What is Product Packaging?
Product packaging refers to the exterior materials that contain, protect, and display a product. It serves not only to ensure the item arrives intact and safe but also creates a memorable first impression and communicates a brand’s personality and values. Great packaging reflects a brand’s identity, appeals to its target audience, and can make the unboxing experience exciting and memorable.
What is Product Packaging Design?
Product packaging design is the process of creating a visual and functional exterior for a product. This design involves choosing the right materials, colors, typography, and imagery to communicate the product’s purpose and brand identity. Good design is strategic: it considers aesthetics, functionality, and the emotional impact on the customer to create a cohesive experience.
Why is Good Product Packaging Important?
Good product packaging is important because it’s often the first physical interaction customers have with a brand. Effective packaging not only protects the product but also helps it stand out on shelves and boosts brand recognition. It builds excitement, reinforces quality, and can influence purchasing decisions. In today’s market, where unboxing is a shared social media experience, creative packaging can even drive customer engagement and brand loyalty.
Steps to Create the Best Product Packaging
Choose the Right Packaging
Select materials and packaging types that align with the product’s nature and brand message. Consider durability, sustainability, and functionality in this choice to ensure it aligns with your brand’s values and the expectations of your audience.
Consider Adding Branded Filler or Tissue Paper
Branded filler, like custom-printed tissue paper or crinkle paper in your brand colors, adds a layer of sophistication and protects the product during transit. It also creates a delightful experience for customers when they open the package.
Add Additional Promotional Material
Including a small branded insert or a sample of another product encourages future purchases and reminds customers of your brand even after the package is discarded.
Add a Personalized Note
Including a handwritten note or a card with a thank-you message makes the customer feel valued and enhances the unboxing experience, fostering a more personal connection to your brand.
Consider Custom Packing Tape
Custom packing tape can reinforce brand identity from the outside of the package, making it recognizable even before it’s opened. It’s a small but impactful detail that adds to the package’s visual appeal.
Our Favorite Product Packaging Examples
Skims 2021 Olympics Packaging
We made this custom-molded box that was shipped to Team USA before the 2022 Olympics in Beijing, receiving a shout-out from Kim Kardashian on social media. This box shows the potential of highly customized packaging to create buzz and a luxury feel, enhancing the brand’s image and creating excitement.
Haus Sampler Kit
Haus’s sampler kit features a simple, clean design, demonstrating that elegance doesn’t have to be expensive. The minimalist packaging design can be cost-effective while still offering a premium unboxing experience that is memorable.
818 Tequila Utilitarian Kit
This sustainable packaging example shows how to create an eco-friendly, reusable package that customers are likely to keep. The reusable design keeps your brand top of mind and aligns with modern sustainability goals, ideal for brands with larger budgets.
Gentle Monster “Gentle Jelly” Sunglasses Packaging
Inspired by nostalgic candy packaging, Gentle Monster’s design for their sunglasses creates a playful and unique unboxing experience. It’s a fantastic example of thinking outside the box and using unconventional inspiration to connect with consumers on an emotional level.
Conclusion
Thoughtful, creative packaging can elevate your brand, turning a simple product delivery into an unforgettable experience. By choosing the right materials, incorporating personalized touches, and exploring unique design inspirations, you create packaging that speaks to your brand’s identity and resonates with customers. Whether through sustainable designs, interactive elements, or memorable unboxing experiences, great packaging makes a lasting impression and helps foster brand loyalty. Let your packaging be more than just a container—make it a part of your brand’s story that customers will remember and share.
