Should You Redesign Your Product Packaging?

There have been a number of large companies lately who have redesigned their packaging recently, such as Miller Lite and Budweiser. Tropicana has recently joined the ranks of the company’s redesigning its packaging. In the case of Tropicana, a Toronto branding and design firm was hired to refresh a line of five juices for the Canadian market.

The question is if you have such a recognizable brand, why would you want to redesign your packaging?

There is no denying that, in the world of retail, packaging design is the most important part of branding. 70% of all consumer purchasing designs are made at the shelf, and 90% of those are made after just looking at the face of the product.

Customers change within decades and with that change come new trends and styles.  Every product has its own unique design that, over time, becomes dated and no longer resonates with consumers. The best way to establish whether or not your packaging is still effective is to perform market research and test it on your audience.

You should also establish how frequently customers purchase your product. If your products are purchased only once or twice each year, redesigning your packaging or creating new custom labels too often could be confusing and make it difficult for consumers to find the product on the shelves. That said, if it has been ten years since you did a packaging or label redesign, it’s time.

Things to Remember

The human eye takes in product packaging in the following order: color, shape, imagery, and then, lastly, words. It’s important to create packaging with images that are memorable and evoke positive associations, as opposed to lots of creative marketing copy that will cause your product to blend in on store shelves.

Take Your Time

Before you place a call to a branding and design company, take a moment to pause and think strategically about your packaging, who you want your audience to be, and whether your target market may have shifted over time. Be as prepared with what you are looking for in a new custom label or new packaging before you engage a design agency.