Why Good Packaging Design Matters.

Packaging design is an important part of a brand’s identity. It is not just something the product is housed in. It is the first thing a consumer sees and the most frequent way they interact with the brand from seeing it in an aisle, to taking it home. The design and colours on packaging are a persistent representative of a brand’s values and personality. In this article, we’ll explore what packaging design is, the key elements and principles behind it, and why it plays such a crucial role.

What is Packaging Design?

Packaging design is when materials and visual elements are strategically placed together to create the aesthetic appearance and structure of a product’s wrapping, box or container. The elements include materials, colour, typography, and graphics. The final design is the inter relationship between the elements to create a visually appealing design on a package that reflects the brand identity. 

The Elements and Principles of Packaging Design

Packaging design has evolved from basic necessity to protect and transport a product to a powerful tool for branding. Thus the quality of the packaging design has a significant impact on catching the eye of the customer and standing out on a shelf. To ensure packaging design is of optimal quality and an accurate reflection of a brand’s identity, there are basic elements and principles that need to be applied. These Elements and principles are crucial to ensuring  the visual appeal of packaging and communicating brand identity and product’s purpose to the customer. Ultimately, these two factors will contribute towards brand recognition and sales.

Elements of Packaging Design

There are four main elements of packaging design, and each will impact consumer perception and buying behaviour. These are colour, images, typography, and design.

Colour: The use of colour can instantly draw customers to a brand and convey product qualities. Every colour has unique meanings which shape emotions and attitudes. Blue for instance is associated with calmness and trust. Oreo’s iconic blue and white packaging was a deliberate colour choice for the company with the blue representing reliability.  Green evokes imagery of nature and yellow is used to attract attention. Colours are used intentionally to build brand recognition and encourage purchasing decisions. 

Bright colours can catch the eye from a distance which can draw customers to the product before other, less vibrant coloured packaging. A good combination of colours can be visually appealing that potential buyers will gravitate towards.

Colours are also a way of inciting brand recognition. Think of the red and white of a cola drink. The moment you see those colours, without seeing the name, you recognise the brand is Coke.

Images:  Images play an important role in packaging design as they help a consumer to immediately recognise the product without words. This is essential as it means the customer does not need to open the packaging to know what they are getting. Designs for food packaging often use stylised imagery if there is no clear window displaying the product inside the packaging or if the product is raw.  When an image on packaging is a natural landscape it can evoke emotions of serenity. Happy faces displayed on packaging can trigger good thoughts and feelings of joy.

Typography: Typography is the arrangement and choice of font type, size, line lengths and spacing to ensure the text is visually appealing, fits on the packaging, and relays the brand message and identity. Typography is essential for providing product information but requires careful consideration when choosing the right style to appeal to a target audience. 

Different typefaces relay different personalities and moods. Some typefaces like serif fonts are formal and professional, while sans serif fonts can appear more relaxed and approachable. Some packaging designs rely purely on the font as a representation of the product, so the right typography choice is essential.

Design: The choice of design is important when it comes to packaging. Overly exaggerated patterns can draw the consumer to the product but will not necessarily be visually appealing. The trends for patterns on packaging have become more abstract with a focus on minimalism that reflects a sustainable brand promise. Whichever pattern design you choose, it is imperative that it matches the brand identity and remains consistent across the brand’s product line.

Principles of Packaging Design

The principles of packaging design are set out to ensure packaging stands out and is easily recognised by the consumer. The four main principles help brands create packaging that reflects the brands identity and product purpose. These principles are clarity, consistency, consumer centricity and creativity.

Clarity: This is about making the information on the packaging understandable and engaging when the customer first sees it. When a consumer is in a store, there is an overload of information and a wide range of product choices. It is essential to be clear on what is in the packaging, the benefits and why they should choose it. The product packaging design should have essential information like ingredients, instructions and nutritional information. It should have visual clarity without too many overwhelming patterns, images or typography. The front of the packaging should be designed to draw the customer in and then once they have engaged with the packaging, be able to find the crucial information easily accessible.

Consistency: Packaging design should be consistent across all the brand’s products that forms part of a ‘family’. Consistent packaging design allows a consumer to recognise a brand immediately. All product packaging should contain consistent elements of colours, typography and imagery. This consistent brand messaging and design encourages customers to feel familiar with the brand and strengthens the ability to recognise it amongst a plethora of competitors.

Consumer centricity: By keeping the needs of the consumer at the forefront of packaging design, and understanding what the audience wants, packaging design will most likely resonate with the target audience. To tailor packaging to consumer preferences involves research into their lifestyle and habits. Understanding customers wants and needs is an ongoing process. Consumer preferences can change over time so it is important to engage with them through surveys, social media and direct feedback. 

Creativity: Brands that utilise creative packaging design stand out from the rest and have a memorable impact on customers. Creative packaging promotes brand recognition and strengthens brand identity. Creative packaging may be in the form of vibrant colours, unique shaped boxes or unconventional materials. A luxury brand may utilise high quality materials and embellishments in their packaging to encapsulate the sophisticated and exclusive nature of the product. For products known for sustainability, recycling packaging is imperative to continue customer loyalty

So Why is Packaging Design Important?

Packaging design is important for a number of reasons from protecting a product to being a powerful tool for brand recognition. The majority of consumers choose one product over another because of its visual appeal. There are five main reasons packaging design is important.

Brand identity and recognition:  Good packaging design promotes the brand and markets the product. It is a representation of the brand  identity, brand recognition, brand personality and values that differentiates from others. The right packaging promotes brand awareness and recognition  with consistent visuals like colours, fonts, and logos. This consistent packaging design helps products to stand out on shelves. The consistency can instill customer loyalty. Good packaging for brand awareness does not have to be exotic. Tiffany & Co. is simple and yet effective with a unique blue box that signifies the high quality of the jewellery. 

Provides information: Good packaging design provides the right amount of information to consumers. Some products need more information on the packaging than  others and the right packaging design will ensure the correct amount of information. Types of information might be the product purpose, brand identity, or even regulatory details.

Aesthetic appeal:  Choice of colours, images, materials, and the shape and form of the vessel makes packaging stand out and aesthetically appealing to customers. With the right packaging design, and understanding the target market, consumers are more likely to be drawn to a product which boosts sales. Visual elements like colours, typography and imagery have a subconscious impact on consumers, influencing purchasing decisions. 

Protection: Good packaging design protects the product, keeps it fresh and secures it for transportation and during the distribution process. To protect a product from damage, packaging design needs to be the right size, with suitable materials to protect the product. To minimise damage to the product, packaging designers need to create an efficient packaging structure to ensure contents are secure. Depending on the product, protective packaging can be made out of cardboard, plastic or even metal. 

Eco friendliness: Sustainable packaging is becoming a higher priority for brands and consumers, so focusing on eco-friendly packaging designs and materials is imperative. Using sustainable packaging enhances brand reputation and meets growing consumer expectations. In Australia, this also aligns with the APCO (Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation) 2025 National Packaging Targets, which aim for all packaging to be reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2025, with an emphasis on eliminating problematic materials and increasing recycled content. In packaging design, this means considering how to reduce the size or amount of packaging, use eco-friendly and recyclable materials, and adopt sustainable design principles from the outset. The right packaging design should intentionally minimise environmental harm while contributing to industry-wide sustainability goals.

Packaging design is more than just what a product is wrapped in. It is a carefully crafted strategy taking into account materials, colours, typography and the needs of the consumer. In this article we have explained what packaging design is, elements and principles of packaging design and why it is imperative for a brand’s success. For further information contact the team at Brandwell