The packaging design phase is considered the “backbone”. It helps to shape and breathe life into the product. Product packaging design is the biggest factor affecting the success or failure of a product launch.
About 72% of customers agree that packaging design can influence their purchasing decision. In order to achieve excellent design, certain steps and processes need to be followed.
>>> Read more What is Product Packaging? The importance of packaging in business
Today, let’s analyze 8 basic steps in the packaging design process with Malu !
Step 1: Brief
This is the most important stage. Because it helps navigate for whatever action follows. It acts as a “map”. In it, the requests from the client are input as a “weapon” to help understand the psychology of customers around their brand.
Creative work is reflected through the quality of the brief . Thereby turning wishes, dreams and customers into reality. An experienced agency knows how to “solve” briefs very well.
They figure out what’s missing, what’s working. Or what doesn’t work on the basis of the brief.
Step 2: Planning
Planning is a process that allows the brand to create a systematic framework for the project. Factors such as budget, quality, deadlines and real manpower allocation are taken into account at this stage. A good plan ensured half the battle was won. Because if resource allocation is done efficiently, results will come from real values.
A perfect project plan keeps the designer on track without messing with budgets and deadlines.
Step 3: Research
There are too many brands in existence. And not all receive the support or “favor” of the media. Therefore, the packaging on each store shelf is considered an extremely valuable advertising channel.
The role of packaging, of course, is to attract consumers’ attention. In addition, it also helps convey the brand story .
There are 2 brand “battles” that need to be won:
- Customers need to pay attention to the product within 3 seconds
- Customers will put the product in the cart within the first 7 seconds
The study was carried out in 3 phases:
Client Research (Customer Research)
As the name implies, this is the time to gather information about the customer. Some questions to ask are:
- Does advertising have a role in the packaging design process?
- Which retailer/wholesaler will be able to accept the product?
- Which competitor brands will compete directly?
- Why change the current packaging?
- What elements does the client want to keep from the old packaging?
Market Research (Market Research)
Here, information about brand positioning is formed by the SWOT model. Or secondary surveys about products/services. Industry type and related information are also studied.
Brands should incorporate both qualitative and quantitative research. Thereby making the best design decisions based on insights.
Design Strategy
Design strategy is the solid foundation that ensures a successful packaging design. However, it depends on thorough research. The elements involved in this process are color type , font , shape , hierarchy, value proposition and content, etc.
Step 4: Design Dieline
Dieline is a flat diagram showing all the cuts and folds of the packaging. Lines are mostly created in Illustrator.
Before starting the design phase, the packaging designer must ensure the shape type and accordingly draw the packaging die line accordingly. Any mistake in Dieline stitch will lead to big mistake in upcoming steps and will waste time, cost as well as effort.
Step 5: Design Concepts
After positioning the brand, the next step is to define the target market and target audience. The project manager will share and explain the details of the goal, segmentation, and positioning with a graphic designer.
Packaging front – Brand story influences design concepts primarily. It’s up to the story type, color, font, theme and overall packaging nature to decide. Design must be authentic, transparent and honest, meeting both creativity and practicality.
Packaging design combines graphics, shapes, materials, and more to enhance appeal on multiple sensory levels such as visual, tactile, and emotional.
Nowadays, consumers prefer supermarkets or hypermarkets to shop. Therefore, the product needs to have the attractive font of the packaging.
Back of the packaging – In this step, the graphic designer develops creativity and ensures that the packaging is designed with the right principles in mind. These are information about ingredients, barcodes, nutritional information, FSSAI and UPC codes.
Original images and illustrations will be original ideas. Then it will be fine-tuned according to customer requirements.
Brand identity , colors, target customers, fonts, images, checking the initial design phase are also done in this step.
Step 6: Finalize the design:
The packaging design in this step is final tweaked and perfected. Customers can request changes to the font, color and graphics. The goal is to ensure the final design is as desirable as intended.
During this stage, the following points should be kept in mind:
- Font
- Set up brand identity
- Layout, brand story and positioning
- All copies have been proofread
- All changes have been completed
- Colors and images have been censored
Step 7: Print the sample and put the packaging into practice
After the design is approved by the customer. Designers will ensure that the product is ready to print.
In the printing stage, we must pay attention to the color printing process to decide whether to use Pantone or CMYK colors. Pantone’s colors are distinctive and use a high-precision ink blend to produce accurate colors. It uses predefined colors to “match” with a specific color used in the design process. While CMYK is the four colors used in color printing like cyan, magenta, yellow and black.
The design production team then takes the layouts from the finished work to digital and press ready before printing.
Step 8: Market assessment:
Once the product hits the market, don’t forget to gather feedback from the actual market. Market surveys answer many questions related to product approval and sale. How the product is performing in modern commerce and in general.
For you
Above is the quality packaging design process that Malu Design has shared with you. If you are looking for a design unit, ideas for product packaging samples. Do not hesitate to contact Malu Design – A prestigious high quality packaging design unit. With more than 6 years of experience in product packaging design. Besides, we have cooperated with more than 1000 potential customers and completed more than 2000 projects.
