Principles of Packaging Design

1. Consistency between Form and Content
   The packaging should clearly reflect the product inside. The design should be straightforward and vivid, so that the product can be easily identified from the packaging.
2. Showcase the Product
   There are two primary ways to showcase a product:
   a. Use realistic, high-quality photos to represent the product. For items like chocolates, candies, or canned foods, vivid photos that capture the product’s color, shape, and appeal can make it look irresistible.
   b. Directly display the product itself. Transparent or windowed packaging is popular in food, textiles, and light industrial products, allowing customers to see the product clearly.
3. Detailed Text Information
   The packaging should include detailed information about the product, such as ingredients, composition, benefits, usage, and care instructions. Where necessary, simple illustrations should be included to enhance clarity.
4. Emphasize Brand Colors
   In addition to using transparent packaging or realistic photos to show the product’s natural color, it’s essential to use colors that represent the overall product category. These colors should help consumers quickly recognize and associate the product with a specific category or brand.
5. “Family” Style Packaging
   For products produced by the same company or under the same brand, the packaging should maintain a consistent style, regardless of the product’s variety, size, or shape. This includes using similar packaging designs and colors to create a unified brand impression.
6. Functional Design
   Functional design in packaging should focus on the following aspects:
   a. Protection: Ensuring the packaging protects against moisture, mold, insects, shock, leakage, breakage, and compression.
   b. Convenience: The packaging should be easy for stores to display and for customers to carry and use.
   c. Sales Appeal: The packaging should effectively “sell” the product without the need for a salesperson. The visuals and text on the packaging should communicate enough information for customers to understand the product and make a purchase decision.

The design should use simple lines, vibrant characters, and well-matched colors to leave a lasting impression on the consumer.

For Reding Packaging customers, this topic is most useful when it is connected to real packaging production: material selection, printing, finishing, sample proofing, quality control and export packing for custom labels, stickers, paper bags and packaging boxes.

Packaging Color Design

Color plays a vital role in packaging design. In a highly competitive market, color helps products stand out, attract consumers, stimulate purchase intent, and enhance brand memory. Japanese color expert Hiroshi Daichi outlined eight key requirements for packaging color design:

1. The color should make the product easily recognizable among competing items.
2. The color should effectively represent the product inside.
3. The color should harmonize with other design elements and convey the product’s quality and value.
4. The color should be appealing to the target consumer demographic.
5. The color should have high visibility and contrast, especially to make text stand out.
6. The effect of individual packaging should look good both on its own and when stacked with others.
7. The color should remain vibrant in different market environments and display settings.
8. The color should not be limited by color management or printing processes, maintaining consistent results.

As consumer needs diversify and markets become more segmented, brand packaging design has become more stringent and detailed. Consumer goods can be divided into three major categories, each with specific color design requirements:

• Category 1: Luxury Goods
  This includes high-end perfumes, soaps, and women’s fashion accessories, as well as men’s luxury items like cigarettes, alcohol, premium candies, chocolates, and exotic delicacies. These products require unique, distinguished designs with a luxurious and high-value feel. For instance, high-end French perfumes or cosmetics often have an air of mystery and Parisian romance. Their packaging should be elegant and refined.
• Category 2: Everyday Food Products
  Items such as canned goods, biscuits, seasonings, coffee, and tea fall into this category. The packaging color design should focus on two aspects:
  a. Appealing to appetite: The colors should evoke hunger and interest in the product.
  b. Highlighting product characteristics: For example, mineral water packaging often uses sky-blue colors to suggest coolness and purity, with transparent plastic bottles that showcase the product’s freshness.
• Category 3: Mass-Market Goods
  This includes mid- to low-priced cosmetics, soaps, and hygiene products aimed at a broad consumer base. Packaging color design for these products should:
  a. Create a friendly and approachable vibe.
  b. Convey a sense of quality.
  c. Allow consumers to quickly recognize the brand in a short amount of time.

Related Packaging Resources

Explore related Reding Packaging product options for custom materials, printing, finishing, samples and export production.

• Custom Packaging Products
• Custom Stickers & Labels
• Caja de embalaje personalizada

For a project-specific recommendation, send size, material, artwork, finish and quantity details through the Reding Packaging quote form.