When it comes to custom packaging designs, some are worth the money some are not. Some are mere cheap attempts to put on a show, offering little more than the typical corrugated box and paper, while others are magnificent. It’s the money invested in little details, that makes one package stand out from the others. Inventor/entrepreneurs Robert Gair, Edwin Norton, and Michael Owens are thought to be pioneers of modern-day packaging. they started manufacturing tin plate cans, cartons and glass bottles that laid the foundations for the current state of packaging.
It all starts with an Idea:
All successful products started out as an idea, a dream, an inspiration, you may say. One person wanted to create something that will give consumer an experience like no other. Packaging contributes to the core of this idea where safety and care should be the rule. Immaculate, clean and carefully laid out designs and graphics that will create a package that seems nothing less than magic.
Transforming the idea into reality:
Success of the product directly depends on how this idea is transformed into reality. How beautifully and meticulously the packaging is designed, how standards for perfection are met (continuously. The key to achieving these goals is attention to detail, in a cohesive and sensible way. If you’re into cosmetics business, divide your products and their respective packaging into different categories. Your Packaging should be authentic “interpretation” of the brand story. For example, if your brand sells vintage inspired beauty products, the packaging should enhance the nostalgic experience. Minute details such as printing a vintage designed butterfly over a compact box can transport the customer to the era it represents. People can literally get lost in the details of packaging.
That is the idea, that is the magic, fanatical attention to detail.
“Everything Speaks” Philosophy:
Packaging of your products is not ancillary; every small detail to it speaks to the customer. Its usability, convenience, durability, and quality speaks volumes about the product. Sometimes trivial things like a bottle cap, dispenser or mascara wand can send a message every time the consumer interacts with it.
A potent example of everything speaks philosophy is La Prairie skin caviar concealer + foundation. It is one of the most expensive cosmetic products yet when it came to secondary packaging, the company did not give much attention to detail, it was just a plain black box. What message does it give to the consumer? That they are not getting value for their money ($265 precisely), if you’re going to market a product that expensive, at least pay some attention to the one thing consumer will be noticed on first interaction.
It may sound like a ridiculous leap of faith but in cosmetic market, most of the times reason has nothing to do with what goes on in a customer’s mind. Whether cosmetic brands think so or not, CUSTOMERS NOTICE EVERYTHING.
Authenticity is everything:
Packaging tells a powerful story, a story authentic to your brand. Copying a design can significantly diminish the company’s brand. Grande Brow fill is a classic example of jeopardizing a product’s image with bad packaging i.e. not paying attention to detail. The product is good but packaging is a disaster. With a copied image of an eye from internet, bad graphics, horrible color choice and cheap box, the packaging puts a customer off in every way possible. What does a good product with bad packaging implies? That you don’t understand customers’ needs. By not paying attention to detail in packaging, your actions are canceling out the promises made by your brand.
Customer Loyalty:
Customer loyalty is hard to come by these days but when you show the customer that you care by paying attention to detail, sale is pretty much a done deal. Customers get loyal to a brand only when they feel heard, understood and cared for. All beauty brands who have earned loyal customers over the years have one thing in common, Custom Cosmetic packaging i.e. attention to detail. Customers of these brands reason that if a company puts this much effort into packaging, they must put same level of effort in manufacturing their products.
How companies retain customers?
Beauty brands who have managed to retain their customer do one thing. Keep details of their packaging consistent with their brand promise, giving a positive message, a right message. Completing surveys with loyal customers to get unedited, honest feedback about the product and packaging is a key to tailoring your offering to consumers’ tastes.
Importance of Balance and moderation:
One may ask how companies maintain attention to detail despite costs (manufacturing, material, and printing) going up every year. The answer is, attention to detail doesn’t have to be expensive. Sometimes extravagance communicates complete opposite of showing care for the consumer. It may communicate willingness to waste money and time. Consumer may think he/she is paying of the expensive packaging as well.
Cle de Peau Beauté $250 product called THE FOUNDATION is a perfect example of extravagant packaging going wrong. Over-the-top packaging severely undermines the actual product. Its packaging overshadows the product and from the start consumer feels the product is nothing more than a fancy jar with dainty spatula.
Moderation is the key, going absolutely bananas with packaging can cost you (in monetary terms and your customers too). Don’t squander your time, effort and money, instead be precise in your design, do your research, learn what the customer wants and then come up with a packaging design for your product.
Conclusion:
There are so many amusement parks in the world but not a single one can come close to Disneyland. Ever wondered why is it so? The answer is THE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE; tailoring their services to the customers’ needs. Same rule applies to cosmetics packaging. these are extremely personal products and consumer wants a complete experience, attractive and stylish packaging is a huge part of it. it’s the key to enhanced customer satisfaction and will keep them coming back for more.
