I truly believe packaging design is the most under-leveraged resource in your marketing mix. It’s both a billboard and a 24/7 salesperson. It’s how brands can win the battle for shelf space and mental real estate.

There are two clear jobs for your packaging design - I’m going to outline this idea and more in an episode I’m calling…

There’s always more juice in the lemon

If you want to maximise your impact, I believe optimising your packaging design is one of the greatest investments you can make.

I’m constantly amazed at how brands are willing to drop money on advertising that lives in the market for a tiny moment of time, yet refuse to properly invest in their product packaging that will be in-market for years.

But that’s a topic for another day!

Today, I’m going to break down my 2 core philosophies around packaging design.

The balance between ‘distinctive’ and ‘effective’.

I think this redesign sums up and explains these ideas perfectly

‘Distinctive’ design is the billboard. It helps build the brand and the unique codes that can become a trigger for the memory of the brand in people’s heads.

‘Effective’ design is the salesperson. It helps people understand what the product is, why it’s amazing and why they should buy it.

The ‘before’ design is not distinctive. There is nothing unique about it and it looks like every other generic phone case you’ve bought on amazon that has ever existed.

The ‘before’ design is not effective. It doesn’t tell me why the product is great and why it’s better than everything else.

By the end of this article, you’ll be able to give me the perfect answer as to why the ‘after’ design is much better.

We can’t all be Coca Cola

Wouldn’t it be amazing? All you need is your brand colour, logo and the job is done. People will instantly know what you’re selling and your packaging design can be beautifully minimalist.

That is the power of distinctiveness. These colours and shapes are coded into our brains memories and they instantly trigger feelings, ideas and associations of the product.

But it’s taken them hundreds of years and millions of dollars to get here.

Define your distinctive assets

Colour palettes, symbols, words, visuals - what is it about your brand that is uniquely you? What devices are you using to consistently build and refresh memory structures in the minds of shoppers?

Define them. Write them down. Figure out what role they play in every element of your brand communication - but particularly packaging.

The reason this is important is because shoppers typically have weak associations with brands. Most people have enough going on in their lives that they don’t pay anywhere near as much attention to brands as marketers and designers would have you believe.

Figure out what is unique to you and own it.

The world’s most sales-y product

So if Coca Cola is the most distinctive product in the world - what is the most ‘effective’?

If the role of effectiveness is the salesperson, then this product is putting in the hard yards to sell, sell, sell.

Not only does it have 3 labels, but the messaging is so heavy-handed and in your face that it might be a tad too much.

And that’s the danger - in trying to say too much and push the sale, you can risk losing what makes you unique and end up being too generic.

Align your message to the shoppers needs

It’s tempting to try to be everything to everyone.

But remember, the shopper makes their decision in about 3-5 seconds.

During that time, they can only process so much. Which is why it’s so critical to align your messaging and hierarchy with what is most important to the shopper in the category.

There’s no point just listing out all the features of your product without thinking about it from the shopper’s perspective. What is the job to be done? Why are they shopping the category? What drives their decision?

Some basic research can help uncover the answer to these questions - but it’s important to keep a ‘category’ mindset. Try not to think of people who buy your brand as “your” customers, they are simply category buyers who sometimes choose your brand.

And that’s why it’s about the balance.

The trick is to do both. Go too far on “selling” the product, and you’re just another generic option. Lean too hard on aesthetics, and you’re a pretty face with no message. Get it right, though, and your packaging design becomes a magnet for shoppers and a powerful asset for your company.

My three favourite examples of effective and distinctive packaging redesigns

Oatly

This is the best example of the shift.

The earlier design is so generic, it could be a private label brand. And the main claims are equally weak and generic.

But the refreshed design nails both - it’s very clear who it’s for (vegan/plant-based crowd) and the tone of voice they developed is incredibly unique to Oatly.

Poppi

This redesign couldn’t better represent “distinctive” - they literally had to change the name because they couldn’t trademark the overly generic ‘mother’.

Moving from “apple cider vinegar beverage” to “prebiotic soda” is a masterclass in effectiveness because it focuses on what the shopper wants - something that’s a little healthier and taste great. Vinegar does not do that job well at all.

Cocobella

They dialled up their distinctive assets! The blue is clear from a mile away and the palm tree is now integrated into the logo design (and people’s heads).

The simple shift to a clearer hierarchy of claims helps aid the shopper in decision making - there is less information to process and it’s more likely to land.

There is no one-sized-fits-all approach.

These are basic principles to get your packaging into a good space - but every situation is different and what works for some, may not work for you.

Planning an update in 2025? Let’s talk!

My business is growing and we have been doing complete, end-to-end packaging design and redesign projects recently.

If you’d like to see our portfolio and chat about how you can optimise your design to take an unfair share of shelf space and mental real estate, simply reply and let’s chat!