IDEAS BOX

Packaging - 10 Inspirational Packaging Ideas

What was your most recent purchase? Was it a specific brand, an impulse buy or something that you already needed? More than likely, you made the purchase because the product looked interesting. This is the purpose of packaging. It may have other uses such as protection, security and hygiene, but primarily packaging is what helps to sell your product. If done creatively, it draws attention to your product, delivers your brand message and hopefully encourages customers to buy into your business.

Packaging is a form of branding and the challenge is to make your products stand out from your competitors. The following are 10 packaging ideas that will hopefully inspire you to make your packaging appeal to not only your existing customer base, but future consumers as well.

1. Utilise all available space

Packaging can be a considerable percentage of the total cost of your product and therefore it is important to use all the available space, not only to promote your brand, but also to help engage the customer so that they feel enriched when purchasing your product. An example of this may be to decorate the inside of the box in a contrasting colour or pattern to create a ‘reveal’ resulting in a pleasant surprise when the customer opens the box.

2. Think about simplicity

In a retail environment that is filled with bright, vibrant products, sometimes simplicity can be the key in providing a point of difference between you and your competitors. Using the base material as a background such as Kraft board or simply by pairing back the amount of packaging required using wraps, belly bands or swing tags can still be just as effective as an over engineered box.

3. Be unique

If you have a product that is likely to be displayed along with your competitors, it is important to have a point of difference. It may take into account being environmentally friendly using recycled materials, or on smaller runs it could be hand-made or personalised. Either way, it’s trying to make something everyday into a product that stands out from the crowd and encourages more sales.

4. Use texture

Texture can be visual through the use of print or it can be physical by using textured papers or varnishes. It will result in your customer using another of their senses – touch, which will help differentiate you from your competitors.

5. Tell a story

People love stories and information. If you can engage your customers with a story on your packaging, whether it be about your company’s history or the reasons why this product was developed and brought to market, it will all help the overall customer experience.

6. Have another purpose

Recycling, upcycling and being eco-friendly is a topic close to many peoples’ hearts these days. By giving your packaging a secondary purpose, rather than it being discarded once used, will give you an edge on your competitors.

7. Use imagery

A lot of packaging is very text-heavy and therefore the use of great photography or illustration can give your product a distinct look from other items on the shelf and help to give your brand stronger visual impact.

8. Be humorous

Humour has always worked in advertising, so why not in other forms of media? Making a potential customer smile is almost halfway to a sale. Humour can be in the form of word puns, illustrations or even making your product appear as something different such as a paint brush sleeve being surrounded by a face resulting in it looking like a beard. This will definitely make it stand out from other products on display.

9. Go compact

Today, more than ever it is vitally important to reduce our carbon footprint. By making your packaging more compact, this results in lower transportation costs, greater storage potential and more prominent brand visibility in the retail environment.

10. Consider the end user experience

Think about how your potential customer will interact with your packaging once it has been purchased. What are the emotions you would wish them to experience? One example is using tissue paper to surround your product within the packaging. This creates an additional reveal aside from the initial opening the box. It is also a different material and therefore it stimulates the sense of touch as well as the visual. This simple addition could make your product appear more premium than your competitors, which if done correctly, could command a slightly higher price point than was originally planned.

Your packaging is much more than just a box. It promotes your brand and by giving it slight differentiation, it can help it stand out from your competitors and help to promote a better end user experience. Remember, the more creative your packaging is, the more likely the product is to sell.

Please note that the views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this article belong solely to the author, and not necessarily to any other group or individual. To ensure you are fully compliant with all current legislation, please take legal/professional advice and do not rely solely on the information provided in these articles.