TIPS FOR EFFECTIVE CPG PACKAGING DESIGN

Creating a quality product is only part of the battle when you’re running your own business. You also need to consider the packaging. The proper packaging will draw potential customers to your brand and ensure they choose you over the competitors. Packaging that clearly explains what’s inside guarantees the likelihood of satisfied, repeat customers.

If you need CPG packaging design tips, you’ve come to the right place. Learn what to include on your packaging and how it benefits your business.

In manufacturing, consumer packaged goods (CPG) refer to items people frequently buy. These items include food and drinks, cleaning products, and toiletries. If you’re a business that produces these goods, you might not think packaging matters much. People need those items and will buy them no matter what.

Having eye-catching packaging can make a huge difference in your sales, though. When your packaging design is stunning, consumers look at your item more than the surrounding goods on the shelf. They’re likely to remember your brand name and come back to you time and time again.

Research has found that stores have over 30,000 items on display. With that staggering figure in mind, you must consider how your product will stand out. You can’t sell the item as thoroughly as you could on your website or with a commercial, so the packaging must speak for itself.

Your CPG packaging needs to tell consumers two main things: what’s inside and who makes the product. Show a picture of the food product if possible. In the case of beverages, you could include an image representing what you want them to think of when they look at it. 

Your brand should also be front and center. Repeat customers will see your logo and grab the package immediately. Potential consumers might feel drawn to your name, logo, or brand colors and decide to give you a try. They’ll remember that brand the next time they visit the store.

Consumers selecting a new product spend about four seconds looking at the shelf before making a choice. If your packaging doesn’t jump out at them in that time, you’ve lost them. Ensure you’re telling them exactly what they need to know with a glance at the product.

You also need to ensure the packaging suits what’s inside. You don’t want to package cleaning products that appear to be fruity drinks. It’s better to have a package that can either show what’s inside or has images that clarify its purpose.

CPG packaging design is essential for sales because it shows customers what they’ll get. As previously mentioned, you don’t want to sell cleaning products that look delicious. But you also don’t want to make false promises. For example, don’t show a muffin with dozens of blueberries on the package if the food inside only has two berries.

Showing accurate representations on your package ensures that you satisfy customers. They’re not going to see the actual product and feel like you lied to them. In that case, they’re likely to never buy your brand again. But if the package represents what’s inside, they’ll feel like they got what they expected and will buy from you again.

This level of honesty doesn’t mean you can’t edit your photographs to make them brighter. You can still create a cartoonish drawing of your product without feeling like you’re misleading your customers. There’s a difference between false advertising and making your products more attention-grabbing.

You need to consider how your product looks on the shelf. Sometimes this concept means you should choose a bright color that demands customers to look when they pass by. 

But in some cases, bright colors can make you blend in. Many brands, like Campbell’s and Coca-Cola, use red as their signature color. If you’re making soup or a beverage and use that same red, your product won’t stand out.

Doing market research will help you see what competitors are doing. If they’re all using bright packages, you will stand out more with a simple black or white design.

The practicality of the design also makes a huge difference. You don’t want to package a drink in a round carton with no handle and a large opening that spills liquid everywhere. You don’t need to store a sauce in a packet that overflows as soon as you tear it open. Understanding how your customers will use the product impacts the type of packaging as much as the design.

You should think of the overall scope of your business. A design that works well for your hot sauce might not translate to your pasta sauce. Finding a basic design you can customize for specific products ensures greater visibility. Customers will see your signature logo and style and want to try another offering from a brand they love.

Customers who can look at a product and immediately know what to expect are more inclined to buy that item. Ensure your packaging and design are clear, simple, and honest. You’ll notice that sales will take off as customers know they can trust you to deliver what you’re promising.

The CPG package design process doesn’t have to be challenging. If you follow these four major tips in your design development, you’ll find out how easy it is to increase sales with packaging changes. The right packaging is going to stick in your customers’ minds, so they come back to your brand over and over again.

When you’re creating CPG packaging, you have a few goals in mind. You want the package to do the following:

• Protect the product
• Showcase your brand
• Explain what’s inside
• Lead to sales

Using food-safe packaging will protect your product. Positioning your logo and using brand colors on the packaging itself will showcase your brand. Photographs or illustrations can show potential customers what’s inside the packaging. Together, all those items will lead to sales because consumers can confidently buy your product.

But this information is very basic. You can meet all these goals and still have bland packaging. So if you’re stuck with this foundational information, read on for tips to make your packaging demand attention.

CPG package design is simple if you have a plan. Instead of creating a new product and then figuring out how to package it, work on both processes together. The packaging should be part of the brainstorming process for the item itself.

When you plan with packaging, you can consider the full scope of your business. You can create a design that can apply to multiple products. Customers will know that your sauce always comes in slim jars with your logo front and center, for example. But they’ll also notice your tall boxes of other products that have a similar design.

A simple design often stands out more than a busy label. When you use solid colors and one image or design element, your packaging demands attention, especially compared to all the bright patterns practically jumping off the shelf.

Striving for a minimalist CPG package design can help you understand how to keep your art simple. Customers will recognize your item immediately. Minimalist packaging also ensures practicality, which is something consumers want.

Packaging should grab attention and be practical to use, but you also need to think of your brand packaging design. You want your business name and logo prominently displayed so customers remember your product. It helps with repeat buyers as well as solidifies your reputation.

Designing the rest of your packaging around your brand is a great approach. You’ll use your logo and business colors as the jumping-off point to create the other CPG packaging design aspects. Once you have a way to showcase your brand on one type of packaging, you can use it across all items for a cohesive identity.

One of the most important aspects of effective packaging design is diversification. This concept doesn’t mean each bottle of cleaner has a different label, but rather means it looks great in online stores as well as on supermarket shelves. You want something that you don’t have to see in person to feel compelled to buy.

Packaging that photographs great will look enticing online, in print ads, and in commercials. It won’t matter if someone is standing in front of the store shelf or scrolling on their phone. You don’t have to worry about finding ways to make it look eye-catching if it looks good in all circumstances.

These tips will help you design practical, stylish CPG packaging. Always think from the customer’s point of view:

• What will they notice on the shelf?
• What product will they want to use?
• What are they hoping to find inside the package?

With these considerations in mind, you’ll have a fresh approach to CPG packaging design. From there, you can ensure your brand and logo take center stage so customers remember who you are. The right CPG packaging design can make a positive difference in your sales. Contact The Packaging Lab today to order industry-leading custom packaging.