Packaging designs play such an important role now more than ever. It’s so important to either follow or try to create a packaging trend so that people are more attracted. This is because, in a world of influencers and digital marketing, the packaging is one of the first things people will see and take into account before purchasing anything. On top of that, a lot of the younger generation nowadays loves to see aesthetically pleasing, effective or functional packaging. Not only will that ensure a good unboxing experience but it also allows people to spread the word about that item. Before we get into that, let’s take a brief turn into how bad packaging can harm your brand:
Source: Pinterest
How Bad Packaging Harms Your Brand
Packaging is often the first interaction consumers have with your products. It affects your brand’s shelf appeal, unboxing experience, its memorability and overall brand reputation. Therefore, of course it’s important to make sure that your packaging not only looks good but is also practical, providing a smooth unboxing experience with minimal wastage. Head on to our, more detailed, blog about how bad packaging harms your brand for a better explanation. However, to give you a better picture of what bad packaging is, here are a few instances:
Examples of Bad Packaging
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Excessive Packaging
With layers of unnecessary plastic, cardboard or other materials, excessive packaging is simply wasteful. It doesn’t guarantee a good unboxing experience, if anything, it might frustrate consumers. On top of that, it’s a huge contributor to environmental waste.
Source: brightside.me, originally from @RickyRidel on Reddit
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Difficult To Open Packaging
Packaging that is difficult to open can be very frustrating for consumers as well. Take the image below as an example. You just bought scissors but you would need scissors to open it up. Sounds a bit counterproductive, right?
Source: saobserver.net, originally from @rob_sheridan on Twitter
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Unsustainable Packaging
Sustainability can win consumers’ hearts, especially nowadays where we often see not-so-good news about our environment. Therefore, when brands actually come out with products that are packed unnecessarily or utilise plastic very carelessly, those products will, most likely, not be the consumer’s choice.
Source: packhelp.com
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Poor Graphic Design Packaging
Poor graphic designs on packaging can provide a bad first impression on your buyers, albeit they’re quite humorous at times. Cluttered labels, inconsistent designs or poorly chosen colours are all categorised as poor graphic designs on packaging and may deter potential buyers.
Source: r/Ooer on Reddit
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Non-Resealable Packaging
Consumers value practicality in packaging. Something that can be resealed or stored without needing another container or having to tie it up which maintains the freshness or quality of certain products. However, a lot of perishable goods are made in bags or cardboard packaging that isn’t resealable.
Source: r/mildlyinfuriating on Reddit
Unbox The Unboxing Trend
Thanks to modern consumerism, a packaging design is key to building your brand and making it stronger. Consumers in this generation drive influence now more than ever and they love making unboxing videos. This leads to the packaging design playing a bigger role in showing whether an item is worth buying or worth its price. Youtubers, influencers and essentially any online content creator have done this sort of video and it has always been intriguing for their audience to watch. These creators will take the viewers with them on the journey of, as the label suggests, unboxing an item in a video. This is mainly why a lot of brands focus on their packaging as much as the product that it holds.
If you’re still not convinced and you’re wondering “who would watch someone unpack items for the packaging?”, take a look at this:
Source: Think with Google
On top of this, people don’t just stumble onto these videos, they actually search them up because they want to watch them. This could be for a few reasons, one of them being the excitement of unpacking something new and these content creators share that excitement with their audience. Another reason could be that the people who search those specific unboxing videos want to see what they’re going to be buying without spending any money.
This is why public relations, or PR, packages are always very helpful for a brand. Sending out PR packages is part of a marketing strategy. Usually, PR is sent out to famous influencers or celebrities that fit the targeted audience of that item and it is considered a paid review. It’s a good strategy since whoever follows that influencer or celebrity probably has similar likes as they do so they are more likely to be influenced into buying those items. That’s mainly why packaging is so important, almost as important as the quality of the product itself. Thus, before we get into a few of the packaging design trends that have been buzzing lately, let’s dive slightly into why unboxing experiences are so important:
Why Are Unboxing Experiences Important
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First Impressions Matter
Though first impressions don’t always determine everything, they’re important in various aspects. Whether it’s making new acquaintances or purchasing items, first impressions leave a lasting impact. It sets the tone for the overall interaction and can enhance the likelihood of future purchases or brand loyalty. That’s why leaving a positive impression is crucial. Product packaging, being the face of most brands, significantly shapes how consumers perceive your brand and its overall reputation. Even if your products are excellent, a positive first impression enhances your brand’s perception and contributes to increased sales.
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Social Media & Reviews
As mentioned earlier in this blog, unboxing experiences are often shared on various social media platforms. This is called User-Generated Content (UGC) and it’s helpful especially when consumers want to see previous experiences and overall reviews of your product and its packaging before purchasing. UGCs centred around unboxing experiences build excitement for your products and encourage purchasing.
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Environmental Impact
Using sustainable materials or minimal-waste packaging not only shows consumers you actually care for the environment but also ensures that your brand is producing the least amount of waste which betters the environment overall. Plus, utilising sustainable packaging can garner favour from your consumers.
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Enhanced Consumer Satisfaction
Unboxing experiences can be unique and creative which often builds excitement and creates positive experiences for consumers. Especially when they’ve purchased online and waited for their package. Their satisfaction can be enhanced when they finally get the package and experience a positive unboxing. This, in turn, contributes to garnering brand loyalty.
Packaging Trends as of 2024
It’s important to note what trends are going around when you’re thinking of the packaging designs for an item. This will help in attracting your target audiences and optimising their unboxing experience.
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The Minimalist
A lot of brands have gone or are going down this path for their packaging design. Going minimalist doesn’t mean you have to do as little as you can. It just means that you don’t have to pile designs onto your packaging. One of the benefits of having a minimalistic packaging design is that it is very pleasing to the eye, especially to those who appreciate minimalism. On top of that, minimalism in packaging design is to rid of unnecessary objects or graphics that make it inefficient or distracting from the actual item. Take a look at McDonald’s as an example, they redesigned their takeaway packaging to look minimal and joyful at the same time. It reflects their brand, it’s pleasing to the eye, simple and it’s straight to the point. The reason it comes off so joyful is thanks to the colours they decided to use. It’s a great way of incorporating colour psychology in packaging design.
Source: www.stirworld.com
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The Eco-Friendly
Being eco-friendly is very attractive to consumers right now, especially with how our environment is showing signs of deterioration. It’s a big bonus to create beautiful and efficient packaging designs while making them eco-friendly or sustainable. A great example of this category would be a Malaysian-owned personal care product brand, Hygr. Hygr started off as a small online business but has now grown rapidly thanks to the quality of the products offered as well as the promise of sustainable packaging. According to one of the co-owners, the paper tubes they use as product packaging is recyclable and easy to dispose of when you’re done without harming the earth.
Source: www.optionstheedge.com
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The Practical
This is such an underrated style but very highly appreciated by consumers. Being practical seems like something so simple yet a lot of brands don’t even try to apply practicality to their packaging design and they simply want something that gets the job done. However, adding in a dash of practicality gets the job done even better. One example of practical packaging is Aik Cheong’s “IT’s” coffee and tea series. They put the sachet of premix coffee or tea along with everything you need such as a stirrer, and packets of sugar in a coffee cup with a lid. There are even tiny marshmallows paired with the chocolate drink. All you’d need to do is combine everything in the cup and add hot water. A few other examples include Apple’s packaging for their products as well as Heinz’s upgrade for their condiments. Apple made it so that any box is easy to open while keeping the box intact while Heinz made their bottles stand upside down to make it easier to squeeze ketchup out.
Source: Aik Cheong’s IT’S series review by OhFISHiee
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The Personalised
Last on our list, but certainly not least, is the personalised package design. This means customising the design according to the consumer. For instance, having a name engraved or including a customer’s request. A more famous personalised packaging is Yves Saint Laurent’s lipstick which can have a name engraved onto the lipstick’s body. This makes it the perfect gift for your loved ones or even for yourself. It makes the product special and has a deeper meaning for whoever owns it. Another example would be Function Of Beauty’s hair product line. This brand’s products are unique to whoever purchases it because it is a haircare set tailored to your haircare needs. On top of that, you can include your name on the packaging so it becomes, for instance, “Function of Alyssa”. It shows how much the brand caters to people’s unique needs.
Source: www.functionofbeauty.com
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The Nostalgic
Everything people consider vintage or retro is nostalgic for a lot of people, reminding them of positive experiences or feelings. This nostalgia, when seen on packaging, allows consumers to reminisce and encourage them to purchase. Nostalgia brings out strong emotions in us humans. These feelings, namely social connectedness, sort of boosts our willingness to buy the product. As an example, you put a beverage with nostalgic packaging that is recognisable next to a newer packaging design; most people would reach for the former.
Source: Freepik
Packaging Designs by CR8 Consultancy
CR8’s team has also dabbled in packaging design for our clients and the end result came out pretty nicely. A couple of good examples are a health supplement brand named Yoyie and a premium Italian brands distributor named Frenshi. Have a look:
Client: Yoyie
Client: Frenshi
Client: AGift
Client: Milaya
Conclusion
Any brand needs to remember that packaging design plays an important role in its branding. It contributes to whether consumers deem the product worth purchasing or not. There is plenty of room for Malaysian brands to upgrade their packaging designs to make their products more desirable and hopefully gain consumers and exposure. However, if you’re still having trouble coming up with the perfect packaging design for your brand, then CR8 Consultancy has got you covered. Aside from branding, digital marketing and social media management, we also have a team of well-seasoned designers that can help you create the packaging design of your dreams. All you need to do is give us a call.
CR8 Consultancy can help you with your packaging design!
At CR8 Consultancy, we specialize in providing comprehensive design services including packaging design. Take the first step towards enhancing your assets by scheduling a free consultation with us today!
