In this series of articles we discuss custom packaging design. We discuss the steps needed to design a standard cardboard box for retail packaging. But first let’s start by discussing what is product packaging and why it’s important.
In order to sell a product, that product must be placed inside a cardboard box or any other material that is easily shippable. And having the right packaging design is essential to maximizing sales. One of the most important elements in any good design is the story. Storytelling is essential to guide and help the end consumer understand what this product may be and if they should buy this product.
One of the fundamental key requirements before starting a packaging design project is the research component. The research component will help nail down what the requirements are for the design. Some of the the obvious research questions are about the product itself. Questions such as:
These questions might seem obvious but understanding the details is extremely important and will help you in the design process. For example, answering the question related to product sustainability can help you make a design connection between the products’ sustainability and the sustainable packaging that the product is contained in.
Additionally, understanding things like product size and weight will allow you to figure out the right size of box. And the sizing of the box will affect the sizing of font and images.
Understanding your audience is another critical element to creating an excellent packaging design. Some of this will be obvious. For example, understanding if a product is designed for adults or children, does not require any research. Or perhaps a product is for men rather than woman, this again is obvious and can be quickly established during the research phase. However, it’s also important to make a table and write the obvious details down. This will help you visualize your overall design strategy. Knowing that you have a high end product is great but what does this mean to the custom box design. For instance, a high end luxury product might require a particular font that can appeal to a more affluent demographic.
But then there are the not so obvious aspects of product design. Things like mood or feeling are more abstract. Conducting research for these things can be more challenging but using services like surveys and package design research companies help help the process.
In part two we dive deeper into the packaging design process and talk about the post research process.
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