If you think the packaging of a product is just a box that provides safe storage and transit, you need to reconsider. Sure, product packaging is primarily about secure transit. But what about the aesthetic product presentation on retail shelves? How about providing customers with a personalized and memorable experience, from receiving their package to unboxing it?
Your product packaging plays a strategic role in brand building, from increasing sales rates to establishing your brand’s identity. You can make an effective mark on the market with an attention-grabbing packaging design. Wondering how to pull it off? In this article, we’ve listed 10 simple principles to help you create aesthetic packaging designs.
Why Are Aesthetics Important in Packaging?
Before we get to the principles, let us begin with a very simple question. Imagine your product displayed on your store’s shelves. A customer walks by and looks at the shelf, what is the first thing that catches their attention? The product or its packaging?
If your answer is packaging, you’ve already understood its importance. Product packaging perfectly represents the quote, “The First Impression Is The Last Impression.” Every market is competitive enough, raising the need to stand out and captivate your customers at first glance.
By following a set of principles, you can get a blueprint that allows you to align your ideas and requirements to help you create aesthetic product packaging. So, here are 10 principles that will level up your packaging ideas:
1. Use Protective Materials
Protecting the product is always the number one priority when it comes to product packaging. That’s why you must pick a reliable material before manufacturing. To pick the perfect material, you must know what kind of item you’ll be storing in it, such as:
- Bakery Items
- Vegetables
- Perfumes
- Fragile Items
- Electronics
Once you know what your item is, you can easily pick the type of material you require by considering the following factors:
- Level of Durability
- Moisture Protection
- Protection Against Insects
- Protection During Shipping
Now, once you’re aware of these factors and their importance, you can choose between materials like:
- Cardboard Paper
- Kraft Paper
- Corrugated Stock
- Plastic
Each of these materials showcases remarkable properties. Some are more durable than others, while some are more beneficial for storing food products. So, by knowing your product’s requirements, you can pick the perfect packaging to protect your product.
2. Consider Environmental Factors
Another thing that you must consider while picking the right material is the environmental factors. It’s preferable to use eco-friendly materials that are easily biodegradable and don’t leave chemical residue behind. This way, you can also target environmentally conscious customers.
3. Ensure Good Reusability
Reusability is one of the most important principles for its eco-friendliness and cost-effectiveness. Tin packaging is the ideal “reusable” packaging option and is equally sustainable as well. Choosing reusable options will ensure you play your part in protecting the environment.
4. Prioritize Customers’ Comfort
When you’re designing the packaging for your product, you must think of unique ideas that would help you build customer loyalty. There’s nothing better than adding a sense of comfort and convenience to the design. It’s a practical aspect of packaging, and therefore, never goes unnoticed by the customer.
Add a handle on top using beautiful ribbons to make your package comfortable for the customer. Thanks to these handles, the customer will never feel uneasy or awkward while carrying the box around.
You can further enhance that feature by using lock-bottom packaging. It allows the package to stand still when placed on the ground. It also adds an extra layer of durability, especially for heavier products.
5. Engrave Instructions on Your Packaging
Packaging should serve a broader purpose than securing and displaying the product. One way of uplifting your product packaging further is by imprinting the details about the product inside. These could be unboxing instructions and product safety instructions.
This can also help you save on creating dedicated product manuals, given the instructions are simple and concise. This could also cater to the customers who do not bother reading the product manual. So, displaying instructions on the box is convenient for both the company and the customer.
6. Prefer Functional Functioning
Your product packaging will be more reliable and versatile for the customer when it features great functionality. You can find tons of unique and functional designs for a variety of materials. Get in touch with a reliable packaging supplier to find the right packaging material such as cardboard and kraft paper boxes, coupled with endless options for customization and functionality.
7. Represent Your Brand
Your packaging should make your brand’s name or logo evident so that it engraves itself in the consumer’s memories. Create a unique and memorable experience for your customers prompting them to share with others and return for more.
8. Use 3D Mockups
When designing the packaging for your product, you should incorporate advanced options like 3D mockups. It lets you get a visual preview of the packaging, showing how it would look after manufacturing. Utilizing 3D mockups helps you clear out the inconsistencies in terms of design, functionality, and aesthetics.
9. Follow the Trends
When designing your packaging, do the research. Look for new trends in the packaging industry. This way, you will be relevant to current market trends, leading to more sales because customers won’t think you’re an outdated brand.
10. Include Add-ons
Finally, for the last principle on our list, we have add-ons. These additional features on your packaging significantly help you improve your product’s appearance, making it look attractive and eye-catching for the customer.
There are tons of add-ons that you can incorporate for your packaging, such as:
- Embossing
- Debossing
- Foil Stamping
- Spot UV
Wrap Up: Start Designing
So there you have it! Consider these 10 principles and incorporate them into your next packaging design. You can easily create aesthetic and reliable packaging solutions that will captivate customers and make them prefer your product over your competitors. So, put these principles to good use and start designing.
Also Read: 9 Innovative Ideas to Construct Remarkable Custom Packaging This Year
