When your package design is soooo special
3-min read
I’m talking package design again because many of you can’t seem to get past the design process to focus on other parts of your business.
I’m going to go over some simple rules which you may already know but are struggling to follow because you think your product is SO special and you want to include it all.
A lot of startups have problems with packaging because they have not established their brand identity. Before jumping into design, I highly recommend establishing a brand identity by doing exploratory and discovery work, resulting in a brand guide. If you have no idea what I’m talking about, check out this previous post.
When you are stuck on design, keep in mind:
· Front of pack design should have no more than 6 to 9 communication points
· Communication points are in a hierarchy. Usually:
1. Brand
2. Product Identification
3. Product Descriptor
4. Flavor
5. Reasons to Believe (supports the promise/claims)
6. Certifications/Claims
7. Net Weight
Much more than that and you overwhelm the consumer – like this:
If I sent my husband to the store for apple cider vinegar he wouldn’t come home with this one. There is too much going on and what is “The Mother”? Confusing.
Bragg has been around for a long time, but if they were launching today – with this many packaging violations – it would have a hard time moving off shelf.
Bragg’s has 15 messages on this bottle. How can a consumer know what is meaningful when there is this much going on? We read packaging from top to bottom and assign importance from large to small. There is too much competing on this label.
Something important for this brand to call out/explain is that particles settling at the bottom is normal (this picture doesn’t show it but trust me). This is different than other vinegars and it’s visually noticeable. But amongst all the words, I couldn’t tell you why that is happening. And anyway, do the particles mean it’s better-for-me? Or better tasting?
Other peeves – why include ‘naturally gluten-free’? Is there a non-natural way to be gluten-free and besides, do vinegars normally contain gluten? Also, is it important to say on the front that the founders are PhDs and list their non-certified specialties? There’s so much redundancy with the ‘go organic’ and ‘made with organic apples’ graphic, when we already know it’s apple and USDA organic. They say 1912 twice.
To fix this, they need to decide what is the most important differentiator. It probably has something to do with the particles floating around and whatever they are calling “the mother”. Based on a one-minute Google, is seems like those are live cultures that contribute to gut health.
The new hierarchy:
1. Brand - Bragg
2. Product Identification – Apple Cider Vinegar
3. Product Descriptor - Organic
4. Reasons to Believe – Gut health
5. Claim – Live cultures
6. Claim – Unpasteurized
7. Claim – Unfiltered
8. Certification – USDA Organic
9. Net Weight
More detailed information about the product, as well as Bragg's history and commitment to quality should move to the back. I would also move Non-GMO (because USDA Organic already requires non-GMO).
On the other hand, WK Kellogg just launched this new cereal brand, and setting aside that it’s a truly ugly design, everything is super clear because they are following the rules.
I count 6 communication points not including net weight (which is not showing in these mock ups, but will be included). Hierarchy is:
1. Brand – Eat Your Mouth Off
2. Product ID – picture of cereal
3. Flavor – Fruity/Chocolate
4. Reason to believe – 100% Plant Based
5. Claim – 22g protein
6. Claim – 0 g added sugar
They could have made it more appealing, but, black field in a mostly white/white-yellow store shelf will definitely stand out. And I totally get the product concept – nostalgic sugary cereals for Millennials and Gen Z.
All in all, the job of the front of pack is to communicate:
1. What is it
2. The key reason it’s better/different
Everything else about your product should go to the side/back panel or to your website.
Get your package design right so you can move on to other aspects of running and growing your business!
All my best,
Jennifer
___NEWS_____
5 years in, how does General Mills’ regenerative agriculture commitment measure up?
