Packaging design mistakes are costly but avoidable.
We’ve written extensively about the ways your brand can elevate your position in the market with well-designed packaging. We’ve even given you lots of examples of great packaging design trends for inspiration. But, what we haven’t covered are things to avoid in your designs.
In today’s post, we’ll walk you through six packaging design mistakes we see in the market and why they matter so much.
1. Wasteful Packaging
A study published by Stanford Social Innovation Review found that a whopping 87% of consumers are concerned about the environmental and social impact of the products they purchase.
So, in 2020, an environmentally wasteful business is a bad look. Consumers want to see brands making an effort to conserve, even if that means rethinking a packaging design they’ve used for years. Make sure that your packaging design doesn’t use unnecessary materials for your product.
2. Not Using A Professional Designer
While it may feel tempting to trial the newest do-it-yourself software for your package designs, we advise against this. A truly great design – one that speaks to the larger story your brand is telling AND meets all function requirements – is a task best left to the pros.
Professional designers offer knowledge of both technical prowess and marketing strategy, so your drafting, design, and printing process will be considerably smoother than trying to piecemeal that together yourself. Packaging designers have well-established project management processes that are essential for a high-quality end result. They also help you avoid costly customer support problems you’d likely run into if you tried to DIY your packaging design.
3. Overcomplicated Design
In design AND copy, less is almost always more. Be careful not to take a perfectly good design and change it for the sake of change – like this example from Kraft foods.
The well-known and beloved Kraft logo was traded in for one with wacky fonts and an unnecessarily busy logo. In less than five years the company reverted back to a simple refresh of its original design.
4. Copy Errors
This one should go without saying, but allowing a typo to slip past your team before production is a huge no-no. The message this sends to your consumer base is that your team is careless (even if you’re not!).
If your consumers get the sense that you’re careless with packaging, they may worry that you’re careless with the quality of your product altogether. Make sure to double and triple-check (ideally have this done by a pro) the copy on all packaging design and marketing collateral.
5. Too Difficult to Open
We’ve all been there. The battery packaging that essentially takes a drill and sledgehammer to open. While super secure packaging may make sense for batteries, it doesn’t for many items. If your product is food-related especially, you want it to be easy for your clients to access.
6. Generic Packaging
This point connects back to #2 (hire a professional). One of the biggest mistakes your brand can make with your packaging is for it to be too generic. Your products need to “pop” off the shelves (whether they are digital or physical) when alongside your competitors.
It’s a delicate dance though, designing a package that stands out yet doesn’t do too much. A professional designer is the key to nailing this challenge.
Our team has learned a thing or two over the years about great – and not-so-great – packaging design. For a professional’s guidance and expertise on your packaging reach out to our team at Deal Design today.