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Over the past 3 years I have been developing an interest within package design and branding. It has become clear that packaging is something I want to focus on within my future career. One day I hope to see my designs on the shelves of supermarkets and gain more experience with designing packaging for well-known brands and products. This research has helped me discover the world of packaging, and has allowed me to understand what is needed to be successful within this field of design.
Packaging is so much more than simply fitting a product or material into a container. Everything printed and placed on the packaging is just as, if not more, important. The evolution of packaging over the last year has altered the way products are packaged, and the process of doing so. Packaging in 2014 has changed dramatically due to new technology and the innovative ways information is being delivered to the audience. The audience needs to feel for the product and the brand to make the complex decision weather to buy the product.
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2 014 TR ENDS Freehand Fonts Freehand fonts very common right now in packaging. Handwritten fonts that address the consumer in a friendly and authentic tone are becoming more popular within the retail market. Casual, informal designs that look spontaneous and decorative humanize the product and create a personality for the brand. These custom fonts give off the
appearance of someone handwriting the information on the package. It also can provide an almost organic look, instead of the flat, traditional typography used by most other companies. It also makes the brand look like a smaller, local company, which can help generate business. Applying this style of illustration and freehand fonts creates a sense of handcrafted
product, which is opposite to the artificial imagery associated with industrial manufacture process. Making the product packaging more personal, this is key to connecting and communicating with the audience on an emotional level and at the same time making the product seem more authentic.
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2 014 TR ENDS Hipsterism Hipsterism is a key trend of 2014 and is seen as a strong concept on many product packaging. Hipster design brings elements from the past and merges them with contemporary design styles and language. New products are taking on this style to appear more sophisticated and intelligent, making the design more current and relevant for the consumer. This design concept
also brings the brand heritage and position to light for the audience, allowing their audience to connect with the past and recognize the future of the brand. In packaging, the hipster esthetic is in the typography, iconography, minimalistic style, and vintage themes. This can be seen in the examples shown, all of these designs have an element of hipsterism and
these types of package designs are becoming more common within the retail market. It’s crucial to understand your audience and who the customers are. More and more people are discovering the power of online shopping every day, including older generations, hipsters, and folks who just plain and simply not good with technology.
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2 0 14 TR E NDS Photography and Illustration This trend combines product and graphic elements in order to communicate the product in a playful, informal way. Flat graphics combined with 3D imagery creates an impression of reality in a more attractive and unique manner. The product gains significance and strengthens the connection between the consumer and the product itself. Reality and fiction combined creates a graphic solution that
creates a special experience for the consumer and the brand. This trend is seen on many types of packaging, this style stand off the shelf and offers something more to the consumer. Consumers demand innovation and positive experiences. Finding the fun in the everyday through whimsy illustrations, combined with product photography, and pops of personality turns every day
consumables into an everyday smile for a wide variety of audiences. Package design that incorporates this sense of fun and personality adds an element of authenticity and appears intriguing to the product/brand been sold.
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2 014 TR ENDS Geometery Bold geometry is all about being fearless and brave with the use of geometric inspired patterns with a vivid array of colors. While geometric shapes can be used to create bold designs that stand off the shelf. They should also be considered within the packaging format and net designs, creating an unusual geometric shape to house a product can be successful or more successful than standard
packaging design. The combination of geometry and pattern designs can help to create a textured product that looks unusual, intern becoming symbolic and reconisable by the consumer. While geometry within packaging design can make a product stand out, this combined with bright colours allows the design to create an impactful statement that creates a lasting
impression with the consumer. Common geometric shapes used within packaging design are squares, triangles and ellipses.
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2 014 TR ENDS Watercolour This trend has been seen on a variety of product packing both within larger branded products and niche independent brands. Calm, relaxed, and happy, splashes of watercolor and stunning watercolor based illustrations make this trend visually striking, warm and personable. Lately there has been a lot of watercolor inspired designs floating around. Watercolors have been around a long time and have made
their presence known in everything from fashion to stationery design and everything in between. It seems to be making a reappearance in the design world and can be seen in advertisements, packaging and website design. These examples shown demonstrate the unique and interesting uses of watercolor on packaging and for many different demographics within the retail market. This style look elegant and
hand crafted, this makes the product pop with personality and allows the product to stand off the shelf against many of it’s competition.
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Design is a process that turns a brief or requirement into a finished product or design solution. The design process comprises of several general stages including: Discover, creation, refinement, implementation and production. These steps to an effective packaging process has taken a look at the case study brand Brandopus.
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PACK AG ING PROCESS Discovery The design process starts by defining the design problem and the target audience. A clear understanding of the problem and its constraints allows more exact solutions to be generated in order for projects to be successful. The research stage then reviews and generates information, including the history of the design problem, end user research and opinion-led
interviews, and identifies potential obstacles. Research aims to acquire a greater understanding of the overall design production; it is not intended to generate a solution but rather gather as much useful information about the product, market and target consumer as is possible in order to construct a firm basis upon which to make informed decisions. Audits are the best way of
conducting research on other similar products in the category. Packaging needs to stand off the shelf against other similar products to analyse other similar product packaging is key to gathering research on the competition. Research comes in many different forms such as, market research, primary research and secondary research.
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PAC K AG ING PROCESS Creation The concept and idea generation stage is where the end-user motivates and needs are identified and ideas generate to meet them. The design team will generate ideas and concepts. Brainstorming is one approach to generating ideas. The process is controlled through various steps and rules and seeks to generate many different ideas that will be subsequently pared back to a few workable possibili-
ties for potential development. All ideas can be entertained at this stage from the obvious to the more obscure or extrovert. As the focus is on stage encourages the voicing of all ideas, and various techniques exist to facilitate this. The concept generation stage will produce various possible solutions to design problems. The early design stage sees the best of these further developed
and worked up to see how successful they are at solving the design problem. Designers will draw from several references as they start to generate design concepts. This can range from a typical consumer profile that may have been developed during the research stage, to the mood boards that is a collection of stimuli such as images, colours and other visuals that convey mood.
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PACK AG ING PROCESS Refinment Once a concept and idea has been formed, refinement and evaluations upon this should be conducted. This allows the idea to be developed and become as refined as possible making it impactful and unique. To refine an idea takes a range of different stages from individual development to formal feedback upon the concept itself. While many people look past this part of
the design process it can be one of the most important to make sure the concept and idea is correct and as good as physically possible.
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PAC K AG ING PROCESS Implementation Implementation represents the methods and solutions that shall be used to produce the product. Implementation can help highlight how a concept will be produced and in what format, media and style. These key points need to be solved before production of the concept can take place. Implementation acts as the link between the idea and products, with out this you may
struggle to understand how the concept shall be produced within the production stages.
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PAC K AG ING PROCESS Production Once the design concept has finished, there are still many decisions to be made before it can be produced. Design detailing needs to be considered, such as how the design is going to be produced and printed; for instance, will it require the use of special printing techniques or stocks?
Package design that strikes a meaningful chord with the consumer and drives increased purchase intent is great marketing. Considering the six stages to a successful packaging is crucial to achieving greater results for the designers and the consumers. Often success is not simply measured by the end product but also by the experience along the way. They are many elements to designing a successful package design that will stand out from the rest of products on the shelf.
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S IX K EY S TO SUCESS 1. Know your audience The first step to successful packaging is to identify the main audience that the design will appeal to. To produce something that communicates directly to the target audience and so establishes a positive connection. You can’t simply impose your personality onto a product, you have to do your homework and learn who is meant to buy it, what their
socioeconomic situation is, where they’re from, what their gender and race is and even what the typical personality traits are within this group. The study of the target consumer is one of the most critical aspects of any product launch or redesign. It’s an extremely simple concept that you can’t ignore: if you know whom you’re talking to, you can communicate more effectively.
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S IX K EY S TO SUCESS 2. Keep it simple Don’t try to cram too much information onto packaging, this will overwhelm the consumer, you have to be clever with the way you use information and how it is presented to maximize the space. The consumer is not likely to take the time to spend reading every single word on the entire package, especially in our current economy where we have less time and less money. It’s helpful to imagine
the consumers in store, they’re strapped for time, and they may be pre-occupied. You can help your customer focus on their purchase decision by supplying only the most important information on the front of the package. Make the information easy to find and accessible to the audience. Hierarchy of information is important when it comes to displaying information onto
product packaging. If the information isn’t clear to see then the consumer is more likely to walk away and move onto another product.
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S IX K EY S TO SUCESS 3. Make it practical While taking inspiration on the shape of a product, don’t let your imagination run too wild. There are a few variables concerning practicality that you must consider. One of these is shipping. Is the shape of your design such that the products can fit closely together in a crate or is your idea going to make the product more expensive to ship? The second variable is practicality from a consumer’s
standpoint. Is the package unwieldy and awkward to them? Will is stack nicely in their cupboards? One trick that is almost always a good idea is to draw design inspiration from the product itself. This can take the form of shape, size, materials etc. The design can work in a way that is efficient and functional but at the same time conceptual and unique within the
design of the packaging.
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S IX K EY S T O SUCESS 4. Compete for shelf presence Standing out on the shelves of high-volume retailers amongst a sea of 30,000-plus products requires boldly different approaches than what most brands are taking. Break the rules, break boundaries, and break new ground. You’ll never know your true sales potential if your package doesn’t effectively work to attract the shopper’s attention.
Packaging’s number-one responsibility is to get noticed. Consider introducing a new package structure that also improves the consumer experience, or utilize colors and symbols, or strokes and borders that are designed to attract the eye from a distance. Do what hasn’t been done, go for it, and stand out. To sit quietly on shelf is to leave sales on the table. Shoppers show up
to shelf wanting to compare products on features and attributes, but a cluttered marketplace makes it harder than ever for them to distinguish between products. Connecting with the consumer in the blink of an eye is a challenge. This can be a really hard challenge. It’s said that products on the shelf have two seconds or less to get noticed.
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S IX K EY S TO SUCESS 5. Leverage the brand It is really important to consider the brand identity of the product when designing the packaging. The brand should be the main focal point of the packaged product; it should appeal and trigger something within the audience that creates a familiar response to the brand. Making sure the brand is consistent throughout all packaging products is a must. This allows the brand to
communicate their personality and values with more clarity across a wide range of products. Leverage the brand’s signature color. If it’s too similar to others within the category, make it stand out further by adding another color to form a unique, eye-catching palette. Make sure the colors used refer back to the brand. For example, black adds sophistication and a modern edge. Neon bright speaks
of adventure and youth. A touch of gold or silver signifies luxury. White speaks of purity, simplicity. Green speaks of natural and organic brand assets. Besides color, unique graphics, imagery and typography can be used to make a brand stand-alone. As is the case with color, each design element must refer back to the brand and its unique assets.
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S IX K EY S TO SUCESS 6. Use callouts The callouts are where you tell your customers any specific factors they may be looking for: all natural, organic, gluten-free, no sugar, etc. Again it comes down to knowing your target audience and what’s most important to them. Are you a company that understands them and knows what they want? Let them know.
certification, etc., but make sure your products have gone through the correct approval in order earn the right to use those logos. Additionally, if your product has won any prestigious awards, considering featuring the award logo as well. Be careful not to overwhelm with callouts as they can start to look busy quickly.
Consider using any qualifying logos such as organic
Tell the consumer how and why they should buy this
product and why it is unique and different from other products on the shelf. If a consumer can’t rationalize a need for the product, they’re probably going to be hard-pressed to take it home. Let them know why they need it.
Looking into brand and packaging studios is important to get to know who is out there and the types of work designers within the industry are undertaking. Studios that focus on specifically branding and packaging have always been of interest, through their passion and creative concepts to seeing their work on the shelves in store and supermarkets. Here are just a few of the top studios I have explored in much depth and potential career locations.
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CA S E S TUDIES Elmwood Elmwood is a brand design agency that strives to create compelling brand stories across multiple touch points. Elmwood has won more ‘International Design Effectiveness Awards’ than any other business. Being able to prove the impact of their work drives everything they do, from challenging the initial brief to ensure they have solid, robust goals from
the get go, to measuring the after effect of their creativity. Elmwood constantly strives to produce beautiful work that makes a difference. Work that everyone involved can be truly proud of. Elmwood’s commitment to what they do is astonishing and most inspiring. Working with large and small clients Elmwood demonstrates their talent through communi cating the brands
personlity and most importantly bringing the brand to life. As a team they work on a wide range of brief with different disiplines such as, digital and enviromental to brand identity and packaging. Some of their recent work for example, Anchor rebrand and packaging has become widely respected and admired.
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CA S E S TUDIES Pearlfisher Pearlfisher is an independent design business. They use the power of design to transform, seduce and create impact through positive change. Established in ’92, their studios are in London and New York, with clients around the world. Design thinking creates positive change and makes a big impact. When it comes to combining creative and commercial success stories Pearlfisher is
one of the best. Pearlfiaher chose their clients carefully and select the most loved types of brands, Challengers & Icons. Challengers change the future with big ideas, and they believe that their role is to help them realise their potential and ambition. Their commitment to stay ahead of the competition within the branded economy is crucial to their success. Most recently Pearlfisher undertook the task to reinvent the brand
and package the product for Simply Sausages from Cranswick. Pearlfisher captured all that is unique about Simply Sausages and its heritage, from the open, warm and eccentric nature of the brand’s legendary creator; Martin Heap, to the excitement and magic of his legendary sausage shop in London. They have really made the brand come to life with personality and intrigue.
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CA S E S TUDIES JKR Global JKR is a leading UK packaging design agency based in Camden, North London. JKR is a brand and packing independent design agency, they have been around since 1990. They answer only to their clients and their brands, not a corporate group or their shareholders. They are experts in packaging and the visual articulation of brands.
If a brand has visual equity they will unlock it. If it hasn't, they will create it. JKR have worked with noticable clients over the years and have gained a positive reputation for doing so, along with a sucessful and exciting portfolio and numerous prestigious awards. JKR are really good at stripping away the baggage that comes with brands and packaging and leave only what matters: design which gets noticed and chosen
on the busy shelves. JKR have worked for some large clients and have developed a wide range of qulaity case studies. They recently designed the packaging for Ambrosia food products, they did this by putting Devonshire at the heart of the brand. Making Ambrosia appeal to a wider audience and stand out on the shelf next to similar products within the desert category.
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CA S E S TUDIES B&B Founded in 2009 and based in Shoreditch, East London. specialists in brand creation, identity and packaging design. From a variety of big and small ideas B&B has always had great ideas, which deine their designs. They focus heavlily on strategic thinking before superficial decoration. To create work that is both beautifully asthetical and brilliantly effective.
They work on a variety of project through a range of disiplines. B&B focus on brand creation, identity and packaging, which allows them to concentrate on the details that matter. The B&B team believes in collaborating with clients to create groundbreaking designs. B&B studio has a super talented team that unpicks and examine brands and
makes them come to life through excellent crafted packaging. B&B’s first ever client, BEAR has been keeping them busy recently through reinvented dry fruit as a must-have snack. They have worked on this brief through ever stage and step of the process, and the results are amazing, appealing to children and parents they have created a brand that has the power to contol the decision making process.
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C A S E S TU DIES Big Fish Big Fish is a brand, design and marketing consultancy that’s spent the last 19 years helping people build brands. Big Fish name brands, position them, give them identities and personalities. Then they help develop what they do, identify who they do it for, put them in touch with each other, write the words, draw the pictures, design things that creates
their brand and makes them sucessful. They do more then simply design, they build stories and tell them in innovative ways. Big Fish has a range of briefs within their portfolio spanning across a range of disciplines, however they also have the talent to communicate and intregate this across a range of products through inspirational packaging. Kallo was one of their most recent projects,
Kallo makes natural, healthy alternatives to things like cakes, biscuits and bread. Kallo came to Big Fish with a problem as they felt their packaging was rather cold and lacked any emotion. Big fish redesigned their packaging for Kallo’s food products by giving them something to love and be proud of. They made the Kallo audience fall in love with the brand by writting poems.
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CA S E S TUDIES Robot Food Robot food are creative brand communicators and champions of powerful design. Robot Food is hellbent on great ideas and commercial results. They develop brands across any channel or media, and they work first hand with their clients to get the most out of the project and get to know the brand and their beliefs more closely.
Robot Food work on smaller independent brands that want to gain a reputation and bring it up market. Robotfood was asked recently to, re-establish the position of Abe Froman Sausages, they created a new identity and ‘Stateside Recipes’ range. Complete with proud, new logo, the range celebrates flavours from various states using state-shaped icons and a tasty tone of voice.
With this unique brand and product proposition, the tenacious Mr. Froman is back in business! All thanks to RobotoFood they work on some incredible projects for really intreguing brands that often have not been discovered yet.
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CA S E S TUDIES Honey Honey is a design studio in London, they are known as the UK’s most agency. They have won 9 DBA Design Effectiveness across corporate, packaging and digital work. Honey is a creative studio in the hear of london. They find their creativity through understanding the real world that their clients work in. They use commercial
insight combined with design work to build Honey really understand how their work fits into the overall health of the brand, so that the client gets design work that is pin-point accurate and highly effective, which intern delivers greater results. They believe great design is about really understanding the client, knowing where they are heading and helping to make that happen, nurturing, sales and
distribution. Honey have recently worked on the re-brand and packaging for Carr & Sons of Ireland. This broef reflects the idea of bringing to life the skill and craftsmanship that goes into preparing the award winning products. The new identity builds on the heritage of the company. The simple and beautiful execution of the packaging allows the brand to stand out on shelf.
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C A SE S TU DIES Pure We are Pure, an independent brand & packaging design company with offices in the UK and Russia. With consumers’ interaction with brands so fragmented today, Pure specialises in emotive design, creating that all-important connection between consumers and brands. Pure’s client base is more varied than most, from start-ups and independents to
major multiples. Pure is constantly re-evaluating design from the perspectives of challenger brands, market leaders and retailer own brands, so they see the challenge from all sides of the brand. Pure is one of the pioneers of emotive design. They undertake one-off projects for household names looking for deeper brand engagement and developed standout ‘challenger’
branding for independents and start-ups. Pure also work for larger retailers across a diverse range of product categories. With consumers’ interaction with brands so fragmented today, emotive design has become mainstream thinking. For the, Go Fru snacking pouches, Pure’s understanding of design applied to diverse types of structural packaging playing a major role in delivering brand standout.
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C A S E S TU DIES Springetts Springetts is an independent UK-based, international design consultancy. Springetts works on many brands across many categories, from the large and global to the small and local. From brand creation and the development of brand positioning strategies to maintaining the reputation of well-established household names.
The Springetts name has been associated with outstanding strategic and creative solutions for three decades. They build long term client relationships based upon an insightful understanding of consumers and an ability to create unique branded solutions that work. They work closely with their clients to get the most out of the brief.
Recently Springetts have worked eith Noble Foods, to invent a brand for their largely unbranded, low interest egg category. They developed a brand proposition based on Noble Foods' animal husbandry - happy hens lay the tastiest eggs. A distinctive design that cut through the confusion of the free range fixture and made consumer choice easier.
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C A S E S TU DIES Irving and co Irving and Co is a brand and design agency, Julian is the founder and very much a hands-on designer at Irving & Co. Irving & Co have a highly crafted and astute approach. They deliver design excellence, underlined with a strategic capacity to help our clients develop new design concepts or define existing strengths. They bring to every project they do;
authenticity and substance, it’s not just about style, but a marriage of sharp thinking and conviction of invention. The team at irving & Co have worked with a wide variety of clients from big to small and range from Carluccio’s and John Lewis through to The Fine Cheese Co and Rapha. Irving & Co have recently been working with the founders of The Bay Tree Food company to re-design their
packaging. All the products are hand-made in the Bay Tree kitchens using locally sourced ingredients. Their hands-on and friendly approach is mirrored through the new label designs which distinctive illustrations and a sense of personality for the audience to engage with.
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Hurried shoppers gravitate toward packaging that presents the most pertinent information in the most prominent and organized fashion. Those brands that design with respect for hierarchy is positioned to appeal to shoppers who just want to grab and go. Limiting and prioritising copy and design elements on your package are fundamentals, yet it’s so tempting to throw in one more claim or symbol, or introduce yet another font style, but this is an urge that can bring overwhelming disorder to the eye.
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H IER A R ACHY Brand identity It is often the brand identity that begins the visual and verbal story that brings life to the brand and it’s product. Together with a brand logo, typography contributes immensely to that brand visual image. The development of a logo is on often-lengthy process critical to the packaging designs success. Typographic considerations for the brand identity are not unlike those
for the other aspects of the packaging design. It is through the products name and the logo, however that the personality of the product makes its first and most lasting impression. Consumers often recognise and connect with a certain brand or brand values, which can be critical to reflect this within their products, allow the audience to familiarise with the brand and make
these positive connections with the product.
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HIER A R ACHY Product name Product names can significantly contribute to the success of a product. Funky names can be fun and memorable, but sometimes it’s best to just call it what it is. It’s a fine line, sometimes if you try to get funky with the name in can be confusing to the consumer. So if you dare to be different make sure you know what you’re doing. Conversely, playing it safe can be equally dangerous. Just be sure you
aren’t obfuscating what the product is or making it blend in with its competitors. In short, always know your target audience. The audience likes to know what they are buying and that they are buying something that is special and appeals to them. Making the product name the most important aspect of the packaging is key to the success of the product for the consumer. Allowing the product name to
stand out clearly will help with the decision making process. A unique product name can make a big and lasting impression on your audience. Not only does it have the possibility of evoking emotion, but a unique name can stick in the brain and be more easily recalled. Just as important, the product name needs to be clearly and simply displayed.
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H IER A R ACHY Product Descriptor Descriptor defines the specific product or package content and includes product variety, flavor features, and benefits. Descriptors may highlight new product extensions and are therefore important to the marketing strategy. Marketers use the product descriptors to define differences among a line of products and to create visible distinctions between their product and that of the
competition. A unique descriptor can be trademarked. Sometimes the products name or descriptor and the secondary copy, are the same descriptor copy can be handled in a variety of ways, but it is always subordinate to the product and brand names. Because it is a supporting element, the typographic style should be simple and straightforward. If the product
descriptor is the means of differentiating between product varieties or flavors, the descriptor can be designed to be similar to, but different from the typographic treatments on packages for the other products in the lines.
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HIER A R ACHY Callouts Callouts are important for product packaging, their aim is to attract the audience’s attention and allows them to make the correct decision when it comes to choosing a product in the vast competition. Callouts should be the most important and differentiating facts about the product. So much packaging the consumer is faced with at the retail shelf presents
an overwhelming amount of technical information, that the customer simply hasn't the time or inclination to read it, thus losing the sale and the opportunity to build a relationship with that customer. It also makes packaging look cluttered and unappealing, no matter how well designed it is. Only pertinent, significant information should be utilized in packaging, and it should be presented in a specific way.
Simple, clean, customer friendly messages go a long way with today's busy consumer. Clear differentiating product features and benefits also make the brand and its products the clear choice among myriad competitors. Sell the product on its own merits, without the assistance of retail sales personnel, by delivering key product information points in a clear, concise manner.
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HIER AR ACHY Romance copy While the body copy on the packaging should convey the usefulness and effectiveness of your product, it should also tell a story. Save the facts for a different part of the package. Tell the consumer how this thing will enhance their lifestyle or solve a problem. Let them easily imagine what it would be like to have, hold or use the product and how they will benefit. If a consumer can’t rationalize a need
for the product, they’re probably going to be hard-pressed to take it home. Let them know why they need it. Uncovering the Enjoyment Assets of a brand becomes the foundation for building a unique visual expression for that brand. Emotionally connecting consumers to a brand is essential. Connecting consumers to a product through
Enjoyment is powerful, bringing favorable associations to mind at the point of sale, motivating purchase. Then, when the brand promise is fulfilled in the consumer's mind, brand loyalty begins to take root.
Inspiration is needed within any project or creative thinking. Within the past three years a memory bank of references and resources has been building. Innovative and unique ways of doing things is key for any project and to shift through existing innovations and unique ways of doing things is very inspiring. When undertaking a design task or project it is necessary to know what is already out there and also know your audience through looking at designs tailored specifically for them. Here are some useful blogs where package design is thriving.
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I NSP IR AT ION Blogs CreateID www.createid.com This brilliant blog captures the best of package design, news and articles from around the globe. It's not updated that regularly, but everything that's posted here is definitely worth a look. Lovely Package www.lovelypackage.com Lovely Package showcases some
leading design work in the packaging world, covering everything from wine and beer bottles to toothpaste and kitchenware. The site features work from both professionals and students alike, and with over 300 pages of projects to browse through, you're sure to find some inspiration here. Package Design www.packagedesignmag.com
In operation for almost a decade now, Package Design Magazine is a fantastic resource for all things package design. The site features work from designers all around globe, the latest industry news, and upcoming talent in the field, a resources section and much more. What more could you possibly need? Packaging design archive www.packagingdesignarchive.org
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If you're looking for package design inspiration, head over to Packaging design archive. Containing every kind of design you could possibly think of, this extensive catalogue of packaging is a brilliant resource. Projects are organised into categories, with the site featuring a handy side bar that allows a search by the type of design you're after, including identity by typography, shape
and much more. Pinterest www.pinterest.com With hundreds of thousands of inspirational imagery in its archives, we couldn't not include Pinterest on this list. Simply type in 'package design' into the keyword search and watch the work appear. The Dieline www.thedieline.com
If it's information and inspiration on packaging design that you're after then The Dieline is a fantastic place to start. The Dieline is incredibly easy to navigate. It also features a packaging directory, which is an inspiring library of different company designs. Ambalaj http://ambalaj.se Ambalaj is actually the personal site of packaging designer Kristina de Verdier.
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But if you want to see some inspirational examples of packaging design, then you should definitely check out her blog section. Packaging of the World www.packagingoftheworld.com Packaging of the World is a creative design gallery, showcasing the most interesting and creative work worldwide.
The Packaging Design Blog thepackagingdesignblog.com This site does exactly what it says on the tin, blogging about packaging design from around the globe. The blog also features a comprehensive list of industry professionals, articles, and tutorials. A great resource for anyone looking for inspiration and advice on the subject.
Brand, Packaging and Opinion http://bpando.org BP&O is a blog run by British freelance designer and an editor of The Dieline, Richard Baird, who specialises in the development of branding and packaging. Packaging Design Served www.packagingserved.com Part of the Behance network, Packaging
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Design Served, features top work in categories such as label design and advertising. Here, you'll find multiple pages of packaging design projects, created by artists of all skill levels, in everything from shoe and pharmaceutical design to alcohol and electrical product designs.
Behance is a network of sites and services specializing in self-promotion,including education and online portfolio sites. Here you can find everything from branding, self promotion to packaging. Students and professional are able to upload their projects and share it with the world.
Behance www.behance.net
Design inspiration http://designspiration.net
The Design Inspiration is an online resource of design inspiration by designers for designers. It gathers together patterns, illustrations and logos that serve as a source of inspiration and as a showcase of talent at the same time.
From looking at packaging and keeping up with packaging trends, has set me up for a more successful future within this area of graphic design. Looking at case studies and processes has allowed me to gain a better understanding of the industry and how studios and designers work to become successful and well-known. These studies are ones that I have been contacting and hope to undertake placements and internships with. This research publication portrays my interests and my enthusiasm for the world of packaging. This publication will carry on being useful for me as I can use the references and processes to help me progress within this sector.