Common Packaging Design Mistakes to Avoid
Businesses need customers to notice their product, purchase it, use it and have a positive enough impression to come back and repurchase it. This is how they can make their product a success in the market and drive business growth. However, this is not easy to come by. With so many products in the market, the first step – getting noticed – itself is difficult. What can, though, make a difference here is the packaging design of the product. If it is attractive enough, it can help draw customers’ attention. It can further work to impress the customers, form a connection with them and inspire enough confidence in them to make a purchase.
When packaging design is so important, it is needless to say that brands should focus on making it as effective as possible. They should avoid making certain common mistakes that negatively impact customers’ experience.
What are these mistakes we are talking about, though? Continue reading, as we have listed some of the most common mistakes brands should avoid making with their packaging design.
Not Understanding The Target Customers
Not understanding who the target customers for your product are and what they expect is one of the gravest mistakes a brand can make while creating its packaging design. Just think about it, will a serious-looking packaging design resonate with kids? Absolutely not! What they will love is something bright, colourful, fun and attractive.
Similarly, a soft, sophisticated and gentle appearing packaging design for a product meant for regular gym goers and bodybuilders might not work. What they look for is energy and intensity, and not softness.
Therefore, a brand must understand who its target audience is before working on the design part.
Poor Design Choices
Sometimes, to create a visually impressive and different packaging design, brands opt for a complicated design layout filled with images and text. However, instead of pleasing customers, such designs turn them away. Customers do not like clutter. They prefer a simple, creative design where they can focus on what is important. A simple design does not just impress, it also leaves a lasting impression on customers.
Therefore, brands must never attempt to make their packaging design complicated and overwhelming for customers.
Missing Key Information/Providing Incorrect Information
Keeping the design simple is a good idea; however, skipping out key information is a mistake. And so is providing incorrect information. Brands should never leave out essential information on the packaging design or provide inaccurate details. It is what informs customers, and if it is missing or incorrect, consumers are left clueless or confused about the product and the brand. Missing or incorrect information can also have legal implications for brands.
To avoid these, brands must make sure that the packaging design has all key information in place. These should be correct and readable, too.
Ineffective & Inconsistent Branding
Another common mistake that businesses must avoid in their packaging design is ineffective and inconsistent branding. Customers purchase from brands they connect with and trust, and ineffective and inconsistent branding can really break this connection and trust.
Brands must, therefore, use similar colour, typography, logo, tagline, voice, message – essentially anything that reflects their identity – that they have used elsewhere on their other assets like websites, social media platforms and catalogues. Any deviation from these can create confusion in customers’ minds.
Using Low Quality Material
Packaging design is crucial in forming a positive first impression on customers. However, before the actual design, it is the packaging material that leaves an impression. A good quality material makes the customer happy, whereas using low-quality packaging material leaves them disappointed. Several brands make precisely this mistake – using low-quality packaging material which ruins the customers’ experience with the brand.
The problem is greater if the brand wishes to be perceived as premium. Similarly, if it wishes its product to appeal to eco-conscious customers, low-quality material spoils its entire plan.
Another issue with low-quality packaging material is that the safety of the product inside is not guaranteed. The product can get damaged while being transported or stored. This can lead to dissatisfied customers and a loss of revenue.
Ignoring The Functionality Aspect
Convenience in handling the product is another factor that, if not considered, can strike a serious blow to the overall brand image and performance. If people have to struggle while opening, closing and storing the product, there are higher chances that they will end up disappointed and frustrated. This can eventually lead them to opt for other alternative brand products that offer better functionality.
For this reason, brands must never overlook the functionality aspect of their packaging design. They should remember that it is equally important as the visual design.
Launch without Testing
A packaging design launched in haste without testing can backfire. Brands, hence, must not disregard the importance of testing. They should test the packaging design thoroughly and rectify errors. Only then should they move ahead with launching it in the market.
Conclusion
Packaging design is vital for the success of a product, and brands must give it the importance it deserves. Brands should avoid making mistakes that can ruin their reputation and turn customers away.