If we earned a penny every time we bought something just because of amazing packaging, we’d all have healthy savings accounts. And we’re not alone—81% of consumers say they’ve purchased a product solely because of its packaging design.
As the busiest commercial season approaches, packaging design becomes more critical than ever.
With the right packaging, you can grab your audience’s attention more effectively—and more cost-efficiently—than many traditional advertising methods.
What Makes a Great Packaging Design?
In this article, we’ll cover seven essential packaging design tips to help you maximize customer engagement this holiday season and into 2025.
What we’ll cover:
- Embrace minimalism
- Tailor packaging design to the product category
- Design for extensibility
- Match packaging with your target audience
- Know the package design use context
- Design for greater shelf impact
- Make your packaging user-friendly
1. Embrace Minimalism
Minimalism isn’t about ignoring the holiday spirit. It’s about saying more with less.
Many packages are overcrowded with fonts, colors, and flashy images that overwhelm shoppers. A minimalist approach helps your design stand out through clarity and simplicity.
To embrace minimalism:
- Use design grids to establish clear information hierarchy.
- Apply flat design—two-dimensional graphics that communicate effectively without clutter.
- Incorporate plenty of white space to create balance and draw focus to key elements.
2. Tailor Packaging to Your Product Category
Your packaging should align with consumer expectations for the product category. This creates immediate recognition—even for those unfamiliar with your brand.
Example: Most bottled water brands use shades of blue. Introducing unexpected colors like red or purple could confuse consumers.
Do this by:
- Conducting audience research to understand category norms.
- Analyzing competitor packaging to find design patterns and opportunities to stand out without alienating customers.
3. Design for Extensibility
Great packaging isn’t static. It should be flexible enough to adapt for seasonal promotions, new product lines, or brand refreshes.
For example: Successful brands design packaging that can seamlessly transition into holiday themes without losing brand recognition.
Pro tip: Extensible design saves resources and allows for faster launches while leveraging the brand recognition of existing products.
4. Match Packaging With Your Target Audience
Your design should speak directly to your customer’s tastes and preferences.
Example: Luxury products should avoid overly playful holiday motifs. Instead, use subtle festive touches that maintain a premium feel.
How to align with your audience:
- Use demographic surveys to create detailed buyer personas.
- If creating physical packaging for the first time, reflect the design cues already present in your digital branding.
5. Know the Package Design Use Context
Consider how and where your packaging will be used.
Key considerations:
- Will the product need to withstand refrigeration or shipping stress?
- Does the design need to prioritize durability or resealability?
Creative example: VanMoof once redesigned their bike packaging to look like a flat-screen TV box to reduce delivery damages—and succeeded dramatically.
Tip: Don’t hesitate to rethink traditional packaging formats to enhance function and customer experience.
6. Design for Greater Shelf Impact
Your product doesn’t exist in isolation. It competes for attention among countless other products.
Shelf impact is the ability of your design to attract consumers even from a distance.
Techniques to improve shelf impact:
- Select colors that evoke the emotions you want your audience to feel.
- Apply design hierarchy to spotlight the most important information.
- Eliminate unnecessary visual clutter.
Remember: Consumers notice shapes and colors before they engage with details.
7. Make Your Packaging User-Friendly
A beautiful package shouldn’t be frustrating to open or use.
Tips for usability:
- Design for easy opening—include clear instructions if needed.
- For reusable products, ensure the package can be resealed easily.
- Use eco-friendly, recyclable materials when possible.
Case in point: Sheyn, an Austrian homeware brand, packages its products in simple, easy-to-open Kraft mailers made from recycled paper—reinforcing both usability and sustainability.
Your Packaging Should Tell Your Brand Story
Packaging is more than a container—it’s a storytelling device.
Whether it’s communicating your values, emphasizing sustainability, or reinforcing quality, the design should clearly convey what your brand stands for.
If you’re ready to create packaging that not only protects but also promotes and persuades
.png)
.png)
.png)
