In today’s times, packaging has the purpose of attracting the customer’s attention and differentiating the product from those of the competitors. Considering that consumers are creatures of sensation, packaging design is all about engaging their senses into influencing their buying habits and creating loyalty.
Packaging design defines a brand and plays a crucial role when it comes to representing a company’s set of values, growth, and positioning on the market.
Therefore, it’s vital to be aware of the upcoming trends in packaging in order to gain your place as a valuable competitor on the market.
Smart and responsible packaging
As consumers become more aware by the type and amount of packaging they discard daily and the effect it has on the environment, they are constantly seeking better options. Package designers have put in a great amount of effort in order to innovate packaging by minimising and keeping only the essential.
The designers of this concept for Coca-Cola packaging combined innovative design and responsible materials. The reusable bottles concept would reduce waste and encourage customers to use their own bottle when purchasing a drink.
Social media and packaging
Ten years ago no one would have guessed the high impact social media is going to have on how consumers think, act, or feel when it comes to brands. Visually driven platforms like Instagram and Pinterest have changed the way consumers interact with products. Traditionally, brands have utilised social media to evaluate hashtags that are being used alongside their product. Now a days, it’s mostly used as a general tool for trend evaluation in order to analyse consumer’s preferences, and are including them not only into their marketing strategy but also into their packaging design. Have a look at Kellogg’s Limited Edition Unicorn Cereal inspired from what the consumers prefer.
As consumers have become more and more connected, brands are using packaging as an owned media channel and opportunity to engage with their audience. A few examples of brands who already took the full opportunity when it comes to incorporating social media into their packaging design are KITKAT who uses QR codes and Fanta who have their own Snapchat lenses.
e-Commerce and packaging
e-Commerce has become one of the biggest retail market in the world and it is constantly growing at a fast rate. According to a report by Smart Insights, the percentage of e-Commerce retail sales is 9% in the US, 17% in the UK, and 9% worldwide, and it is constantly expanding. Today, approximately 1 in 4 households enjoy the convenience of ordering online goods at the expense of the traditional channels. Retailers, restaurants, and pretty much everyone adapted to the request of the customer. Therefore, delivery options impact how material service packaging must perform. Consumers want their orders to arrive hot, fresh, and safe, along with the brand representation they’re ordering from. As this trend is not showing signs of stopping, innovating packaging design is a vital aspect of a business.
Enhanced, unique consumer experience
We have previously discussed how certain factors such as colour psychology, emerging digital trends, and emotional design can all play a major role in the buying experience. The fact is that consumers are continuously raising the standard and challenge retailers when it comes to packaging. In order to comply with the demands, brands turn to personalised and interactive packaging and take their brand experience to a whole new level. Leveraging digital printing allows brands to create more personalised and varied design. KitKat personalised their buying experience through their packaging by allowing consumers to upload their own photo and description and have their personal kit-kat pack delivered home.
Simplicity
There has been a move to a more minimal branding strategy in packaging design for several years. The advantage of this is that simple: straight to the point packaging creates an impactful, easy recognisable look on all digital channels, and stands out in a fast-moving scroll-through internet world. Take, for example, the RXBAR packaging. It offers clear information and benefits on the pack without any complicated extra text. This provides an authentic look at how this product fits into the consumer’s life and it communicates value instantly.
Final thoughts
As consumers are changing and adapting to new trends, retailers are also taking a shift to fit the new criteria. Smart designers understand that and, in order to have a genuine connection with your customers, you must communicate through their language which translates into preferences, convenience, and value transmitted through your products and packaging design.
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