Finding the Packaging Design Sweet Spot

June 3, 2016 Uncategorised

In today’s competitive market the way your product looks is essential to drive customers towards purchasing your products against your competitors. Businesses spend a lot of time, energy and money creating new products and the hard work doesn’t stop once the product is created – it flows right through until that fresh stock is on the shelf. So how do you find the magic solution that helps your product jump off the shelf and into trolleys? theroom is here to share the inside word on how you can consider everybody’s needs and find your own packaging sweet spot.

In this post we will cover off some key issues that both start ups and established businesses need to consider when trying to find the ultimate packaging design. It introduces the packaging design sweet spot – a glorious place where business profitability, consumer needs and market conditions all align. We believe it will deliver great insights to your audience and give them a jump off point for their own packaging project.

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The consumer

Customers come first. This ideal is the heart of so many business strategies, and an incredibly important consideration when it comes to packaging design. The key is building a package that is appealing and approachable.
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A great example of this is Bare Blossom. This organic skin care company needed to clearly communicate their story through packaging. theroom put the consumer first by using a light and minimal design, and carrying it across all of their products. This consistency helps reassure returning customers, encouraging them to try something new in a product line they already trust.

Market conditions

Whether a store is online or physical – shelf space is now more competitive than ever. A great packaging designer is able to take a step back and assess what the market environment is currently and envision where the product could take the segment. This market research may lead to the designer discovering a gap in materials being utilized or uncovering a great insight into how the purchaser might react to a different approach.

Another consideration for designers is how a wholesale client would react to the product. If the end result is difficult to display or store, the product and brand may be less favored than brands that deliver a better solution for Visual Merchandisers. theroom solved this for Bare Blossom by using a simple stacking container that was easy for staff to open and share with customers.

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Profitability

Finding the perfect package for consumers and retailers is all well and good, but at the end of the day your product needs to be profitable! Your packaging should be designed with the goal of lowering your cost of goods sold, whilst delivering value for the brand. It’s one of the greatest challenges of design and it’s incredibly rewarding to get right.

One key is to look for containers that stack well and are lightweight to reduce transportation expenses. Another option is to source multipurpose vessels so that you can order a larger quantity to take advantage of bulk pricing. Your packaging designer can then help you differentiate between SKUs – like shampoo and conditioner.

Longevity can also be a pain point for profitability. Changing your logo, ingredients or product names will require a reprint, which will drive up costs. We might be biased, but investing in a great design team can save you both dollars and heartache. You’ll be in that packaging sweet spot in no time.

Too long, didn’t read:

Packing designers strive to find the packaging sweet spot between the brand, the product and the consumer. Here’s a quick list of things you may consider when kicking off your next packaging design project:

● Put the consumer first and create packaging that is appealing to them. Use a tone and style that makes them feel at ease so that the purchase journey feels natural.

● Use design to create a story for your product line. Building a product family makes it easier for consumers to move from one product to another – increasing their confidence in the brand and your bottom line.

● Extend your strategic thinking to design. If you’re the first mover in your segment, how will packaging design protect you from new entrants to the market? If you’re a challenger, what are those in market doing already with design, and how will yours differentiate from the competition?

Think outside the box – literally and figuratively. Work with your packaging designer to find a solution that stands out and demands attention.

Our team of designers work with clients nationwide to deliver packaging design projects without the headaches. With experience designing for FMCG, retail and hospitality theroom has the know-how to bring your dream project to life. Contact us today!