Far from being a mere wrapper in which to display the product information it contains, the packaging design is today a fundamental element of brand communication, capable by itself of influencing the purchase of this or that good.
The customer's first contact with a product is with its packaging, which must meet certain characteristics to be truly successful.
But what are the characteristics of good packaging design?
1. Inform, express and make recognisable
The basis of everything is information, giving a very precise message that makes the product immediately recognisable and its correct use. Particularly for a certain type of product, such as technology products. it is important that the packaging contains all the information and useful indications to leave no room for misunderstandings. A misunderstanding could cause not only disappointment in the customer's purchase, but also lead him to request a return or replacement, as well as leaving him with a disappointment in the buying experience that could direct him towards another product and brand. The pack must express the identity of the brand, its characteristics, its soul.
Brand recognisability is another very important element, which concerns the ability of a brand to remain consistent with its target audience, while riding the cultural and market changes, the consumption trends and style. In short, through the packaginga brand can narrate its growth and change while remaining true to itself.
2. Surprise
The pack is the guise of the product and brand and must therefore be memorable, it should itself be a shopping experience. In addition to being useful, the pack must also create a kind of lasting physical relationship with consumers. So the pack itself must be solid, durable, in some cases reusable. It must attracting the consumer leveraging emotions, colour, shapes, which must be special, seductive.
Re/Labld packaging design from kidstudio on Vimeo.
3. Simplicity and functionality
While the packaging encapsulates the emotion of something that wants to tell the story of a brand and company, while it must surprise, attract the potential buyer and build loyalty, it should not be forgotten that it has a very practical role. The product packaging It must, for example, make storage easy, it must be easy to handle, to place not only on the shelves of warehouses and sistas, but also at home, before use.
Packaging has to be smart, i.e. it has to be ergonomically designed for ease of transport by all.
4. Sustainability
An element that has been making increasing inroads lately in packaging design, and which is the result of a cultural change that wants, at last, more attention to the environment, is sustainability. Even packs are becoming sustainable, reusable and recyclable, made of natural and biodegradable materials. One cannot ignore this today and many packaging designers are experimenting and studying alternatives to plastic that are also durable and attractive.
Eco Packaging of Tea Mail from Stephanie Luo on Vimeo.
Do you want to become a packaging designer? Choose IDI's short master's degree in packaging design.
Lo Short Master in Packaging Design was set up with the aim of providing specific skills in the reference sector through a faculty composed of industry professionals with whom you will have the opportunity to follow the development phase of the project starting from the brief, passing through the brain storming phase, the concept elaboration to the 3D rendering phase.
The programme of the course, which consists of a propaedeutic study phase, lectures for a total of 40 hours and the realisation of a project work, includes the study of the following topics:
- The history of packaging
- Packaging evolution
- The brand concept
- Communicate through packaging
- Restyling
- Study of shapes and materials
- Packaging and luxury
- Case history
- Lettering
- Packaging and direct marketing
- The design of a packaging
