When designing packaging for your product, it can be tricky to figure out where to begin. With colors, graphics, information, and advertising to contend with, there’s no wonder why you run into this dilemma! Here are the best practices for designing product packaging to appeal to consumers.
Prioritize Simplicity and Functionality
Packaging annoyances appear the most in the holiday season. When their child wants their seventh toy taken out of impenetrable packaging, parents rightly lose their minds. Connecting your product packaging with annoyance in the minds of your consumers is not a great idea. So keep your packaging functional.
Certain products require safety features (medicine, for example), so this is not an unbreakable rule. Generally, though, you should keep your products as accessible as possible.
Design for Your Audience
This tip is just common sense—you should always make design decisions with your target audience in mind. Look at other products appealing to the same demographics and note common trends. What colors appear the most on items aimed at young adults? Are they different than the colors on products meant for seniors?
Make It Eco-Friendly
Demonstrating a commitment to environmental concerns makes sense for so many reasons. First, it’s vital to millions of consumers. On top of that, it’s a big trend in the packaging world right now. And staying on top of trends helps your product look sleek and new. Further, helping the planet is a responsibility we all share, from individual consumers to large corporations. This practice helps you do your part!
Use Mockups
A reason to use mockups is that they allow you to visualize your product (in this case, the product’s packaging) as it will look in its final form. They’re excellent because they show you what your final product will look like without having to pay for multiple prototypes. You can then troubleshoot cost-effectively. If you’re making something for a client, you can show them a few mockups to help them visualize your designs.
Now that you know the best practices for designing product packaging, you can start determining your target audience and make a sleek, simple, and sustainable design!