How to Effectively Showcase your Product with Custom Packaging
Marketing a product, particularly in the retail environment, is extremely competitive. It’s hard to be successful because really, what makes effective packaging design? Each and every product in your space is contending for attention. Hard decisions are made by consumers who must select between similar products. It is the role of custom product packaging to showcase why the consumer should choose your product over the competition.
Packaging design is a focal point of the marketing strategy behind many successful products. This is primarily due to the value that packaging has as a representation of a product’s style, purpose and features. At the point-of-sale, well defined packaging can catch the eye of potential customers in a matter of seconds.
Establishing your brand and key points of difference through your packaging is a highly effective way to set a prominent place for your product in the market. As a marketing tool, packaging is a fantastic opportunity to outline the best qualities of your product to potential customers.
So What Is Custom Product Packaging?
Custom product packaging is a packaging solution designed to the exact specification and needs of your product, it allows you to create a design that will enhance, protect, and advertise your specific product in the most effective way possible.
Unique and eye-catching custom packaging designs can often be found on:
- Food Packaging (Frozen Foods, Fresh Foods, Dry Foods, etc)
- Patisserie Packaging (Cakes Boxes, Cookies, Desserts)
- Pet Food Packaging
- Beauty & Cosmetic Packaging
- Personal Hygiene Packaging
- Pharmaceutical Packaging
What is the aim of custom packaging design?
The purpose of custom packaging design is to create a distinctive package which is attractive to customers whilst showcasing the product, its branding and its competitive differences. A good packaging design will raise consumer awareness of your product and its features, in order to convert customers and increase sales.
There are many ways in which you can create an attractive custom packaging solution. When creating your design you can select from the shape/size, style, stock, finishing and printing options in order to create something individual. Some of the available choices include:
- Sizes & Shapes
- Stocks (coated and uncoated papers, cardboard, plastic)
- Printing (standard or special colours, offset or flexography)
- Finishing (self lock, crush lock, glueing, etc)
- Embellishments (cello glazing, foil, emboss, etc)
- Special features (zip lock, clear windows, etc)
What makes an effective packaging design?
There are two main factors which contribute to effective packaging design, functionality and visual design. The way that consumers first interact with your product through its packaging will establish the initial impression of your product in their mind. Ensuring that this impression is both positive and informative, is paramount to the success of your product’s marketing efforts.
Selecting the right material/s, shape and size of your packaging will depend on the type of product, its size, weight and other physical properties. The primary role of your packaging is to safely and securely contain your product/s.
However, when designing custom packaging you should analyse specific factors of its functionality. For example, you may consider how the design:
- Protects your product.
- Prevents contamination.
- Fits on a shelf or is transported.
- Will be disposed of.
- Open and close.
In addition to how the packaging functions, the way in which your product is presented through its visual design is an important factor for effective packaging. It is the look of the packaging that communicates the branding, product messaging, features and level of quality to the customer. Visual considerations such as the shape, size and colour scheme, as well as any imagery and text, all convey meaning.
It is vital to ensure that the overall message, portrayed by your packaging, is appealing to your ideal consumer. Researching your target market, as well as your competitors, in order to develop a design which stands out and communicates well, is an integral step in the design process. If you can set out a design which attracts your ideal consumer you can significantly boost sales in retail stores and online.
Ultimately, purchase decisions can be highly influenced by the presentation of the product. How your packaging stacks up against its rivals on a store shelf can be the difference between a successful product launch and a lukewarm reception. Therefore, creating custom packaging is an essential opportunity to connect to potential customers at the point-of-sale.
If you have a product and would like to start looking into your custom packaging options, speak to an expert packaging printer for information on how best to begin. Focus Print Group is one of Australia’s most established printing companies. We offer professional printing services in Sydney and Melbourne, such as custom packaging, digital printing, marketing materials, labels and more. We utilise the latest technology and processes to deliver high quality printed materials nationwide. If you are looking for custom packaging services, contact our Sydney Office on (02) 8755 7888 or Melbourne office on (03) 8831 2000, for a FREE consultation.