Packaging design that will stand out on your eCommerce Store, Amazon, and in-store at Retail and Wholesale.

Your Packaging Design project includes a custom dieline design, or you can supply your own.

The project starts with an initial sketch; your packaging is rendered to give you an idea of the shape and overall layout. Once the initial sketch is approved, Creatibly's Scott Luscombe produces the final Packaging Design, where you receive one concept and one revision.

What makes a great packaging design?

Before we dive into the qualities of a successful packaging design, we need to understand why we need packaging.

Packaging serves your business and its products in more ways than one. Packaging is your brand's first point of interaction with the consumer. This means the first impression of you and your brand is in the customer's mind. In the form of a tube or a cardboard box, it protects the product during shipping and organizes multiple units of something. Beyond that, it can also suggest how the product should be used.

A famous quote by Steve Jobs says, "Design is not what it looks or feels like. Design is how it works". This is highly prominent in the packaging design process. Beyond its sensory appeal in terms of visuals, touch, and sounds, the packaging design should make it absolutely apparent how its meant to be used, who is this intended for, and consequently, would you buy it or not.

What do I need before I hire a designer?

Fundamentals of packaging design elements

Before you begin any work towards package design or finding a packaging designer, you need to consider 3 fundamental questions:

What is my product?

This should be easy to answer. What are you selling, its size, what materials is it made of, and if it's fragile? This will help you understand any logistical implications, the physical packaging it would fit in, and if it would require any protection while being shipped. This will also help you understand if you need a bottle, a box or a tube. For something that has a unique shape, you may need custom packaging.

Who is my target consumer?

Is the product meant for men or women or is it universal? Is this meant for kids or adults? Is this for someone on a budget or someone with disposable income? Is this meant to be consumed on the go? Product packaging should serve and appeal to its ideal consumer; it’s imperative that you know who that consumer is. Products for children may need colorful graphics and child-friendly materials. Alternatively, if your target market has affluent buyers, premium packaging materials like metal caps and glass bottles are great solutions.

Where would they buy my product?

Are they purchasing from a supermarket, buying it online? Supermarket shelves are a maze of products and no less than a design contest, another packaging on the shelf impact how your product looks in comparison to them. Online retailers may need tight dimensions for their boxes to protect articles when shipping. When selling through cafes and other 3rd party stores, you may need to abide by a different set of rules altogether to create a custom packaging design.

These 3 questions would be asked by a packaging designer before beginning a project.

information you need for your packaging design

• Brand Requirements

Your brand requirements will primarily consist of your logo(s), fonts, and colors. If you have completed a branding process, you should have a style guide for your brand, which will be the starting point for a lot of design ideas in the design phase. This document lays out rules for how your logo design, typography, and brand colors should be used. Be aware that access to these files would be critical for packaging designers to create a design that aligns with your brand.

• Content

Like any other marketing collateral, your packaging design is a marketing piece. What you say and how you say it is significant. Remember, the goal of the copy is not only to tell the consumer what it is but also to persuade them to purchase. The ability to generate a sale makes the design a winning design.

Based on your industry, you may be required to add legal language and stamps to the usual quantity and weight numbers to your product packaging. Seek legal counsel on what you should have on your product packaging.

If you need to put images on your packaging, have those ready to go and check with a graphic designer to see if they are fit for printing.

Lastly, think of anything the packaging may have apart from the design and copy. You will need to inform your packaging designer if you need empty space for stickers or barcodes to be added to the packaging. This will help them set accurate print-ready files for your product packaging.

Likes and dislikes

It's always a good idea to do brief research about your likes and dislikes when creating your packaging. While the packaging designers are the ones who make the packaging look and feel unique, with a bit of insight, the designer has a better understanding of your expectations.

It is easy to get carried away when seeking good designs and falling in love with specific examples but remember. You are creating your packaging for the ideal customer in a specific sector. If you are making food products like a skincare brand, there will likely be a disconnect between your product and its packaging. Voice your likes and dislikes but seek the help of professional packaging designers to get the basics down.

You may also want to start thinking about packaging materials for your product. Besides visuals, the feel of a product's packaging also plays a key role in brand interactions. Different materials have different prices based on your product, the market, and the point of sale; you may soon need to consider the appropriate packaging material.

The Design

Finding the right packaging designer is the key to a good packaging design. This can be overwhelming when you are going through multiple profiles of freelance designers. When selecting a freelance designer, make sure that they are not simply a graphic designer but someone with a research-based design approach.

A knowledgeable designer who acts as a sounding board can advise you on best practices for your product, brand, and industry. Packaging design is not just a design job but a way of thinking creatively and strategically.

Hire a professional packaging designer

Hire a product packaging designer who is a specialist with considerable experience working with standard and custom packaging. They should be able to see the process through its completion and know what it will look like before it goes to print. Instead of going through multiple designers, seek design specialists who can advise you, not the other way around.

While there is no perfect packaging design or designer, there is a perfect partnership. A good designer will act as a stakeholder in your design work and will treat your project like one.

You can find a breakdown of my packaging design process below.

Output Processes

Your package design is complete. You have the quality packaging design for your product, and you wish to see it come to life, but there are still some things to consider before that.

An excellent way to see a real-world placement of your product is to have a 3D packaging mockup. Freelance packaging designers with an in-depth knowledge of packaging also know how to create 3D mockups for your product. A 3D mockup is an excellent way to judge a brand's presence on the box and in its physical environment. It's also your best bet to see your design in the flesh without going to print.

Your packaging designer will also provide proofs for colors as references or physical paint chips to sign off on the final selection.

Finally, you are ready to go to print. Finding a printing partner you can trust and expect to care about your product packaging is ideal. A good printer would provide proof of designs before printing and competitive pricing with discounts on bulk orders if you have custom packaging, you must ensure that they meet your requirements.

Packaging Design Process

My packaging design services start with an initial conversation where we build the Project Brief, and I learn more about your intentions for your packaging and the brand it represents. Most graphic designers and some design firms often jump right into designing packaging without spending enough time researching the competitive landscape and considering brand-specific goals for your packaging design.

I spend the time needed to produce a professional packaging design that reflects your brand identity. I exhaustively scan references within and outside your niche to propose the best solutions. I then source typefaces (fonts) that correctly represent your brand and also rely on sketching to create eye-catching illustrations that enhance overall visual appeal.

Visualization for a designer is key. The packaging is designed on a 2-dimensional screen, and it takes a lot of in-depth knowledge to successfully design with the final 3-dimensional product in mind. That's why I use 3D mockups to create and present my designs so that you can see their real-world viability.

All of my clients have different needs for their ideal packaging solution, and I customize each process to accommodate their requests, however, below is my typical process for producing your package design:

1. Initial Consultation

2. Project Brief

3. References

4. Sketches

5. Material Research

6. Design

7. Review

8. Revision

9. Approval

The 3 types of Packaging Design Services

Packaging can serve different functions to different brands at different prices. I provide 3 distinct options to select the one that works for you.

I have tailored these options to match your goals in scale and design requirements. I create high-quality, unique designs that complement and support your brand and its growth at each of these types.

Basic Packaging Design

• Flat Packaging or Blister Package Design

• Shelf-Size

• Full Color Both Sides

• 1 Concept and 1 Revision

• Print-ready Files

Intermediate Packaging Design

• Small-Medium Packaging Design

• Optional no-cost Window

• Logo Usage Rules

• 1 X Packaging and Design Mock Up

• 1 Concept and 1 Revision

• Print-Ready Files in Vector format

Advanced Packaging Design

• For the Ultimate Unboxing Experience

• Complex Box and Interior Packaging Design

• 1 Concept and 1 Revision

• Print-Ready Files

FAQs

What is the function of packaging design?

The most basic purpose of product packaging is to protect the product from environmental factors. These are the environmental factors the product may go through during shipping, delivery, and consumption. The design elements on product packaging function as educators on how to use the product, who it's for, and why you need it. The final goal of the packaging design is to protect the product, attract attention and convince the customer to buy.

What makes a good packaging design?

Uniqueness makes good packaging design. Packaging must offer customers something unique to generate interest and make a sale. With the ultimate intent to achieve a sale, the uniqueness can be in how it is displayed, what its made of, and what emotional response it generates from the consumer. Packaging designers can use multiple techniques to achieve this, but the end goal is something unique that holds attention.

Are there any rules for packaging design?

There are no such pointers or rules to creating good packaging designs, but there are some things to keep in mind. Packaging should be a reflection of your brand or product, and it should be consistent with other packaging and your brand identity. The designs must be clear and precise unless your objective is deliberately unclear and vague. It should be different and something your brand can own, and finally, it should be functional.

Do you require Packaging Printing or Packaging Prototypes? Request a Quote

Do you require a 3D Mock-up of your Packaging? View the Packaging 3D Mock-up service

View Packaging Designs in the Portfolio.