The Role of Packaging Design in Marketing Success

marketing mix

Packaging design can reflect everything about your brand, including who your business is and everything you stand for. It might seem like an ordinary part of your marketing strategy, but from a customer’s point of view, your packaging design serves as their first impression – and first impressions last.

Cues and messages are subconsciously directed to your customers based on how you design your packaging. For most customers, it’s their primary basis why they chose a certain product over its competitors. In the following, we’ll be talking about the role of packaging design in marketing success. 

What is packaging design and how is it part of the marketing mix?

Packaging design or product packaging design is everything you see on the external features of a product. It consists of the logo, design, typography, illustration, graphics, and everything that comprises the aesthetics of your product. According to this research that links package design and marketing, package design plays a part in competition and customer value, including customers’ overall experience with the product.

Another survey conveys that 7 out of 10 consumers agree that package design plays a significant role in purchasing a product. With all this being said, your package design is no longer an aspect that your brand should ignore. If your package design is lacking in style and layout, then there’s a chance your competitors have an edge against you.

Package design is now part of what we call the marketing mix, which consists of the product, place, promotion, price, and packaging. Your packaging could be the most functional and attractive, but this is pointless without the first impression that customers need.

Your package design needs something eye-catchy that customers can’t help diverting their attention to, resulting in curiosity in your product. Your package design shows off what your product and brand stands for.

3 Areas Where Packaging Design Plays a Role in Marketing

1. Brand Value

Packaging design can reflect everything your brand is trying to say, from its value, distinction, right up to communication. It’s the core element of what makes your product and brand different from those of your competitors.

Every significant detail about your product can be seen through your packaging design, which is why the best thing you can do is hire a professional designer to ensure you get the visuals right. Packaging design is entirely about building a consistent brand to convey to your target audience who you are and what makes your product more valuable than others in the market.

2. Product Presentation

First impression is everything in the eyes of your customers and when they see something that they view as attractive and creative, there’s a higher chance of them choosing that product. A study showed that approximately 76% of decisions are made impulsively on the shelf.

When potential customers take a liking to your brand’s packaging design, they’ll be naturally drawn to that product. This is often why product packaging solutions should be your utmost priority in coming up with the right package design that isn’t too illustrative but isn’t too ordinary either.

3. Functionality

Your packaging conveys the significant information that customers need to know. These pieces of information can vary from health risks to ingredients and instructions on how to use the product. While this doesn’t apply to all products, it’s essential that your packaging doesn’t just convey a creative design but also the right set of information needed to be transparent to your customers. There’s a reason why packaging is part of the marketing mix as it can help your customers make decisions on whether your product is what they need.

Using Packaging for Marketing Success

One of the most effective ways to use packaging for marketing purposes is to incorporate sustainable packaging into your product. In our world today, customers value brands that know the significance of the environment, and switching to sustainable packaging can benefit your brand identity effectively.

Another marketing strategy is to use your creativity and talents to the test by producing attractive packaging. For some businesses, this also means hiring professionals in graphic design or package design to work on new launches.

You should also print valuable information in the right place in your packaging design as disregarding this aspect is a crucial mistake for your business. Through your product packaging design, you can help your customers make an informed decision in shopping for products that solve their challenges or problems.

In Closing

Packaging design plays an important role in marketing and as if to prove that point further, it’s now part of the marketing mix. As a business owner, your goal should be to make your marketing materials a success by creating an effective package design.

Remember, packaging design isn’t limited to the aesthetics and illustrations of your product, but should also include printing helpful information on labels to let your customers assess if it’s the product they need. Whatever design you come up with should be powerful enough to reflect your brand identity and attract your market’s attention.