“I know my product is made with the best ingredients, but still why is it not flying off the shelves?”

Sounds familiar right, one of the problems for the decline in sales can be packaging design. 

Best of the products in the market fail when the packaging design is not right. 

Your packaging design should be such that it should catch the customer’s attention.  

These few seconds are the key for your product to get noticed and complete the sales cycle. 

Greysell Advertising, a top packaging design agency in Mumbai, advises clients to pay more attention to packaging design. 

Packaging design is the first touch point for consumers.  

Right packaging gives the right start for your business sales. 

In this blog post, we will explore the principles that ensure success. Provide insights into the best practices for packaging design.

An effective packaging design not only protects the product.  But it also serves as a powerful marketing tool.

The 9 key principles of packaging design are as follows: 

  1. Know your target audience 

The first step in packaging design is to understand your target audience. Conduct detailed market research to know their preferences, needs and buying behaviours. By gaining insights, you can design the packaging to appeal to their desires. This will grab their attention and drive sales. 

For e.g., A company that sells chocolates and confectionaries has a packaging design that appeals to children. 

 It will have bright colours, favourite characters on them, easy to tear and handle with smooth edges for safety.

  • Packaging should be simple and clear

When it comes to packaging design, it’s necessary that it should be simple and clear. 

Hurried shoppers go towards the packaged products that give information with clarity.

They don’t want to spend time searching for the details.

Packaging is done to appeal to the shoppers who want to buy and go.

Beyond knowing that the eye wants to read top to bottom and left to right. Mastering hierarchy involves knowing that shoppers are on the lookout to read the words in the packaging. It will help them to choose the product, put it in the cart, bill easily and move out of the store.

  • Keep the design clean and uncluttered.  
  • Use clear typography
  • Concise messaging. 
  • Make sure the key information, such as product name, logo, and product description, is easily visible and legible.

For e.g., In the beverage section of pasta products, they will not focus on the word pasta. They would check on the types of pasta like Macaroni, Lasagna, Spaghetti, etc.

  • Stand out and differentiate 

In a cluttered marketplace, it’s important to make your product stand out from the competition.

Most brands try to replicate the steps taken by successful brands to play safe. 

Packaging design is an opportunity to differentiate your brand from the crowd and create a memorable impression.

Your packaging design is of no use if it fails to grab the attention of the customers in the shop or modern retail. 

The keyword in the packaging is ATTENTION. Grab it to start a communication with the client. 

To really make your customer stop and pay attention you have to take bold steps to make packaging interesting. 

Consider introducing packaging design with unique shapes, colours, or materials.  It improves the customer experience. Elements that are designed to attract the eye from a distance.

To ignore packaging design differentiation is like ignoring sales which is the heart of business function.

For e.g., the beverage brand Paper Boat’s unique packaging design differentiated itself from the cluttered beverage category. 

  • Authenticity and Brand Consistency

The packaging design should be consistent with your brand identity and values. Authenticity and consistency develop trust and loyalty with consumers. Make sure that your packaging design aligns with your brand’s aesthetics, communication and persona. Packaging design brings consistency and uniformity across the brand’s product lines.It will help reinforce brand recognition and establish a cohesive visual language.

For e.g., Coca-Cola’s red and white packaging design has become an iconic symbol globally, including in India.

  • Spotlight on Product Benefits

Consumers are more likely to take action and buy products when they understand their benefits. The packaging design should highlight the USP and advantages of the product.

 Use visuals, icons, and descriptive text to highlight the key features, ingredients, or uses of the product. 

This helps consumers quickly grasp the value proposition and makes it easier for them to make an informed purchase decision.

The reasons the consumer should buy your product, instead of your competitors’ should be upfront on their faces. These reasons should be differentiated and relevant.

So, if you have a product that has its USP as competitive pricing. Packaging should mention that consumers are getting the best functions at a very good price.

For e.g.: The Amul Butter Cookie packaging design clearly shows the product uses original butter instead of vegetable oil in the product.

  • Consider Practicality and Functionality

While aesthetics are important in packaging design, practicality and functionality should not be overlooked. Packaging should be designed to protect the product during transportation and storage.

It should be user-friendly and convenient for consumers to open, close, and handle. 

The packaging design should enhance the user experience and satisfaction of the consumers. 

  • Sustainability and Eco-Friendliness

In today’s world, where sustainability is a necessity, sustainable packaging design is gaining increasing importance. Consumers appreciate brands that give immense importance toeco-friendly practices.

Brands who opt for sustainability use: 

– Recyclable or biodegradable materials

-Reduce excess packaging

– Use renewable energy sources during production

The brands should communicate their commitment to sustainable packaging. It will resonate with consumers.

  • Testing and Iteration

Brands should make a prototype of the packaging design.  Test its effectiveness before finalising its mass production. Get feedback for the necessary improvements by conducting focus groups and consumer surveys.

Iteration based on user feedback can help fine-tune the design. Ensuring it resonates with your target audience.

  • Design with the store or online platform in mind

The packaging design should be done with the store environment in mind.

Few things that can obstruct your packaging design in a modern retail store:

  • Frosted freezer doors can obscure vision
  • Hanging tags in the store aisles can intrude upon the products
  • Lights can blur the stuff written on the packaging

It’s crucial for the brand to understand these factors and design packaging. The consumer can get information on the packaging design with ease. 

Similarly, in e-commerce stores, the product packaging design should be clear and specific. 

Greysell Advertising, the leading packaging design advertising agency in Mumbai, has worked with esteemed confectionery international and domestic brands like Hershey’s Nutrine, Lavianand Gandour. We have developed packaging design keeping in mind the target audience and what will appeal to its target audience. The result was higher top-line numbers for these brands. 

We have worked with personal care brands like Zuska, Breath Fresh,Zuci,Sylkin and many more. 

In FMCG brands, we have worked with an international brands like Californian Beverages with its products Black Panther and many more. 

If you want your brand to reach your targeted audience with brilliant packaging design connect with Greysell Advertising, the best packaging design agency in Mumbai.  

To connect with us, visit: www.greysell.in