7 Things to Consider When Designing Labels
- Apr 22, 2013
We often discuss the influence custom labels have during the purchasing process. While certain product labels have more influence than others (who hasn’t purchased a bottle of wine simply because they liked the label?), at the very least the label will influence shoppers to take a closer look at the product. For this reason, it’s important to take time to evaluate your audience and make labeling decisions that will appeal to them. Don’t be afraid to run a test with a sample audience before you go to print to gauge your audience’s reaction.
As you are designing custom product labels, consider this list of the seven most important packaging elements, as established by Mitul Deliya and Bhavesh Parmar in the Role of Packaging on Consumer Buying Behavior from the Global Journal of Management and Business Research.
1. Color. We often speak about the importance of color. Color selection can draw the eye and set the mood for purchasing or make the customer pass over your product for another, depending upon the audience. Sit down and clearly define your audience and what colors will be appealing to that demographic. Also, think about the moods that are attached to color and what kind of emotions you want to evoke for your customers.
2. Background image. Just like color, a background image plays a huge role in whether or not a customer will be compelled to pick up a product. Again, it’s important to consider your audience. A female in the 25-35 year demographic is not going to be drawn to the same images as a woman in her 70s. Work with a graphic artist to find the right images that will appeal to your audience as well as accurately represent your brand.
3. Material. Unless there is a significant price difference, customers will typically choose a product with high-quality materials over a cheaper version. Period. Obviously it’s important to weigh the cost of the materials and packaging with the profit, but don’t be so focused on profit that you completely degrade the quality of your product.
4. Font. Just like the other design elements of color and graphics, font plays a role in influencing consumers during the purchasing process. The most successful companies have established best practices in creating a font that will influence customer behavior.
5. Wrapper design. It’s not just the label but the other all packaging design. Should your customers be able to see the product through your packaging and you have it covered completely by the label?
6. Printed information. Once you get the consumer to pick your product up, it’s important that you provide both marketing copy as well as valuable information about the product. Is it organic or made with natural ingredients?
7. Innovation. Innovation is being appreciated more and more frequently by consumers. Heinz just released the Heinz Fridge Pack, which allows people to put the lid back onto any unfinished baked beans, rather than dumping it out of the can and storing it separately in a container. Packaging innovations, if implemented, can play a significant role in the purchasing process.