Packaging Design: Why all of the details are important


Walking down the isle of the grocery store with a list in your hand and a keen determination to get out of the crowd, what would make you stop to examine, much less purchase the new salsa product on the shelf? Or, what makes you try the Corazonas Tortilla Chips instead of the Kettle Vegetable Chips for your new diet snack?

The answer (outside of brand recognition) is the package design.  You may not want to think that you are swayed by the marketing tactics of the big machine, but I’m here to tell you that you are…and that’s good news for marketers and for companies trying to sell products.

What elements are important to consider when developing the perfect package design?  Everything!

Size, color, texture, material, imagery (not only what but how: illustration or photo), layout, callout, additional text (required or informative).

All of this will be determined after defining a clear target customer, the product (or company) differentiators, and the market placement. The package design is the part of the equation that successfully creates a connection between a brand and its intended audience.

Both of the above package examples are very well designed.  It may appear that they both have the same target, differentiators and placement.  However, they appeal to customers with very different goals and reasons for purchasing these healthier snack options.

Martin Grimer, branding consultant for Kettle Chips says, “We aimed to create a simple, yet modern straight-talking illustrative design, communicating the ingredients and reflecting Kettle’s “all-natural” promise and quality cues.” This would appeal to an audience that may not be looking to loose weight or cut calories, but to simply make healthy eating decisions. The Corazonas Tortilla Chips appear to be a healthy replacement for traditional tortilla chips, appealing directly to those individuals who are looking to lower their cholesterol. This individual is not necessarily the one that chooses the healthy options without a little push from their scale or their doctor. The imagery, callout, and product materials were all chosen very carefully for both of these products to appeal to a similar demographic with very different personalities and goals.

What products have caught your attention?  Tell us what they are, and what about them appealed to you?  Did you make the purchase?