In modern daily life, product packaging becomes one of our daily view. From modern hypermarkets, malls, minimarket to a more traditional market, we find products with packagings that suitable with its contents; with its various product feature explanations and of course with its eye-catching colors and images.
The more eye catching a product packaging, the more consumers are willing to buy the product. That’s why in graphic design area, product packaging is important as a non verbal marketing strategy.
What is a Product Packaging?
Packaging is a product container that includes all of its physical aspects such as design, shape, color, size, label and its used materials. Packaged goods are goods that are sold to customers inside a packaging. These can be soap, tooth paste, chocolate, spices, and anything that we can find displayed in a shop or market.
Product packaging’s main objective is to protect product or goods from damage or other risks. Nowadays, a product packaging aim is not only to protect product or goods physically, but other important aspects for marketing objectives are also highly considered – an aesthetically pleasing look that can attract customers, for example. In the middle of a highly competitive industry nowadays, product packaging becomes one important aspect for product competitiveness.
Basic Elements of Product Packaging
Structural-Physical Elements
Everything that includes shape and used materials. The physical form choice needs to be adjusted with the product characteristic. For example, liquid goods are better packed inside a closed compartments to prevent leaks. The physical condition of a product will ensure material choice, such as tinted or colored liquids can be shown with a transparent packaging.
Aesthetic-Visual Elements
Everything that includes color, images/illustration, line, space, texture and used lighting to enhance the positive image of a product. For example, bright colors in beauty care products has its role to attract customers and represent product benefits.
Verbal Elements
Everything that is related with label, ingredients, and other information that will be presented through texts as a description and the main identity of a product packaging.
Graphic Design Elements on Product Packaging
Some goods in farmer’s market or traditional market also come with labels and product packaging. But what differs them from other goods that are displayed inside a store?
Logo
Not only for companies or organizations, logo is also very important for a product. Generally, logo will be printed on the packaging so the product will be easier to recognize. Without logo, products that have similar packaging often difficult to distinguish from one to another.
Product Information
Product information is very important to help customers to make their decisions when buying products. The general information that often looked for are ingredients, expire date, size, instructions of use, and company or producers’ name.
Barcode or QR code
Barcode or QR code is very important and is a basic prerequisite for a product to enter retail market. A barcode has information about the company and products release number. Every barcode generally put on the back or low part of the product packaging, easily recognized with its black and white color.
Company or brand owner needs to understand that there are a type of customer who put more interest on a brand’s product packaging than its actual product. The facts that more brands will need to figuring out about their product packaging is very interesting, and we will discuss it further on the next article.
