Little do we realize that packaging is a whole big industry and there’s much more to it than just “looks”. It is often aptly said that ‘packaging is art’. It is indeed so. The packaging of a product tells an entire story. From emphasizing the brand value to excerpting the ethos of your business – packaging speaks volumes about the product and its creators too.

What if there’s a lot of information on your product’s packet? According to extensive studies on consumer behavior, buyers hardly take informed and logical decisions while purchasing a product. They are rather impulsive and make instinctive decisions!

Manufacturers, especially the packaging cell of the product, actually need to play upon the emotional quotient of buyers. If one can appeal to the reptilian brain – the one that decides without a logic setting in, packaging becomes a success.

The 2 ‘W’s needed to design a packaging

What’s the product?

This speaks of the product type, its size, if it's delicate calling for careful packaging & handling, dimensions – whether odd or even on all sides, etc.

Who’s buying the product?

Customer profiles matter. How? You need to consider gender, age, and a lot more. It's even important for you to know from which strata of the society your target audience hails from. Take, for instance, the product is meant for women; it's rarely colored pitch dark or a navy blue, isn’t it? Similarly, products for adults should have a larger font size for the content on the packaging!

A few Dos of packaging

Take care of the handling – Shipping and mailing is one area of packaging that manufacturers often fail to take care of. Damage of products during shipping and handling is a common affair. This not only mars the product but also its appeal and credibility to buyers!

Consider the customer’s point of view - This factor solely depends upon the nature of the product. Whether it’s the one that needs to be assembled or an electronic gadget that’s relatively new in the market. The packaging essentially needs to contain the instructions about the same. For instance, assemblage needs specific instructions. Similarly, skin products must contain a proper usage guide in brevity on their packets.

It needs to stand out – Do whatever it takes for your product to stand out on the shelves. From using appealing colors to shaping and sizing it conveniently, product packaging must ensure user-friendliness. You need to convince the buyer that he/she would be comfortable using the product once unpacked!

Don’ts…

Every designer is unique. Every idea is dissimilar to the other one. You could follow a set of rules, like the brand‘s theme while designing the packaging of your product, but there’s no thumb rule! Many packaging designers often commit the mistake of overdoing a design. One necessarily doesn't need to add too much copy and fine print to stand out always!

To set a few packaging standards that can be of real help, here are some points assorted –

• The packaging box should be rigid and sturdy
• Labels should be used for identifying the type of material in the package
• Adequate use of cushioning material is highly recommended
• Special strong shipping tapes should be used for wrapping
• The address label should bear complete delivery as well as return information