Iris Nieves, Negosentro | We are all constantly bombarded by advertising. It’s merely the price of progress and allows us to ultimately see for ourselves what is the best product for any situation. People are naturally drawn to sleek and attractive packaging, but there is much more to it than that. In terms of commercial packaging, what are the most important ways to insure that your product is presented in a both aesthetically pleasing and cost-effective way? Let’s take a look at a few strategies.
Modern Styles
It can be difficult to keep up with the rapid fluctuation of stylistic trends. Consider the popularity and novelty of origami style packaging in 2013. Today, this foldable paper packaging isn’t just for design mavericks anymore. In fact, designs such as these, even in their relative simplicity, give the appearance of a work of art, being particularly appealing to younger, more image-driven consumers.
This is just one thing to consider, and there are several other aspects to call into question when trying to create the most visually appealing packaging. Other examples of recently popular design include minimalist labels and transformative typography. It’s cutting edge design innovations such as these that become the most bitter envy of designers who are simply out of touch. However, there are several tools that can put someone right back in the ideological forefront of packaging design, such as purchasable templates for nearly any type of design you could imagine.
Artistry
Though briefly touched on, it’s important to note that having a unique, artistic appearance towards one’s packaging is absolutely a major selling point in the modern market. As such, color is known to be a determining factor in how consumers respond to packaging and products. Research shows that muted tones induce a calming, visually appealing effect for consumers. Likewise, brands may utilize other visual aspects to appeal to a variety of audiences. One could appeal to a more masculine audience with monochromatic patterns or a feminine audience with more vibrant, brightly-hued, designs.
Sometimes these subtleties can be a bit boggling to any entrepreneur that has no experience, or perhaps simply no interest, in the visual aspects of design, but these cognitive patterns and trends are incredibly useful in any capacity.
Ecological Friendliness
Perhaps even more important than the aesthetic appeal of a design is its ecological impact and long-term implications. Consumers, especially among millennials, are incredibly conscious of the environmental ramifications of what they purchase and consume now more than ever in a way that can’t be ignored as a passing fad or trend. Every piece of packaging that is recycled in ernest saves oil, electricity, water, landfill space, and trees. There’s no reason not to go through with making your company as green as is realistic, and after decades and decades of endless plastic wraps, your packaging is the best place to start.
This, unfortunately, can also seem very unfamiliar to those unfamiliar with these types of packaging. However, if you look around, you’ll see that almost every cutting-edge company, even restaurants, are using bio-degradable or at least completely recyclable packaging. However, if you aren’t sure where to start, there are a variety of custom packaging companies that could help you get started depending on your product and the brand image you’re trying to convey.
Katrina Vines is a graphic and packaging designer dedicated to informing companies about effective, eco-friendly, and sustainable design.
