The Psychology of Packaging Design

HOW DOES PACKAGING DESIGN INFLUENCE YOUR CUSTOMERS?

When you're trying to convince customers to buy your product, packaging is an undeniable influence. Beyond a reflection of your brand, the materials you choose, the quality of the print and the design all signal to a potential buyer that they and your product “belong together”.

Let's Consider The Psychology of Packaging Design

There are three main things to consider when you’re applying a touch of psychology to influence decision making: Recognizability, Quality and Emotional Response.

RECOGNIZABILITY

Does your packaging distinguish your product from its competitors?  Is it unique and distinct enough to make it memorable? Does it match your branding and your identity?

Tropicana learned the hard way that a change can lead to disaster. In 2009 they boldly updated their Orange Juice carton and the backlash cost them a 20% drop in sales, at a cost of more than $50 million! The lesson here? You only have a few seconds to get your customer’s attention so make sure they know what they’re looking at.

 

QUALITY

Is your packaging communicating a level of quality that matches what’s inside? Are the materials telling your brand’s story of sustainability or exclusivity?

 Bad packaging is defined by a bad consumer experience. Spelling or grammar fails, layout blunders, overpromising on performance and conversely, not shouting loud enough about product features! That’s just a few of the design features that can make or break your packaging. This now infamous example shows just how important the placement of a simple exclamation point can be!

* https://www.ebay.ca/itm/384988143970


Structurally, keep your brand’s sustainability platform in mind and keep material choices and design complexity in line with your values. The irony in the packaging example below is funny, but the end result could be avoidable sales losses.


https://imgflip.com/i/4ocb6b
 

EMOTIONAL RESPONSE

Many customers feel an attachment to an aesthetic which will influence their purchasing decisions. If they have a positive emotional reaction to your packaging, they’re much more likely to attach the same positive emotions to your product and become brand loyalists.

Color has inherent associations that play a key role in communicating the nature of your product, as does typography. Strawberry scented body wash in a red box makes sense, right? Blue box? Not so much.

Aspirational imagery can work really well to convey an experience. If your product is for camping, inspirational outdoor images tell a fantastic story about your product without saying a word.

For example, color can have strong associations with emotions*,

·       Red often symbolizes love or strong emotions.

·       Yellow often symbolizes energy, impulsivity, or happiness.

·       Orange often symbolizes fun, warmth, or determination.

·       Green often symbolizes health, nature, or money.

·       Blue often symbolizes calm, authority, or masculinity.

·       Purple often symbolizes creativity, royalty, or mystery.

·       Pink often symbolizes sweetness, flowers, or femininity.

https://blog.fiverr.com/post/the-five-secrets-of-great-packaging-design*

Here’s an example of a package design that does a fantastic job of communicating the product purpose. 


https://www.kitchenniche.ca/swissmar-swiss-classic-3pc-peeler-set-p-4821.html
 

Packaging design can make or break a brand or product. Beyond just protecting the contents, your package is the one of the first marketing opportunities you get to communicate with your customers, so consulting with a CentralPac packaging design expert can help you avoid an embarrassing fail. We’ll help you with your design and material choices so that your customers get the best unboxing experience possible.