There are a million products out there, each with its own packaging. Standing out in the sea of competition can be next to impossible if done like everyone else. But if you are looking for a packaging design to help your product stand out, there may be a way.
All it takes is following these nine tips. For food packaging, there are a few things that you can do to stand out from the rest of the competition and make your product a more memorable one.
- Stay Simple
One of the biggest mistakes that companies make in their design is trying to do too much. The desire to want to stand out can become an overwhelming one, leading to designs that are far too crowded and cluttered.
Minimalistic designs are in style right now, and for good reason. Too many details mean too much being required of the customer. You want them to recognize a few key points on the packaging because that is all they’ll care to look for. Going simpler lets the customer know who you are and what you’re offering them, and doesn’t inundate them with unnecessary information.
- A Sense of Mystery
Depending on what you are trying to convey in your packaging design, it can be all too easy to wind up doing what everyone else is doing. Fruit drinks are a great example. What company doesn’t put a picture of the fruit flavor in question on the packaging?
There is also the idea to make people work to find the logo. With an attractive design and a minimalistic logo, it will get the consumer to reach and find out what the company is. That’s an effective means of garnering recognition.
- Think Outside the Box
Another major issue in most packaging designs is that the packages are all the same. Even when it is a bottle, they are all generally the same shape. But making even a subtle change can be enough to transform the vessel into something totally unique.
For bottles, consider adding some details towards the top of the bottle. Being able to create a visual differentiation can be a huge key to standing out from the competition. Consumers will then recognize your packaging and won’t even need to see the label after a while to know who it belongs to.
- Go Eco
More and more people are also beginning to pay attention to the sustainability of the products that they are purchasing. Knowing that they are contributing to a more eco-friendly world can be enough for them to purchase something.
So, go with a sustainable approach to packaging. That can mean something sleek and clever yet environmentally sustainable. It can also mean donating to a cause, such as rehabilitating the rain forests or contributing to a fund that saves endangered animal species. Companies that give back are the ones to garner truly loyal customers.
- Find Sustainability
This ties in with the last one. Contributing to a great cause and showing a conscience can go a long way in the eyes of the consumer. But creating an environmentally sustainable product can go even further in their eyes.
Creating containers that are biodegradable can be a great way to limit the carbon footprint and give back to the environment. Especially for consumers who have an eye towards eco-consciousness, having a product that is sustainable can be infinitely valuable. That is the type of product that gains a following sooner rather than later.
- Deliver Value
More than anything else, most consumers are looking for one thing out of a product: value. They want to know that their hard-earned money is being spent on the best possible value. The more value you can deliver to the consumer, the better chance it has of standing out in their eyes when they are comparing options.
It all depends on the product for how that value is delivered. If you can make the packaging serve another purpose, even better. For example, maybe a children’s product that has animals on it can mean cutting out the animal’s face to create a mask. There are a ton of other potential options to choose from.
- Define Your Brand
Brand recognition is everything in running a business. People associate with brands. They recognize and trust in brands. And establishing that level of trust is something that not every business can achieve. But when they do, they are in the psyche of their audience.
Defining your brand means telling your story. It means using the right imagery and creating the most interesting eye trajectory. It means talking about the sustainability of the product. Convey the right information to the customer to show them what your company is about and how it is different.
- The Bolder, the Better
Bold colors have proven to be an effective means of grabbing attention. Having bright colors, particularly if they can complement the product, can be an excellent eye-catcher when compared to others in the immediate vicinity.
It is all about that first impression and having bright, vibrant colors is the best way to grab that initial focus. It delivers a simple message: light, fun, happy and positive feelings. When you can make the consumer feel good before they pick up the box, that is an important first step in the process.
- Give a Sneak Peek
Why not give consumers a little window to visually sample the product? Far too many products out there give us one representation on the packaging and another quite different one inside of the packaging. It feels a little like a bait and switch.
But by having a little window to the interior of the package, consumers can see what the product really looks like. That not only gives customers a sneak peek of what they can expect out of that package but establishes transparency. Transparency leads to trust, which is invaluable when trying to sell anything.
