With a countless number of product categories and new products added to each type, food producers have to take special care that their product does not get lost on the store shelves.
If you are starting a food product company, you have a great opportunity lying ahead of you. It also means that you have to stand out from the clutter of already available food products in your category.
The best way to do this to have a packaging design that stands out from other food brands. People bored with their daily lives want to try something new and exciting. Your packaging should make them excited about the food product.
Logopie brings you a step by step process to design an exciting product packaging for your new product.
- The first step is to prepare for your design.
- Next, you need to define your style. It includes things like colors and information that comes with the packaging.
- Next, you choose the packaging type.
- Find out the right message for your packaging.
- Do it yourself or find a good design partner.
Preparing for your design
Let’s start with the preparation for your design. The very first thing to do is to identify the typical customer that would buy your product. While almost anyone can eat every food product, you still need to define your specific audience.
If your product is spices, then you are ideal target could be ladies who cook traditional food at home. If your product is digestive biscuits, the perfect goal would be fitness freaks.
Identifying your target customer is vital as your entire styling in messaging will be done keeping them in mind.
Next, you need to define your product image. It could also be called your product’s personality. It could be a premium product targeted only two exclusive and wealthy.
If it is something that identifies more with the population on the countryside, your product’s personality needs to reflect that.
Your product image would define what elements would you use in your packaging.
Finally, you need to identify and write down how customers will buy your product. Is it going to be sold online? Will it be sold in neighbourhood stores or you will start them up on shelves of supermarkets alongside significant brand products?
Product packaging strategy has a direct relation with where you intend to sell it.
At this stage, you should also collate pictures of different packaging styles and advertisements, social media banners. It will help you get clarity for your overall product branding.
Styling
Once all of the above is done, you can start with deciding on styling elements for your packaging.
Styling consists of three things – colors, fonts and the style itself.
Style
When we talk about the form of packaging, it could be retro, minimalist, modern and so on. Styling is a personal choice and gives a different identity to the product. Style helps evoke emotions and often becomes the essential part of your product promotion strategy.
Colors
Since your packaging should be coherent with your brand, it is vital that you incorporate your brand colors in the overall scheme of colors.
You may want to read this guide to choose the best color for your logo and brand.
Fonts
Like colors, fonts also add to your product’s style and make it more recognizable and unique. Your font style should be in sync with your overall brand image and reflect the mood you want to convey in your packaging.
The shape and size of the font should be such that it is easy to read and understand.
Read our blog on “Hidden Personality Traits in the Fonts”.
Information
Collate and fine tune all the information that would go on the product packaging. Crucial pieces of information for food packaging are:
- Nutritional value chart
- Essential mentions by following your country’s regulations
- Food safety registration number
- Professional pictures of the real product
- Creative brand copy to go on the product packaging
- Address, support helpline number, website URL and so on.
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Select the type of packaging
Food products are packaged in boxes, polypacks, tin cans, bottles, and Jars. Depending on the food item, you need to select a packaging type that suits your type of food product.
While deciding on the packaging, you also need to keep in mind the target audience and where you intend to sell this product.
Identify the main message
Now that you have decided on the packaging, next thing to do is to identify that one specific message you want your customers to know. Often, the design of the packaging is created around this one single message.
Some companies want to highlight their brand logo, while others want to highlight the name of the product. Other focus messages could be “organically grown” or “made with fresh ingredients.” If it’s a new flavor of an existing product, you may want to highlight the name of unique flavor.
At this stage, it makes good sense to get opinions from end users. It helps to keep the message right on the target.
Hire a designer
At this stage, most of your homework is done, and you are all set to start designing your packaging. You should try to hire a designer with experience in product packaging. It is even better if the designer has already worked on some food packaging earlier.
Hiring such a designer is beneficial as he or she may have some invaluable learning from their own past experiences. They can always incorporate such knowledge even without you asking them to do so.
Always remember that first-time buyers will purchase your food product by looking at its packaging and the message. For this reason, you should not make any compromises with the quality and styling of your packaging.
Read our blog about the effect of packaging on purchase decisions.
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