Defining Traits Of Packaging Design That Win The Attention And Trust Of Consumers, by Chantal Bordet and Emanuela Seminara

By Chantal Bordet, Brand Development Director, and Emanuela Seminara, Strategist, at BrandMe.

Packaging and brand design is not just about creativity, it’s about creating consumer connections that translate into sales. For packaging to be effective, it needs to tap into consumer mindstates and whilst these are fast shifting, here are some pointers.

Stand out in an era of attention deficit and media-distracted consumers

We live in a very extreme world where the boundaries of normality are continuously being redefined. There are hundreds of brands out there, all competing for consumers’ attention and their attention span is very short indeed: 4 seconds maximum for in-store product selection. At the same time consumers have become nearly unshockable and it takes a lot for brands to rouse their curiosity.

As a result, brands need to be more disruptive, and much bolder and braver with their identities and packaging to really stand out. Also, hierarchy of messaging and the communication of product benefits need to be simple and crystal clear as consumers don’t read much. Generally, brands need packaging that conveys a unique point of difference with personality to have a chance to be seen and remembered. Injecting meaning into your brand is more important than ever. Ultimately the test of a good pack is whether or not it establishes instant brand recognition whilst communicating your brand positioning and product offer.

Understanding the context in which your packaging will be seen is also key – whether physical or digital. This does not mean your packaging should shout the loudest from the shelf, but it must grab attention and stand up for something unambiguous.

Engage consumers with stories and personality

Brands that can establish an emotional connection with their target audience have proven to be the ones to win hearts and not just among the young. The most successful brands of the era are the ones with heart, soul, stories and backgrounds. Millennials and Gen Z are particularly fond of stories; they are the generations that have made it possible for niche challenger brands to unsettle leaders in most categories. If you are looking to recruit, your packaging should adopt some of the challenger packaging principles.

What does this mean in today’s environment? There is a clear trend for challenger brands and brands at large to use visuals that elevate products from a safe, functional and corporate position to a more personal and self-expressive place, because these feel more human. Personality and story-led packaging speaks to consumers’ desire for more transparency and generally a kinder and more responsible world. People feel guilty about overconsuming and are more conscious about their purchasing power – they would genuinely rather buy into brands that make them feel better. There is a strong pull from packaging that feels like it has been crafted by small makers and represents local communities – rather than faceless corporations – because it is associated with ethical responsibility, a value that speaks to the vast majority of modern consumers. 

Create 360 conversations

Consumers want to relate to their brands, but they also have a low boredom threshold, so continuously reengaging consumers in brand conversations is one of the central roles that packaging needs to fulfil today. Limited edition packaging and social media-worthy design can really help to keep consumers engaged and create advocacy.

We are always online, so designing a pack today is more like designing a visual alphabet, where we generate visual equities that can be lifted off the pack and extended online and across all consumer touchpoints. Your packaging equities, whether it be the typography, colour, textures, photographic or illustrative style, give your brand the ability to speak the same language consistently in 360° to create a cohesive brand world. Make sure your pack has a rich, flexible and distinct language that will seamlessly stretch across other media.

Design with the future in mind

Finally, bringing brands to market is long, costly and expensive, so designing your pack should always be done with your whole portfolio and pipeline in mind. Having a visual portfolio strategy in mind from the word go, allows brands to seamlessly stretch. Good packaging design allows for flexibility and variations while maintaining continuity with its core design and still being immediately recognisable.

Conclusion

As media habits change and time spent on digital outweighs time spent watching TV, many brands are re-evaluating how to most effectively allocate marketing budgets. Packaging is where your brand lives and breathes and should be seen as the mix’s starting point. Your pack needs to embody your purpose, values and personality; it needs to give you the visual language to captivate, reassure and create conversations both on- and offline, ultimately translating into sales and real consumer engagement.