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Grab your audience

attention on shelf inspiring them to buy using this 7

step packaging

design process.

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The 7 step packaging design process

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For your product packaging to become your unique selling platform, your pack

design must capture your target audience attention and inspire them to

engage with, and ultimately buy your product.

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Here is the 7 step packaging design process required to achieve this outcome

ensuring your product gets bought.  

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STEP 1- The brief

If things are going to go wrong with your packaging design…it’ll be at the briefing stage.

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It's the quality of the brief that largely dictates if the creative work which follows is ‘right’ or ‘wrong', good or bad.

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Often times a poorly constructed brief is put into your packaging design agency with the "hopes" that it'll all get sorted in the design studio. WRONG!

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An incomplete or substandard brief leads inevitably to substandard work and cost blow-outs!

 The creative work will often reflects the quality of the brief.

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Garbage In….Garbage Out!

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“Prescription without diagnosis leads to malpractice”

The better the quality of the brief, the more likely you are to get a pack design closer to your expectations.

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Because a professional agency has written & co-written dozens of briefs

and reverse briefs they are able to bring their vast experience &

understanding of the strategic components of the design

requirements.

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Experienced packaging designers also know how to

unpack the brief & figure out what’s missing and what’s

working and what doesn't work regarding the brief.

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This is especially helpful when there are inexperienced brand managers or first time product developers involved in the packaging design process.

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STEP 2- The project plan 

As with any project plan, a packaging design project must also be held accountable by timings, dollars and quality.

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A great project plan will keep the designer honest and ensure the outcomes of the project remain on track, without blowing deadlines and budgets.

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STEP 3- Research 

The purpose of your research and discovery is to ensure you complete your homework so you can clearly win the two battles at the shelf.

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The two battles at the shelf. 

2. The targeted consumer must place your product in their shopping basket.

1. The targeted consumer must notice your product and reach for it (as opposed to something else)

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The following questions need to be answered as a component of  the research: What is the marketing strategy for the product? Will media advertising play any marketing role in supporting the pack

design ? Which retailers are likely going to carry the brand/product? Which brands/products compete most directly with the product? Why do the brand stakeholders want to change the current package? What are the marketing outcomes and business KPI's required to be

achieved by the proposed change? What, if any of the core elements of the current design, should be

retained? What are the risks of changing the current design? What are the territories that the product should sit in? What are the cultural and lifestyle drivers reach the targeted consumer

on an emotional level? What is the USP for the product? (read more here- http://jamandco.com.au/packaging-design-usp /)

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The better the upfront research the more information the designers will have to support their understanding as to….

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the product’s positioning in the market and how to enhance the emotional connection between product designs and purchase impulse.

how to blend both the qualitative and quantitative research and the complete data profile, in order to make better design decisions based on high quality insights.

establishing the appropriate perception of value in the mind of the target customer ensuring they feel good about the purchase even before they actually experience the product.

inspiring the desired emotion within the consumer such as excitement, intrigue, desire, passion, or even hunger.

selecting the most appropriate texture, color, shape and imagery. All of which defines the perception, the value and the shopping experience of a product

considering environmentally sound choices appropriate for the project budget.

communication and messaging. Unclear communication on your pack can cause lots of frustration for the consumer.

how to strongly communicate the brand and evoke an emotional response from the pack

Setting up hierarchy's  Setting up the colour palate etc. and so many more….

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Strategic Design Insights

The main goal of the research is the gleaning of insights & converting them into a

DESIGN STRATEGY.

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The design strategy will map out the plan for achieving the visual goal of the packaging design

Design strategy is essential for laying down a strong foundation for successful pack design and is based on the research.

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Given the overwhelming choice of consumer products that crowd the shelves in every retail category….

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….Plus increased market competition & diminishing consumer loyalty….

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….A lack of effective design strategy has the potential for lower than expected sales or in some cases complete failure.

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Understand purchasing drivers

Design strategy looks at shopability.

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Like a moth to a flame, the pack design strategy must draw the targeted consumer in for a closer look and compel them pick up and engage with the product on shelf.

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Regardless of the design style, the design strategy must consider all the key elements of color, shape, hierarchy & imagery which will catch the attention and evoke the relevant emotional experience at shelf of your target consumer.

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The designer will need to know the #1 & #2 reasons your targeted consumer should buy your product instead of your competitors’.

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The value position should be differentiated & relevant.

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The design strategy must also communicate…

the core attributes and value of the product whilst at the same time, build brand awareness and brand recognition. 

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The design strategy will also need to manage the expectations of the targeted consumer and build brand loyalty.

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Getting what's inside the customer's head onto the pack

Designers need to understand how the targeted consumers will perceive & think about your brand/product when they see it for the first time.

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 The insights gleaned from the research must enable your brand to overcome hesitations and objections, as well as understand the benefits that consumers care about the most and what will compel them to buy.

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 Its important to note that its the customer that decides the value of your brand/product

based on how your product compares with all the other packages on the shelf next to it.

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The design strategy must answer:

What is the articulated value proposition?How do the targeted consumer will

measure quality?What are the specific "call out messages"

the pack must answer?Are they buying based on ingredients,

flavor or variety?How and where will the pack be displayed?

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Understand the intersection between the brand/product & the targeted consumer insights.

Determine the alignment areas between the brand/product and its targeted consumers demands.

Determine the key variables of the product and where it sits in relation to it’s competitors.

Highlight and communicate a credible difference based on a significant product characteristic.

Map out a plan for achieving the visual goal of the packaging design

Exploring the most effective way to visually communicate the key concept connecting with the targeted consumer.

Explore design concepts to bring the project to life.

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The key to effective package design is all in the strategy.

This is where the real magic happens.

The magic is delivered via a combination of designer experience, understanding design, commercialism &natural talent & a passion for packaging design.

For your packaging to have impact on shelf, a packaging design strategy is critical to success.

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STEP 4- Concept Development

Once the packaging design strategy has been resolved the design agency creates multiple on-strategy design concepts for revision.

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During the development of the concept design, the needs of the target market are identified, competitive products are reviewed, product specifications are defined and refined until selected.

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When developing concepts the following should be considered: Brand identity: What is the brand essence? What does the brand

stand for? What is the distinctive personality? What image it the brand trying to convey?

Positioning: Packaging often portrays the products positioning of price and quality. Where is your product located on the product positioning map Price vs. Quality?

Consumer persona: Who is your target customer? How can you use design to make an emotional connection?

Colours: Packaging colours account for nearly 85% of the reason why someone purchases a product.

Fonts: The most important thing here is to get the right balance between legibility and visual appeal.

Images: There are occasions where an image picture of what is inside the packaging can increase consumer confidence. However today's trend is for simple graphics and symbols.

Checking design elements against brand guidelines Proofreading all copy carefully. Paying particular attention to regulations

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The initial design concept/s does most likely will not include specifics. Initial design focuses mainly on color palettes, shapes, graphics, materials and other material options that appeals to the consumers many sensory levels: visually, tactility, emotionally.

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Once designs have been submitted they are rationalized down the ones that most hit the mark.

For most marketers and clients there is very little room for error. So selection is key.

Once the design had been selected then the design goes through a process of refinement.

 Design selection is key

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STEP 5 - Design refinements

Once the polishing and refining the selected design determining the necessary finish.

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The objective : To ensure the final design communicates the intended deliverable's

Here…Client's may request changes to color, typography and even graphic imagery..

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Careful attention and consideration is given to:

The final brand identity Shapes of the letter forms are

balanced, and the spacing are refined. Structural dimensions, secondary

copy Layout and positioning Colours, and imagery are all

reviewed. All copy is proofread. All legal and regulatory requirements

are checked and approved Slight alterations to the selected

design

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KEY POINTS: Does the design…

Deliver shelf stand-out Differentiate on shelf - Clear differentiation from

competitors and line segments and varieties of complex product lines

Align with the brand persona- The design must graphically support the brands color palate and persona

Clearly convey positioning Communicate communication hierarchy and product

attributes including usage, qualities, size, benefit, flavor and characteristics

Call out features, benefits or changes Create emotional connection

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STEP 6 – Dieline design

You cannot create a product package design without a dieline

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A dieline is the flat template for the package.

• The dieline is the digital document that contains the precise drawing indicating the shape and structural specifications of a package.

• The dieline serves as a package template that ensures proper layout for the printed product.

• The dieline is a diagram showing all the cut lines and folds of a package in flattened form.

• The dieline is usually put together by the packaging designer in a vector program, like Illustrator, using simple lines and shapes.

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Often designers won't start a package design without a finalised dieline because this could lead them to make expensive guesses and wasting time and money.

Dielines are created in Illustrator and must be perfect.

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STEP 7 - Design Production- Finished Art

Bringing packaging concept to reality

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Finished Art is….

where the integrity of the approved design is maintained all the way through to the printing process.

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Finished Art is….

 Where design production takes

layouts from finished art to pre-press and digital

ready states.

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Finished art is more technical than creative.

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Increased risk of the visual aspects of the chosen packaging

design will be “off brand”

sending production and print

costs skyrocketing.

Done poorly increases risk

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• getting artwork ready for print.

• taking into consideration a deep understanding of the printing and finishing processes to ensure that the selected design is faithfully reproduced with the correct creative and brand requirements.

Finished art means…

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Requires exceptional attention to detail and the ability to take layouts from

finished art often to pre-press & digital

ready states.

The Finished Artist’s role:

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The biggest mistakes that hurt great packaging is when corners are cut in production to save time and money.

The other big error is not telling the designer upfront the printing method and medium to be used for the job.

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The finished art process must also take into account the type

of equipment the product will be packaged on.

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NOTE:

Set a pre-production

meeting early to

troubleshoot the design.

(Often designers can come up

with designs that can't be

reproduced properly making

you look bad and providing

disappointment all round)

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The finished art process is to ensure the integrity of the approved design remains consistent.

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The finished art team has to set up and supply the highest quality finished artwork ensuring that it's print ready.

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Here are the 7 step packaging design process steps repeated:  

 

 

     

1. The brief2. The project plan3. Research4. Concept Development5. Design refinements6. The Dieline7. Finished Art

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Ask how Jam&Co can help you with your next packaging design project contact us at: www.jamandco.com.au/contact

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