How to Create the Right Packaging for Your Brand

Here are four tips on how you can create packaging that’s right for your brand.

1. Remember that the main purpose of packaging is to protect the product

While the overall customer experience is, of course, hugely important, remember that the fundamental purpose of packaging is to make sure that your product reaches its end destination in pristine condition.

This means that your starting point is to determine what measures need to be put in place to allow this to happen. Be aware that you can now find environmentally-friendly alternatives to the sort of protective packaging modern consumers have grown to hate, such as switching out plastic bubble wrap for its paper counterpart.

2. Think about the practicalities of transport

If you’re working through third-party retailers, then your first consideration will be to get it to them in one piece and you should probably work on the assumption that transport operatives are going to focus on speed rather than delicate handling; they’ll see it as your job to protect your product for transit rather than their job to slow down for you.

If at all possible, you want to design your packaging so that it can go through a letterbox, this can facilitate online sales and also encourage purchases from people who are looking for a gift which needs to be sent in the mail.

3. Make the packaging easy for the customer to use

Your packaging should show customers exactly what they can expect to find inside. As a rule of thumb you want to avoid “quirky” packaging which could mislead consumers.

That’s not to say quirky packaging is a bad thing, it’s definitely not, especially if you’re showcasing a new way of packaging something either it be with a unique material or way of opening or reusing the packaging.

Your packaging should also convey any necessary information on how to use the product or to tell the customer exactly where they can find it. Remember that any printing on the product should be in a clear, simple font with appropriate contrast between text and background. 

It’s fine to point the customer towards a website, but you want to avoid forcing them either to type in lengthy URLs or having to navigate their way to what they need. Instead, use a QR or a shortened link on.

Your packaging should also be as easy as possible to remove; keeping safety considerations in mind and reusable and/or recyclable if at all possible.

4. Add your brand’s identity as the final touch

When considering how to infuse your packaging with your brand’s identity, remember to think about ‘look and feel’.

These days there’s a huge emphasis on visuals, which is entirely understandable given the importance of online sales, but ultimately, packaging will be held in a customer’s hand so it’s great if it feels good as well as looks good.

Depending on your target audience, your packaging design will differ industry to industry. The beauty industry for example is creating attractive and interesting packaging designs that are almost just as good as the product itself.

Even wine businesses are trying new things to stand out on store shelves by creating unique bottle and label designs which are becoming more elaborate or story driven to create a deeper connection with the person purchasing the product.

All of this together shapes your packaging, brand and product. Not only do you need to consider how your packaging will protect the product but how can the packaging support your marketing. Is it sustainable, re-usable or can it provide useful information that will keep your customers returning?