As a forward-thinking company with your eyes set on growth, you\u2019re likely assessing every factor that drives your revenue and bottom line. Every year, you\u2019re brainstorming ways to improve in the coming year, and that should include your packaging design.<\/p>\n
There are several elements to evaluate in order to make smarter package design decisions. Of course, due diligence and research is a necessary step toward making the most impactful decisions for your business.<\/p>\n
The following are critical elements of research that will help you make smarter and more-informed decisions for the future of your brand.<\/p>\n
Tap Into the Power of Qualitative Research<\/strong><\/p>\n Quantitative research is a must, but don\u2019t lose sight of the power of qualitative research. Effective packaging leaves people with an\u00a0emotional reaction. Whenever consumers choose to purchase, their decisions often stem from a feeling or emotional response \u2013 the appeal that product packaging has to their preferences. This is why qualitative research into your target market is an important consideration.<\/p>\n Work to\u00a0uncover the driving forces behind prospects\u2019 attitudes and preferences. Why is your audience attracted to a certain style of packaging? Why are they interested in one color over another? What feeling does your packaging elicit?<\/p>\n Start holding focus groups and face-to-face interviews with consumers within your target market to gather such valuable information. You can even talk to consumers who gravitate to your competitors\u2019 products. Also consider store visits to do a study and analysis. And of course, look for related, publicly-available\u00a0consumer trend research\u00a0on the web and capitalize on the availability of\u00a0consumer opinions on social media.<\/p>\n Understand Your Successes and Pitfalls<\/strong><\/p>\n Qualitative research should help you gain a better understanding of both what is and is\u00a0not<\/em>\u00a0resonating with your target audience.<\/p>\n What do people connect with in your\u00a0packaging and design? What is it about your packaging that\u2019s gravitating to your prospects? You don\u2019t want to make a blind decision to change an element of your design that\u2019s working in your favor.<\/p>\n Focus groups and interviews should certainly dive into what about your\u00a0packaging could be improved, though. Work to understand why your subjects have negative reactions to elements of your packaging. Also ask what kinds of brands they typically gravitate toward when shopping for similar products.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t only speak to consumers that already purchase your products, either. Especially if you\u2019re looking to\u00a0launch a new product\u00a0to a new audience, make sure you\u2019re speaking to the people you\u2019ll be trying to reach. Branding and marketing that\u2019s worked for one audience isn\u2019t necessarily going to be effective for another target.<\/p>\n Keep Up with Market Changes (in the Right Way)<\/strong><\/p>\n A previously-effective brand identity is not a sign of perpetual success. In fact, as\u00a0younger consumers age into your target market\u00a0and your loyal consumers age out of the need for your product, your packaging will assuredly need to adapt. Even shifting preferences within the same consumers may necessitate a revamped\u00a0brand identity. Consumers may develop or bring different ideals and preferences, preferring to be marketed to in a different way.<\/p>\n Keep tabs on the latest and greatest in the retail space. What are others in your wheelhouse doing? More importantly, what changes seem to be resonating with your target audience? It\u2019s important that you conduct competitive analysis and evaluate similar brands to keep up with modern preferences. That being said,\u00a0a flashy design trend\u00a0might not make sense for your audience. It\u2019s important that you match your message and product packaging with your audiences\u2019 preferences.<\/p>\n Incremental Change Can Be Incredibly Effective<\/strong><\/p>\n Keeping your brand fresh is a fundamental need to connecting with your audience on a continual basis. You could have a great product, but if your packaging is\u00a0no longer resonating\u00a0with your audience, another brand could make a connection that flips your customers.<\/p>\n You don\u2019t need to turn your brand upside down to stay fresh, though.\u00a0Consider making incremental changes\u00a0when they make sense. If research backs up your changes and you believe certain elements of your brand aren\u2019t resonating, make a change. It\u2019s important to understand what\u2019s working and what\u2019s not so you\u2019re not scrapping something that\u2019s effectively attracting customers.<\/p>\n Keep in mind that packaging doesn\u2019t just mean the graphic design of your package. Consider testing\u00a0different packaging material,\u00a0less material\u00a0or\u00a0different shapes\u00a0to learn how the customer experience differs.<\/p>\n Consider AI When Making Packaging Decisions in 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n Surely you\u2019re no stranger to Artificial Intelligence. More and more brands are adopting AI into their packaging design to create a more immersive consumer experience. It behooves you to look into what AI could look like for brand and packaging.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re targeting an older generation that doesn\u2019t use technology, using AI may end up being cost-prohibitive. But it\u2019s important to stay in-the-know on changes in\u00a0purchasing behavior\u00a0and packaging trends.<\/p>\n Understand how your audience is leveraging AI. How could it be useful for your audience? Could they use it to find more information about your product or brand? Could you use it\u00a0for entertainment and delighting your consumer? The key to AI (or any innovation) is that you implement it in a way that will help you meets your goals \u2013 driving revenue and repeat purchases. Don\u2019t incorporate new technology for the sake of it.<\/p>\n Make Your Decisions for Packaging Material and Design with Research to Back Them Up<\/strong><\/p>\n Your packaging is one of the greatest factors in consumers choosing your product over competitors. What you put on the\u00a0shelves must resonate\u00a0with the right people. Colors, packaging,\u00a0displays\u00a0and messaging all tie into the emotional connection that drives purchase decisions.<\/p>\n It\u2019s essential that you continue to research packaging design and consider every element that affects the consumer experience. Whether you\u2019re looking into a\u00a0major overhaul or minor alterations, you must assess your target audience\u2019s preferences to grow your brand and product.<\/p>\n