What is Packaging Design?

A package design is not a pretty picture you glue to a bottle, it’s not an attractive box that you put something in, and it’s not an empty vessel waiting to be filled with your latest design ideas.

It’s not another entry for a design competition, it’s not an object of beauty to impress your peers, and it’s not another showcase piece for a designer’s portfolio. It’s not a billboard for your personal preferences.

It’s a Marketing Plan.

A package is a self-contained, self-sufficient marketing machine – an advertising department, company spokesperson, floor salesman, radio jingle, full-page ad, and a 30 second commercial all wrapped up into one.

It must survive on its own. It must single-handedly convey its value and then close the sale – and it must do this without the advantages of mobility, voice, and thought.

A package is a vocal messenger sent out to speak above the voices of your competition and capture the attention of the fickle consumer where success is measured in sales.

Essential questions for any package design project:

What is the product?
Who are your competitors?

It’s imperative to understand the market before designing; this will not only inform the design itself but will shape the brand story and differentiators. A great package not only looks good but it conveys a clear distinction among a sea of choices. Understanding competitors, and the consumers’ expectations for the product’s category, is the first step toward segmenting the market to your advantage.
What makes you different? Why would someone choose your product over another option?
Do you have a packaging supplier in place and have you finalized what bottle, jar, box, can, tube, or bag you will be using?
If applicable, do you have any dielines ready?

(A dieline is the outline of the package when it’s flattened out. All packaging, whether it is a complicated three dimensional box or a two dimensional label will be printed flat. This flattened shape is the dieline and you can’t design a package without it. A box dieline will usually be created by the printer that will be printing your package. This is one of the main reasons you need to choose your printer first.)
Are you working with a printer already?
What are your distributions channels? Direct to retailers? Selling to distributors? Private label? Box stores or mom and pop? Online only?
Do you have your UPC codes ready? Do you need help getting them?
Are your nutritional facts done? How about ingredients? Are there any legal/governmental requirements for your packaging?
When is your projected launch date?