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Ways to Capitalize on the Unboxing Trend

May 31, 2018 in /by

The unboxing trend is growing in popularity, and presenting big opportunities to increase sales and garner free publicity with your packaging.

Just a quick search for “unboxing” on youtube tells us that this trend isn’t going anywhere. Social sharing is one of the number one ways your brand can truly take off, so making sure that your packaging design appeals to your consumer base is now more important than ever.

The trend is essentially a live review of your product, as it’s unwrapped or unboxed in its original packaging. The style, feel, and brand messaging is essential to how shareable your packaging is.

Beyond social media, the experience associated with opening your packaging can also be important, as it has been proven to have an effect on a consumer’s future purchases.

Case Study:

Casper, an e-commerce mattress company, has received tons of buzz around its strange packaging, stuffing complete foam mattresses into small shippable boxes. The unique packaging started a flurry of unboxing videos across the social sphere and contributed to the brands overall success.

Branding & Promotion

Social sharing of products has been studied pretty extensively. Nearly 4 in 10 consumers would share an image of a product via social media if it came in a unique package. Make sure that your branding is consistent and clear across all packaging.

Social sharing also effects your brand exposure and web traffic, which are both crucial to success. It’s  certainly worth the cost to create a packaging experience that is more likely to be shared.

Beating the Competition

When a consumer receives multiple packages or needs to decide between various options, they will almost always pick the option with the better looking packaging. As visual creatures, humans gravitate toward what stands out. A unique packaging experience will help your brand stand out among the crowd.

How to Make Your Packaging Stand Out

Custom Printing and Verbiage:

Show who your brand is with custom printing that catches the consumers eye. Consider embossing, foil, or Spot UV to help your box or carton stand out. Use your packaging as an ad space – ask consumers to share on social and even use a branded hashtag! The possibilities are literally endless.

Get Creative:

Consider a pop of color with tissue paper, or including a brand card inside your packaging. You can even get creative with inserts and layer your products for a fun unboxing experience.

Many companies use finishes like soft touch to elevate their packaging. Things like texture can go a long way with consumers when it comes to the physical experience of opening packaging.

 

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Need Help Getting Started?

Contact us today to begin discussing your project, and we can help you find the right material for your product and budget.Contact Us

Packaging Design Extras That Sell

March 22, 2018 in /by

Soft touch, spot UV, embossing, foil - Learn more about the design extras that customers love.

There are several option besides standard printing, that can set your product apart from the competition on the shelves. Sometimes just a touch of one of these extras is all it takes to make your packaging unique and to appear more high end. Other times, a combination of these options creates the perfect design. Let’s explore some of these options to see which might be a great addition to your next project.

  1. Foil Hot Stamping

Hot stamping is a method in which metallic foils are transferred to a surface with high temperatures. The method in which these metallic foils are applied ensures a smooth and crease proof finish in the desired area.

Foil hot stamping can be combined with embossing or debossing to create an even more pronounced effect. Consider adding foil to your logo so that it pops. Or, choose a dark matte packaging and add foil artwork.

Because foil is inherently metallic, it lends itself to adding a more expensive look to your packaging. Adding platinum, silver, or even the popular rose gold hot foil stamping to your packaging can be a simple way to increase the perceived value of your product.

3. Embossing & Debossing

The most basic and perhaps common design extra is embossing or debossing. An embossed design is a raised design of an image or text pressed onto paper. The design can include ink, foil or retained in its original form (blind emboss). A debossed design is almost the same, except the design is depressed instead of raised.

Either effect creates visual complexity by adding a new dimension to your original design and artwork. Combine embossing or debossing with hot foil stamping for an exquisite addition to your packaging design.

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3. UV & Spot UV Coating

Multiple UV finishes are available to enhance your packaging design. From ultra glossy to understated matte, adding a touch of spot UV has become increasingly popular for minimalist packaging which is thriving in today’s market. UV coating is also budget-friendly; the application process is efficient and doesn’t cost a lot to execute. From business cards to boxes, adding UV coating is a great way to appeal to an upscale customer base.

3. Soft Touch

From a designers perspective, soft touch coating is the “must have” finish of the past few years. It’s the one packaging design embellishment that not only looks fantastic, but feels ultra luxurious. If your product is high end, you should consider soft touch coating for your packaging.

What does soft touch feel like? Much like its name, it feels incredibly soft. The texture is similar to suede, or maybe even silk. Soft touch coating is actually a hyper-matte type of coating, making it an ideal canvas for rich color and even spot UV or foil stamping. One drawback to keep in mind though, can be that soft touch can be prone to scratches and fingerprints than a standard matte surface.

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Need Help Getting Started?

Contact us today to begin discussing your project, and we can help you find the right material for your product and budget.Contact Us

Your guide to Affordable Eco-Friendly Packaging

March 14, 2018 in /by

From protecting our environment to appealing to the eco-conscious consumer, here's how to design eco-friendly packaging.

Packaging that is Eco-conscious is now a top priority for many consumers, and brands must address this with their new packaging designs. Because packaging can be very wasteful, companies are coming up with innovative designs that not only help preserve the environment, but help with branding as well.

“The 2017 Global Packaging Trends Report finds that health, wellness and sustainability are shaping the packaging landscape.”

Let’s take a look at some materials and ways you can make Eco-friendly packaging that positively impacts your bottom line, and the earth we all share. Download our free PDF below.

DOWNLOAD PDF

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Need Help Getting Started?

Contact us today to discuss your project. We can help you find packaging solutions that fit your product, and your budget.Contact Us

What Packaging Material is Best for Your Project?

February 13, 2018 in /by

Tin, carton, pulp, pouch, and everywhere in between...discover what material you should be using for your project.

There are a multitude of variables that go into the thought process concerning what type of packaging is the best fit for a product. Although we can’t cover everything in this post, we can certainly cover the key points you will want to focus on when choosing packaging materials for your project.

  1. Know Your Audience

Any marketing or branding professional will tell you that understanding your audience is key:

“This is a fundamental part of marketing your business – before you can deliver a marketing message effectively, you need to know who you’re delivering it to and why..”

This advice is easily applicable to packaging design. Because customers are highly visual when making purchases, it makes sense that appealing to your target market is essential. Most consumers will decide that they are going to purchase an item within the first minute of seeing the packaging. Your first impression is absolutely imperative.

Does your main customer base value eco-friendly materials like recyclable pulp and paper? Are they swayed by impressive effects like metallic foils and modern artwork? Or do your customers like a simplistic and homemade look? Consider these questions initially, before you even start sourcing your packaging.

“This is a fundamental part of marketing your business – before you can deliver a marketing message effectively, you need to know who you’re delivering it to and why..”

2. Know Your Product

Just like you need to know your audience, you must understand your product as well.  Here are some points to consider, based on your industry:

  • Confectionery goods – Items like cookies and candies will require packaging that is both food safe and able to keep the items fresh. Consider whether you prefer to direct fill the packaging or use a separate method. Also keep in mind how fragile your items are. For example – cookies may crumble if packaged loosely in a simple pouch. Tins and rigid boxes with custom printing are a popular choice for items in this category.
  • Cosmetics – Many of the same considerations. Does the item need to be sealed for freshness? Does your makeup crumble easily? Will your consumer want to travel with your item? In the cosmetics industry, the visual appeal of your packaging is of the utmost importance. Consider investing in high end luxury packaging for the greatest return.
  • Electronics – The main consideration for anything in this category is protection. Will your item be adequately protected in it’s packaging? Rigid boxes or tins with foam or thermoform inserts molded to specification are often the best choice for electronic items.

These are just some examples of variables to keep in mind when choosing a material for you product packaging.

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3. Consider Pricing

Your budget is going to play a large role in establishing which material will work best for your project. However, don’t let a limited budget stop you from creating high end looking packaging. Often times, the right artwork, printing, or labeling, can create a luxury look without the high price tag.

Generally speaking, items that are machine produced with minimal extras, like printed or labeled cartons, are going to be the most cost effective. Other budget friendly options include clear PET containers and stock tins. Keep in mind that as far as tins or injection molding, anything that requires custom tooling to adjust the shape or height of the packaging is going to cost a lot more in tooling fees.

If budget isn’t so much of a concern, consider high end extras like soft touch, metallic foil, embossing, textured papers, glitter, and more.

4. Shelf Appeal

How your packaging stands out on the shelf is a huge indicator of how well it sells. Make sure you consider if your choice in packaging material will help your brand stand out, or just blend in. For example, if every face cream comes in a carton, perhaps your’s should come in a magnetic rigid box, or an eco-friendly burlap pouch. There are so many options!

Often times, a simple carton or box will suffice as long as the printing or structure is unique. Consider adding an angled lid or bright geometric pattern to spice up your design.

Need Help Getting Started?

Contact us today to begin discussing your project, and we can help you find the right material for your product and budget.Contact Us

Top 5 Packaging Trends to Look out for in 2018

January 29, 2018 in /by

top 5 packaging trends

What’s new in the packaging universe? Check out our top 5 picks for packaging trends you will be seeing a lot of in 2018.

 

1. Adding Value to E-Commerce Packaging

Gone are the days of poorly packaged goods arriving in plain corrugate boxes. Every part of the e-commerce process, from the first automated follow up email to the packaging, is part of the customer experience.

More online brands are using their packaging as another opportunity to market their product and their identity. Having great looking packaging can increase your brand value in the eyes of the consumer, and even have them coming back for more.

2. High End Packaging for the Cannabis Industry

With the changes in legislation coming to several states (California most recently), this emerging industry is grappling for upscale packaging and isn’t stopping any time soon.

We’re seeing requests for luxury custom boxes, tins, bottles, pouches, and so much more. If you think cannabis is only for hippies, think again.

3. It’s All in the Angle

 

Minimalist design is still in this year, and small structural touches are becoming popular. Something as seemingly simple as an angled lid can lend an edgy, smart look to any design.

4. Metallic Foils, Holographic Art, Sequins, and More

 

Don’t fear the bling! High end products deserve high end luxury packaging. You can wow consumers straight off the shelf with bold foils and other eye-catching effects.

 

5. Bold & Energetic Printing

 Pastels are still popular in their own way, but we’re seeing a push for bold and artistic design this year. Neon colors may feel too bold, but they will certainly stand out from the competition. Many brands are also turning to artists to design new patterns for their packaging, turning plain packaging into pieces of art.

 

Ready to get started on some new packaging?

Give us a call for some inspiration and help!

 

For more trends that will make share worthy packaging in 2018, grab our free download.

 

The Packaging Effect: How Consumers are Influenced by Packaging

December 5, 2017 in /by

The Packaging Effect: How Consumers are Influenced by Packaging When you’re in the packaging industry, this is a question that gets brought up quite often. Companies want to know how their investment in new and innovative packaging is going to effect their bottom line. Yes – we all know having the right packaging can have […]