SHOULD YOU SWITCH UP YOUR PACKAGE DESIGN?
How to Know When to Change Your Product Packaging
Packaging industry is more than just packaging to consumers today. Consumers, distributors, retailers and food producers are looking for fresher, more thoughtful packaging solutions that have minimum negative impact on the environment. The right kind of packaging will catch the eye of consumers, and it will also differentiate the product from the potential business competitors. A strong packaging strategy will also act as a marketing tool, informing the consumer what the brand is about.
As a product-based company, you understand the importance of package design. A design can make a product fly off the shelves or sit collecting dust. It conveys your brand identity to the world — your goals, values, assets and personality. For better or worse, package design is paramount. Even the best products suffer from flawed packaging conception, while mediocre products thrive with excellent packaging. With an outdated, unclear or boring packaging, your product will never reach its full potential.
Top 7 Signs It’s Time to Update Your Packaging
1. Budget Problems
Every Organization experiences financial and budget constraints. There are some expenses that eat the organization's revenue. Also, some product packaging can be costly. Organizations can be excessively financially invested in their product packaging design without any noticeable return on investment. Moreover, Organizations have to consider changes in the product packaging if they want to cut costs.
2. The Times Are Changing
The Packaging Design trends are always evolving and most of the product packaging designs during this decade feature bright colors and a lot of design elements. Today’s design standards tend to go the minimalist route. Designers emphasize a huge deal on white space, that is the blank space around the text and symbols. Check when the product design was created. Compare the design to the current trends in your industry’s product packaging. The change in the product packaging is definitely needed if it's too old and the product should be launched with a new face.
3. Advanced Product Packaging Technology
New technology has more efficient product packaging methods. Furthermore, there are new ways to design the packaging. The organizations can have greater updates on their branding by using new technologies on product packaging. There are new styles to choose that may be a better fit for the products. Businesses can incorporate the latest ones in their design to create a more powerful packaging redesign. Thus, advancements in packaging technology demand changes in product packaging.
4. Change in Product Formula
Product formulas change with time and new ingredients become available. Latest technologies change product’s functionalities and specifications. The product may even need a new size or a new shape. To work on these changes, businesses also need to change the product packaging design. Beside the obvious need to change ingredients or change the packaging shape and size, it is also a good opportunity to advertise the improvements on the product formula.
5. Your Competitors Have Changed
As mentioned, six years in a fast-moving, consumer-goods category is a long time for some brands to stand still, especially if you want your brand to be positioned as a category leader. At the beginning of any design initiative, it is important to evaluate what has changed and who has changed. If you are not doing it now, I would highly recommend tracking competitors in real time, so that you aren’t scrambling to find data that might not be in the market when you are ready to determine if a change is even needed. Tracking is critical to understanding the trends and agility of any competitor. That is not to say that I am a proponent of benchmarking versus the competition, but it’s important to understand the strengths and weaknesses of your competition and when to strike.
6. Emotional Connection To The Brand
Every brand should continually look in the mirror and question why certain assets or packaging details exist. Understand the stories behind the elements. Are they still valid? Does the consumer recognize them, value them and better yet, relate them to what you intended in the first place? The brand message on a package is often diluted little by little with small changes over time, but it’s hard to see without taking a step back. True brand and design consultancies will find creative ways forward that are based on brand fundamentals and consider the underlying strategy.
7. Test New Product Packaging with Research
Test new packaging with qualitative and quantitative research. Guess the packaging redesign by actually implementing and having people's reaction to it. Analyzing what is working well to communicate the desired message and what is not. It can cost an ample amount of resources and budget to test, but ultimately it can save mega wealth in the long run and increase the chances for sales success. Continuous research will help an organization make changes to the product packaging.
Benefits of Updating Your Packaging
Attracting Attention
The designs influence the audience. The product and its plain packaging attracts consumers with a minimalist. If an organization wants to emphasize their commitment to sustainability, consider adding more colors to the packaging. This attracts younger, eco-focused consumers who care about what goes into the products they buy. Be exact with who you’re trying to attract. Therefore, product packaging needs some regular changes in order to attract new customers.
Adapting to Trends
Trends come and go. This truism doesn’t merely apply to fashion — it’s also characteristic of product packaging. Fonts, colors, styles, symbols and layouts go in and out of style. Keeping up with current trends can keep your brand relevant. While consumers appreciate thoughtful retro designs, there’s a fine line between vintage and outdated.
If you came up with your designs in line with past trends, it might be time for an update. Adapting to contemporary styles can help your brand compete against newer products. Be sure to keep your target audience in mind. How crucial is trendiness to your audience? For instance, if you’re trying to sell to younger consumers, you’ll need to keep your finger on the pulse of what’s in vogue.
Packaging is an important—if not the most important—part of the marketing mix for many consumer goods products. Treat it that way. Hold each other accountable. Be on the lookout for signs that it’s time to update. And when the time is right, do it respectfully.