stand out, which might help set you apart. On the other, customers are used to soups cans, and grocery shops are set up to stock cans in their soup segment, which might indicate your soup box is currently fighting an uphill battle.
The budget
you might have an excellent idea of how you will offer your astrology charms in a mailbox. However, if your budget is $0.50 per piece, that will probably not be possible. Remember to keep the customer in mind: a simple, inexpensive box is your best bet if your charms sell for $12 each. However, if they’re hand-crafted, gold souvenirs that you are selling for $100, you may be better accepted to increase your budget and pick that luxury star-shaped box.
3. Line your printer up
Printing is not the thing you’re will do until after the design is complete. Before you reach that point, however, you should consider it! Not only is linking with a printer is going to be sure you’re solid on the expenses of printing, but they will have the ability to offer you information that could help to give you particular information that can help your designer prepare files.
A couple things you will want to inquire about:
Dielines
If you are going with a standard-sized box or design, printers need to have the ability to offer dieline templates, which may be shared with a designer.
File-Format Demands
Your printer will require a vector file. Does this have to be a layered file? If you include cut-lines or not? Your developer should provide a print-ready file(generally PDF, Photoshop (.psd), an Adobe Illustrator (.I), or EPS). You might not be able to open these files if you do not have the right software, but your printer can. The designer will also provide visual mockups in a PNG or JPG format (that everybody can open). Be sure you recognize which file types are what you can provide with them to the right people.
Color choices
Some printers will have the ability to color-match to any Pantone shade. Others (mainly less-costly options) are likely to have a restricted color palette that you work with.
Digital vs. offset printing
Which kind does your printer use? If they do offset printing, what is the minimum order number? How do the costs scale?
4. Design your information architecture
Consider these 3 questions again, individually who’s purchasing your product and where they are buying it. You’re going to use that to design the information architecture for your package.
You may have photographs of your product in action, a splendid testimonial from a consumer, a witty tagline that shows how you’re fantastic, and a great illustration showing customers how to use your product. However, when a shopper sees your packaging, they’re possibly only going to remember one thing. What do you want that to be?
Pick the one absolute most crucial thing you need customers to learn about your product. That ought to be the centerpiece of your own design.
You can then add 2-3 things that you would like to show once they have selected your product (or clicked on your link), which will close the deal.
5. Evaluate a packaging design
You’ve got some excellent design ideas! It’s time to give some feedback. Here are a few things you are going to want to consider:
- Does It Make Your Product Clear?
When you see the package, is it clear precisely what the product does and who it’s for? Buyers are going to spend money on things they understand.
Make sure that your packaging does not seem like something else (unless it is very intentional). You definitely do not want to confuse your consumer.
- Is the packaging represent your product accurately
One of the worst things you can do is to misrepresent your product on your packaging. Make sure any pictures on the packaging are photographs of the product. Obviously, you can and should put your best face ahead, but if you show a photo of buns filled with raisins and there is actually only 1 raisin in every one of your buns, a client will feel cheated (and likely will not buy from you ).
- How will this package look in 3D?
A fantastic designer should offer a mockup of your design, both print-ready (apartment ) and in 3-dimensions. You can also create your own mockups by printing something out on white paper and constructing it into a box or tube. This can allow you to notice things you would not otherwise. Sometimes a picture will look great when flat, but terrible when constructing (or vice versa). Be sure you realize the difference.
- What will this package look like in shops?
Shelf-impact is quite essential for products that are sold in-stores. You will want to think about:
- Just how much of the packaging will be visible? You can only see one-face when goods are lined up alongside one another. Ensure that your information is center and front.
- How will it look when these products are piled alongside and on top of one another? Is there a pattern that’s created? Do you want there to be?
- What will this look like in comparison with the competition? Go to various stores where your product will be sold and determine where your product would be placed. Are most products one color? How can you get noticed and make yours stand out?
- Is this layout versatile?
Suppose, right now, you have just one flavor of Aunt Miranda’s popular Hot Sauce, but in the coming time, you might want to include other variants. Can your design be easily modified to accommodate variants of your product?
- Is It Possible To Reuse Your Packaging?
This may not be essential for every product, but you might want to take into account if your packaging can be reused! By way of instance, can your bags be repurposed to a grocery tote? Free marketing! Can your box be reconfigured to a planter if you market gloves? That is functional and clever!
6. Collect feedback
Before you, 100% settle on your packaging design, ensure to run it by both people and key stakeholders who have never used or heard of your product.
If you find people not strictly connected with your product will see things you never did, try to ask them:
- What does this product do?
- Who’s supposed to get this product?
- What is the one significant message you get when you examine this packaging?
Their answers to these questions can allow you to determine whether the packaging is currently communicating what you want. When it’s not returned to your designer and discover what you can change.
7. Get the right files from your designer
You’ve selected your packaging design. Great!
Now return to that information you got from your printer and check to make sure you have the right files. You probably need:
- Packaging dielines in vector form. This will probably be an Adobe Illustrator (.I), .pdf, or .eps file. You may need one for each variation of the packaging you are creating.
Color codes. If your printer gives custom colors, make sure you have the CMYK or Pantone color codes, so that everything turns out to look like you want.