To launch a successful product, one thing you must have is the correct packaging. Without the proper packaging, consumers will never choose to buy your product in the first place.
Choosing the right packaging can be far more difficult than it seems. Below are five general philosophies that should be kept in mind during the packaging design process for any product.
1. Visibility
The first objective of any packaging design should be visibility. This means consumers will actually spot the product on a shelf display and take notice. If a product simply fades into the background amongst a wall of similar items, sales are very unlikely.
There are different strategies for getting your product noticed on store shelves. However, all of them involve contrast. The design must somehow be different from everything else on the shelf. This may be the use of different colors, an eye catching cartoon based logo or an original looking font. Overall, consider what it will look like in the context of your competitors’ products.
2. Functionality
Secondly, functionality is vitally important. If a product’s packaging is not functional, it will be impossible to produce product loyalty with consumers. For example, a certain brand of mustard may be extremely hard to squeeze out of the bottle. A person who bought such an item will be sure to avoid that brand in the future.
This is why extensive testing in the packaging design phase is paramount. You need to be sure your product’s packaging will only enhance the user experience of your customers. Using focus groups and outside parties as part of this testing can certainly help.
3. Realistic Expectations
Third, your product’s packaging should always send out messages about the product that are actually truthful. You never want a consumer to feel cheated. If a stain remover says it works on grass stains, it better sure remove grass stains from clothing. If a can of soup is labeled spicy, it better not taste mild and bland.
Part of these expectations is the wording chosen on the box or label. Select your phrasing carefully. While you want to certainly praise your product, you don’t want to create expectations that turn out be false when the product is actually used.
4. Branding Coherence
You product packaging also needs branding coherence. What this means is that the packaging should somehow relate to the product being sold in a logical way that uses common sense.
For example, on a container of honey, you would expect to see images of bees, home combs and so forth. However, if the packaging instead includes the image of a shark and palm tree, shoppers may be left scratching their heads and wondering what the product will actually taste like.
5. Demographic Positioning
You also need to stay mindful of just who you’re trying to reach with your products in terms of packaging. If a food item is being aimed at children, obviously bright colors and cartoon characters will be appropriate. However, if you’re aiming for mature foodies, more restrained color schemes and serious artwork will be necessary.
You should also make sure your design does not alienate any potential markets that may want to purchase your products. If the text on a label is too small, you may lose elderly customers with impaired eyesight.
- See more at: http://venturebreak.com/2013/06/19/five-product-packaging-tips-from-business-gurus/#sthash.WkFMb7ps.dpuf
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